Philips sent us some lightbulbs to use to in our new house (which we really needed) and when I opened the box and saw they were energy efficient bulbs I was sort of a skeptic. I feel like for years people have been telling me that LED bulbs emit as beautiful light as regular bulbs. But every time I try a few the light is so bad I have to switch back. Lighting makes SUCH a difference in a room and I’ve avoided LED lightbulbs because the light was so ugly. When we put a room together we usually have an overhead light source for function but we prefer not to use it. Instead we have a few lamps around the room to create ambient lighting. Since we moved in last month we hadn’t really gotten our lighting set up so we worked on it last week and I told Paul to try the new lightbulbs. When I came back in the room I couldn’t believe they were LED bulbs. The light was beautiful. The next day I placed a giant order for all the bulbs in our house. My friends started making fun of me because they would come over and all I wanted to do was talk about how great the new lightbulbs are. The bulbs last over 20 years (!) and are super energy efficient. And most importantly (for me) I can’t tell a difference between the old and the new. Right now, Philips is hosting a giveaway for a $3,000 lighting makeover! By entering, you could win a design consultation, new bulbs and fixtures for your home! Click here to learn about all the details.

Our new house has a really great mantel in the living room and when I was decorating for Christmas I knew it would be perfect for a fresh garland. Bay leaf garlands are great because they’re not only beautiful, but they also make the whole house smell amazing. Plus when they dry out they still look beautiful. I order mine from the Flower Mart, they are usually $4-$6 a foot.

This post is sponsored by Philips: make your holidays shine with the right lighting. 

Photography by Gaby Esensten for Oh Happy Day