LED Bulbs for Color Correction
Lighting is an important part of your home decorating scheme. Today’s LED bulbs come in a wide variety of colors and temperatures. Here’s how to choose the right ones for your home.
What Is Color-Corrected Lighting?
As you may know, colors can be classed as cool or warm. The same is true of the colors that come from your light bulbs. You may have seen LED light bulbs that class themselves as “cool white” or “warm white” when selecting bulbs for your fixtures.
In lighting technology, this is known as correlated color temperature or CCT. It is a rating of how warm or cool a particular color is. The rating uses the Kelvin (K) rating, which measures the temperature of a lighting source
Why You Need to Know Your Color Temperatures
How does that translate to real life? If you step outside on a sunny day, the sun’s light typically has a rating of 6500K. This is a cool light that renders everything sharp and clear. This is the lighting you commonly see in hospitals and schools.
The light of an indoor fire will have about 2400K, which is a warm, soft light that invites relaxation. The right temperature of lighting can make a huge difference in the way a room looks and feels.
Where to Use Color Correcting Light Bulbs
Here are some suggestions for using color to correct a room’s atmosphere. The right combination of cool and warm lighting can help you make every room functional and inviting.
• Workspace: Your workspace lighting should be bright and cool to enhance focus and concentration. Some offices use bulbs with 7000K bulbs. Your home office may not need that much brightness, but 4000K is a good option for workspaces, kitchens, office desks, and crafting rooms.
• Cool decor: If you have bright, clear colors in your living room, try LED bulbs of around 5000K. That’s because lower ranges will make your cool colors look yellowish. Don’t go too high, however, as you don’t want the constant mental stimulation of a high K rating.
• Warm décor: If, on the other hand, your living room has a warm decorating scheme and wooden furniture, use warmer temperatures to bring out the richness of those colors. LED bulbs in the 2200K to 3000K range will work well.
• Bedrooms: Use warm lighting to create a cozy atmosphere. LED bulbs in the 2000K to 2700K range are a good choice for dining areas, family rooms, and bedrooms.
• Outdoor lighting: Use lights in the 3000K to 4000K range for security lighting and parking areas.
Get Help With All Your Lighting Needs
SESCOS can help you develop a lighting scheme that works for every part of your home and your life. We have been helping Loudoun County residents light up their lives for over 50 years. Call us today.