by: Samantha Leonard | Samantha Leonard Designs
Lighting is a key component of setting the mood of a space, and correctly determining the type of lighting you need is critical to achieving the desired aesthetic.
How many times have you purchased a light bulb and discovered that the color temperature is just not it? Especially when you are replacing one bulb out of 3 above your kitchen island. Let me walk you through how to avoid that next time you are walking through Lowe’s.
#1. Talk Kelvins to me. The color temperature of white light is measured in degree units known as Kelvins (k). When we discuss color temperature, we are not talking about how much actual heat is being emitted from a light. We are talking about how warm or how cool the shade of white light is that is being emitted.
#2. Is the color of white not…white? Every color in existence will lean more towards cool or warm, including the color white. This is especially important to determine in lighting, so you don’t have a cooler light (leaning more towards blue) adjacent to a warmer light (leaning more towards yellow).
#3. The higher the degrees Kelvin, the cooler the color. The lower the degrees Kelvin, the warmer the color. 2700K= warm white light, 4000K= cool white light
#4. The most common misconception among clients is that Kelvins also determine brightness. No no no no no! Lumens are what determine brightness, but that is a topic for another day!
#5. So which bulb do I buy?! If you are going for a warm, cozy, vintage vibe stick with the 2700K. If you want a more in between 3,000K is a great choice as well. I reserve those two numbers typically for my residential clients. When looking for light fixtures to be used in the commercial world 3500K is a pretty safe bet. On the more rare occasions, I see 4000K in medical settings, but it can get pretty blue going any higher! Whatever you choose, keep it the same throughout your space!
#6. I like the current bulbs I have, but need to buy more. What do I look for? Check your current bulbs and look for the K (kelvins) and the Lumens number listed and find a bulb that matches those two!
#7. Bonus TIP: When in doubt choose dimmers to control the brightness of your space. As we discussed Kelvins determine your color temperature, but dimmers can help adjust brightness. If you are able to decide which switches are going in your home or office, choose dimmers and make sure you are using LED bulbs/lights alongside them!
Are you building or renovating a home and needing help figuring our light fixtures? Schedule a discovery call with us to get started!
