What light color should my lamp have?
What's light color and why is it important?
White light comes in hundreds of different shades, from warm white light to the cold white of daylight. We call this color temperature, and how do we indicate that? In Kelvin. But what use is it exactly? Color temperature is important when carrying out certain everyday tasks. What could be more annoying than a too warm yellow light in your kitchen, causing you to almost cut your finger when cutting meat? Here, light is a tool that helps you better perform your tasks.
On the other hand, light color isn't just practical, it also defines the ambience. No matter how cozily you use nice furniture to arrange a room, if you then hang a TL lamp above your coffee table, it won't really look cozy. That means color temperature can make your living room, but it can also definitely break it.
Associations with light color
Light color has one other effect: psychological effect. That means, for instance, light color affects your mood. What do we mean by this? Think of a warm color temperature under 3000 Kelvin. Doesn't that remind you of the warm light of a sunset? Your body is then getting ready for night. That's why warm color temperatures calm you down. As you can probably imagine, such light colors aren't very useful for in the office. In the office, you'd prefer bright daylight. Humans are active during the day, so by imitating this light, you'll work harder. Some smart lights allow you to set multiple shades of white yourself, which is ideal for all the various situations in the home.
Light color per space
You now know that color temperature isn't just practical, but also defines the atmosphere and influences your mood. What light color should you choose for your living room or your bathroom, then? Read it here. Do bear in mind that this is a recommendation. Light color, after all, is still a matter of taste.
Living room
The living room is the heart of your house. It's a place where you get together with family and friends. You watch TV there, you read books, and perhaps you might work there occasionally. That's why you'll want a light color that's suitable for all these miscellaneous activities. In particular, you'll want a relaxed, cozy atmosphere. A light color between 2,700 and 3,000 Kelvin will get you there. Since living rooms are multifunctional, an adjustable light color is very convenient. That way, you'll adjust the light yourself for all your various activities.
Kitchen
You spend a lot of time in the kitchen. You mostly use it for practical activities, but the kitchen is a place for coziness as well. You'll mainly want practical lighting, but it will need to be attractive. While you're preparing your food, however, you will want to be able to see what you're doing. That's why you should choose a light color between 3,000 and 4,000 Kelvin. Especially above your stove and worktop, good lighting is very important. This'll also allow you to clean everything well afterwards. You could choose, however, to get a ceiling light in your kitchen that's just a shade warmer.
Bathroom
Your day starts and ends in the bathroom. There's enough light for you to carry out everyday hygiene-related tasks. You'll brush your teeth, comb your hair, shave your beard, and do your makeup. That means you'll need a bright light color particularly near your mirror. That's why you should choose a color temperature between 3,500 and 5,000 Kelvin. You could get a ceiling light that's slightly warmer than the lamp above your sink. That way, there'll be a relaxed glow in your bathroom when you're taking a bath, for example.
Bedroom
Your bedroom is where you relax. It's where you sleep, of course, but you may also use it to read a book or watch TV. Most of all, you'll want a soft and warm light color with a relaxing effect. When you're getting up in the morning or going to the bathroom at night, blinding light won't be very nice when you're still wiping the sleep from your eyes. Here, choose a color temperature between 2,700 and 3,000 Kelvin. For your ceiling light, you could choose a slightly different lighting color than for your nightlights. A dimmer is very convenient here as well.
Study
In your study, you'll want light that improves your concentration. What you definitely won't want is a too dark, warm light color. A light color like that will overload your eyes, which might tire them out too much. You don't want that while you're working or studying. After all, you're not looking to create a cozy atmosphere, but a work atmosphere. That's why you should choose a light color between 4,000 and 5,000 Kelvin.
Conclusion
There's a different color temperature for each function. It helps or hinders when performing certain tasks. In addition, light color creates an atmosphere and influences your mood. It makes sense, then, that you'll need a different light color for your bedroom than for your study. In your bedroom, you want to relax, while in your study, you'll need to stay focused. 2 different functions that require different atmospheres. When picking your light source, think about what kind of atmosphere you want to create and what function it has. This way, you'll choose the right color temperature.
