Q: Will the new light bulbs work with touch lamps?
A: There are several relatively new types of light bulbs on the market, but I suspect you're referring to either compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. Either kind might pose a problem with some touch lamps.
Lighting consultant Terry McGowan said that if a touch lamp has a mechanical switch, it will work with any CFL or LED bulb. However, if the lamp has an electronic switch, you'll need to use a CFL or LED bulb that's specially marked as dimmable. Even then you may have some problems, he said.
McGowan said you can tell what kind of switch the lamp has by putting a standard incandescent bulb of 40 to 60 watts in the socket and then trying the switch while listening carefully. If you hear a click when the lamp is turned on and off, then the switch is mechanical. If you don't hear a click, it's electronic.
People are also reading…
Book highlights feminine side of design
Jacqueline deMontravel believes every woman deserves a space all her own. Creating that space is the subject of her new book, "Hers: Design With a Feminine Touch."
DeMontravel, editor of Romantic Homes magazine, offers strategies and ideas for designing places where a woman can relax and recharge. It might be the traditional boudoir, or it could be a work space for creating, a garden retreat or even a living room that's shared by the whole family. What matters is that it serves as a sanctuary, a place that's comfortable and makes the occupant feel her best.
She points out that feminine isn't necessarily girly. A woman's retreat could be a contemporary space, a room done in the calming colors and simple motifs of the beach, a cheerful alcove done in bold hues - whatever suits her style.
"Hers" is published by Clarkson Potter and sells for $35 in hardcover.