Lighting Colour Temperature – a guide
Here is your lighting colour temperature guide! You might be wondering what we mean when we refer to colour temperature in regard to lighting. Read on to find out what exactly it is and which would be best for your interior’s mood.
Colour temperature refers to the warmth or coolness of light; warmer – duller, yellower in appearance (think industrial), cooler – bluer/whiter in appearance. Most bulbs emit a white light, but this white light can range from warm to cool.
When picking your lighting fixture, you will need to consider which colour temperature you are going with as it can affect the overall mood and atmosphere.
Correlated colour temperature is ranked in degrees Kelvin (1,000-10,000) – the Kelvin scale. The Kelvin scale is numbered and provides information on the amount of energy that the bulb emits and the atmosphere created. The lower the number, the warmer the glow. This is ideal for creating a relaxing atmosphere and style in a room.
Cool White lighting colour temperature
Cool White Ceiling Light – Maxlite.ie
Our LED ceiling lights are of a ‘cool white’ colour temperature, meaning they offer a much brighter and vibrant light. Cool white is suited to modern home designs, complementing the mainly contemporary design and décor, while also being preferable in office projects.
Cool white can also be used for task lighting, in the home office or kitchen. Used in the right setting it will produce a more vibrant, energetic feel to a room.
Warm White colour temperature
Antique Globe Shaded Wall Light
Warm white light is a softer, relaxing yellow/orange hue. This is extremely popular and creates a cosy atmosphere most crave after a hard day’s work when they want to unwind. Best utilised in the living room, bedroom or dining room to create a warm, welcoming feel.
When choosing the colour temperature, you will need to consider the colour palette and finish in each space. Oranges, yellows and wooden finishes all look and feel more welcoming under a warm white light, while blues and greys will appear dull. Switched around, using a cool white light with oranges, yellows and wooden finishes will appear flat. Going for a more rustic, country look? Go for warm white. Going for a vibrant, contemporary feel? Cool white is your friend here!
Where to use Cool White colour temperature in your home
As previously stated, cool white brings much more of a vibrancy to a room and is suited to modern design homes. Best utilised in the kitchen, home office or bathroom. With regard to a bathroom specifically, cool white can have a ‘sterile’, ‘clean’ feel to it. However using warm white in the bathroom can bring that relaxed feeling on before bed. Consider this beautiful customer kitchen island with our Island LED Hanging Pendant installed.
At the time of writing, the LED bathroom mirrors we have in stock have colour changing functionality. This means that the colour LED light strip can be changed between cool white to daylight and then to warm white, instantly. The advantage is plain to be seen, you can change the mood of the bathroom and set yourself up for the day with a bright white. Here’s an idea, use cool white during the day and then warm white for a more relaxed feel in the evening.
600mm Colour Changing LED Bluetooth Bathroom Mirror
600x800mm Colour Changing LED Bathroom Mirror (Backlit)
800mm Round Colour Changing Bluetooth LED Bathroom Mirror
The Golden Rule? Always check your colour temperature before purchasing. Our product images should give you a clear idea of what colour temperature is what, however here is an image to eradicate any confusion.
Lighting colour temperature scale from warm white to cool white
All our lights are stocked in our showroom in Callaghans Electrical so if you’re in the Donegal area, pop in and have a browse.
Our new stock will be available for purchase in two weeks so keep an eye out!