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How to Choose the Best Color Temperature for Your Home

With recent advances in LED lighting, it can be challenging to shop for the product that suits your home the best. You can find several different color temperature options available for sale today, ranging from cool to neutral to warm.

 

Some LED bulbs can be manually adjusted to display different RGB colors and temperatures for a customized look.

 

The best color temperature for your home depends on where and how you use the lights. You must also consider your interior décor, design, and the eventual look and feel you hope to accomplish.

 

When you know how to choose the best color temperature for your home, this process becomes simple and straightforward.

 

What Is the Definition of Color Temperature?

 

Today's LED lighting products come with several color temperature options. Most of them offer various shades of white.

 

It's a lot like shopping for interior paint. Although you can find a pure white product, everything from eggshell to off-white all fit within the same generic category.

 

When you look for LED lights with the right color temperature, you'll see terms like “warmth" and “coolness" when describing the product. The measurement used for this purpose is called “Kelvin," and it's indicated with a “K" at the end of a scaled number.

 

The Kelvin scale for color temperature ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 K. When you have a lower number, that indicates the LED light has more yellow hues to it. When you get closer to the top of the scale, you'll have something closer to mid-morning sunlight with the extra blue light wavelengths.

 

How LED Lighting Mimics Sunlight in the Home

 

When you chart the course of the sun across the sky during the day, you'll see that it changes color and tone. What you see in the morning or evening is different than what is outside at midday.

 

At sunrise and sunset, the Kelvin reading for sunlight often dips below 3,000 K. That means you'll see yellow tones that aren't as harsh on the eyes if you look directly at the star.

 

When it's the middle of the day, the sun often appears as a white, almost bluish color. The Kelvin reading at this time might be 6,000 K or higher – especially if there isn't a cloud in the sky.

 

Today's LED lighting provides a similar experience. When you purchase a bulb with a lower Kelvin rating, it will wash a room with yellowish light. It feels soft, cozy, and embraceable.

 

If you purchase an LED bulb with a color temperature of 4,000 K or more, you'll have something closer to the midday light spectrum. At 6,500 K, you're maximizing this sunlight effect.

 

When you get to 9,000 K and above, the color tones found in that space appear about as blue as the sky.

 

Most homeowners find that LED lights of 4,000 K or below are suitable for the home environment. Some people might be comfortable with 5,000 K if they operate an office, telecommute, or do lots of reading.

 

Most commercial LED light installations are 4,000 K or higher. By producing a bright white light, it's much easier to perform detail-orientated tasks. Some homes use this effect for task lighting in the kitchen, garage, or bathroom.

 

Industrial locations often use LED lights with a cool temperature because the bluish light has a stimulating effect. The circadian rhythm is what helps you feel awake during the day and tired at night. By using a high Kelvin rating, an indoor environment can fool your physiology into thinking that you're spending time outside.

 

What to Consider When Selecting Color Temperature

 

Before deciding on the specific LED bulbs you want to use, it helps to review the colors of your furnishings, floors, and walls. If most of your home uses cool colors, such as blues, greens, grays, blacks, or whites, it'll work better to use a product with a higher Kelvin rating.

 

Anything in the 3,000 K range would be suitable in that environment. The lighting will complement the décor without creating an overwhelming or contrasting visual experience.

 

When your home is filled with natural materials, such as a hardwood floor, wooden cabinets, wood furniture, and woven fabrics, you'll want something on the warmer end of the scale for your color temperature. Homes filled with reds, browns, oranges, and tans do better with a lower Kelvin rating.

 

An overlooked consideration for selecting the color temperature for your home is your preferred style. When your rooms are outfitted with traditional décor, the space typically looks better with a 2,700 K product or lower. That's because the yellow tones are similar to what lanterns, candles, or incandescent bulbs offer.

 

Traditional décor includes elements like crown molding, wooden mantles, wood paneling, and similar components.

 

If your home is filled with clean lines, or you prefer a minimalist design, the rooms might look better with a cool-spectrum Kelvin rating. Even then, some areas might work better with something warmer, such as the bedroom. Having too much blue light in the areas where you sleep can make it harder to relax.

 

What to Expect with LED Color Temperatures?

 

When you have information about the Kelvin scale before shopping for new LED lights, you'll know that you're selecting an appropriate product for your home.

 

You'll find five different generic options to consider when evaluating LED Kelvin temperatures. Here is the information to look for in product descriptions or on the back of the bulb's package when you're ready to make this upgrade.

 

LED COLOR TEMP TEMPERATURE SCALE COMMON USE OF LED LIGHT
Cool Rating 6,000 K to 7,000 K Since this LED light has the highest temperature rating on the Kelvin scale, it tends to work better in an industrial or commercial setting. The brightness levels it delivers can help to encourage more alertness during the day.
Daylight Rating 5,000 K to 6,000 K This LED lighting option delivers a crisp and clear white light with its position on the Kelvin scale. It works well for general settings, including home offices, garages or workshops, and general retail locations. Some outdoor lighting fixtures also use products in this spectrum.
Natural Rating 3,500 K to 4,500 K With this LED lighting option, you receive a clean and precise color that mimics natural sunlight with its Kelvin rating. It's helpful for almost any residential application, including shadowy areas where natural light isn't available.
Warm Rating 2,700 K to 3,500 K This color temperature rating provides a relaxing atmosphere because it naturally generates a soothing effect. It's suitable for bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and relaxed commercial settings.
Amber Rating 2,200 K and Under With this Kelvin temperature rating, you'll receive a result similar to the soft white incandescent bulbs of the past. It delivers a cozy mood with orange tones that remind you of a fireplace or camping lantern.

 

Most homeowners prefer to avoid the cool tones found at the upper end of the Kelvin scale because it creates a harsh appearance. Although that works well for modern lines, it doesn't provide the same opportunities to relax.

 

If you like the idea of using cool LEDs in a traditional home, it might help to have task lighting installed. Using a high Kelvin-rated bulb in reading lamps or other situational fixtures would also work well.

 

What to Look for With a New LED Bulb

 

Whether you want something on the warmer end of the color spectrum or a product closer to natural sunlight, you'll want to shop for a high-quality LED bulb.

 

Although smart bulbs provide lots of customization options, the cost can be up to five times more than something more generic. If you know what color tone you'll need, it's easier to search for products using the appropriate Kelvin rating.

 

Each light bulb package comes with information about the temperature and color to expect. You'll also find information about the wattage, voltage, and base. Once you have that data, you can compare it to the fixtures at home to see if they match.

 

You cannot force a light bulb meant for a different fixture into ones that are already installed. It helps to count the different options you have in each room to ensure you're searching for the appropriate product.

 

Once you know the information to find, you can look at the LED light's additional features, including longevity, output rating, and brightness.

 

Today's best LEDs come with a 50,000-hour rating, and some industrial designs can even double that. When you install bulbs or fixtures with the color temperature you prefer, it could be the last time you'll need to replace that specific item. That's why it makes sense to understand the Kelvin rating you like before investing in this product line.

 

Color temperature preferences are ultimately up to each person's perspective. With the information in this guide, you can make a more empowered decision. 




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