Choosing the color temperature of the LED lamp

There are a huge number of LED lamps on the modern market that are in demand due to their durability and energy savings. When choosing a lamp, many people forget about such an indicator as the color temperature of the lighting. Our tips site will cover this topic, helping you make your choice.

To begin with, a short note: color temperature, it is also colorimetric or spectrophotometric temperature, measured in Kelvin (K), is denoted in the formulas as Tc and characterizes the course of the intensity of the light source as a function of length within the optical range. Complicated? Simply put, any light can be warm, neutral, and cold. These are only three main types, there are actually a lot of subspecies.

For example, to make it easier to understand what the color temperature numbers mean:

• 1500 to 2000 Kelvin (K) is the color temperature of a simple burning candle. Is this a warm light? Sure!
• 2200 K is a conventional 40 watt incandescent lamp. The light is also warm, but still too dim.
• 2680 K – the indicator of one incandescent lamp of 60 watts.
• 3400 K – the color temperature of the Sun when it is at the horizon, and 5000 K – our star is at its zenith, noon.
• 5500 K – flash rate.

Thus, the higher the color temperature, the colder the lighting will be. You need to find out this indicator when buying. But what kind of light do you need, taking into account the lifestyle, interior, and other features? To make the right choice, you first need to answer 5 questions of the portal .

1. When are you most often at home and turn on artificial lighting? If in the evenings, like most working homeowners, you need lamps with a warmer color temperature. From 2700 to 3500 K, no more. Such lighting is cozy, relaxing and inviting to rest. One LED lamp with a power equivalent of 60 W will not be enough for a room, you need several sources with the same color temperature.

2. What do you do at home day and night? If you work from home, you have a home office, then 5000K fluorescent LED lamps are an excellent choice. The same light should be chosen for the kitchen so that the owners can cook comfortably, noticing all the details. In fact, it is analogous to sunlight on a clear afternoon..

Important! For the dining area in the kitchen or in a separate dining room, experts advise choosing a warm light, in which dishes will look more appetizing..

3. What color are your walls, ceiling, floor, furnishings? If your room has a lot of cool shades, such as blue, green, boiling white, black, then the color temperature of the lighting fixtures should also be cool enough. Or at least neutral. Not less than 4000 K! If the room has a lot of natural materials, wood, the floor is parquet, in general, the whole color range is in brownish shades, there are red and orange, then the features of such a decor will best emphasize warm light with a color temperature of about 2700 K.

4. What is the style of your home? Modern interior styles such as minimalism, loft tend more towards cold lighting. But for a cozy Provence, country, rustic style, warm light lamps are suitable, which are much closer to fireplaces and candles with their live flame. For classic, traditional interiors, you can use neutral lighting close to natural.

5. Room functions. For the bedroom, in any case, you should choose a warmer and more relaxing light than for the study, kitchen and living room. Low color temperature lighting is soothing, which is important for a room where people get ready for bed..

Ideal if you have the ability to change the color temperature of your lighting throughout the day and as needed. Some modern LED bulbs can be dimmed up to 1600K and produce cooler whites throughout the day to match natural sunlight..