What is the difference between warm white and cool white

When lit, warm white LEDs mimic a sunny colour comparable to the colour emitted by most traditional 60W incandescent bulbs. With a value in the range of K on the Kelvin scale, warm white LEDs are ideal for home-lighting applications , especially bedrooms and living rooms. Installing cool white LEDs will give you a brighter, clearer light. Think of the lighting in a hospital or a professional kitchen, where clear bright light is essential in order to see what you are doing.

This light has a slight blue tint to it, producing an icy effect, and is usually found in professional working areas. Domestically, it can look striking in clinical white bathrooms or kitchens. Neutral White is found right in the middle of the space between warm and cool white LED light. On the Kelvin scale, that places it around K. This white light is less diluted by other colours bleeding. Warm white lightbulbs are also great in table lamps and bedside lamps. They appear closer to daylight than a warm white bulb.

Cool white light bulbs are much closer to the older style fluorescent tube lights. Cool white lighting is often commonly used in commercial properties. At the brightest end of the scale, daylight lighting does exactly what it says on the tin These types of lights are very bright and powerful so are often used in commercial settings such as yards, forecourts, sports venues, and as floodlights and security lights.

In a home setting, people often use them as driveway or garden lights. Q: Should I choose warm white or cool white for my kitchen? A: It depends. For the main lights, cool white is one of the most popular choices. Many people often choose warm white lights for their under cabinet lights, and this can work well in conjunction with the brighter ceiling light.

Q: Should I choose warm white or cool white for my bathroom. A: Bathrooms generally benefit from the brighter light so you can see more clearly. However, if you love nothing more than a relaxing soak, consider warm white led lights for that softer atmosphere. A: Yes, warm white colour temperature is considered to be between K and K. A: No, daylight is generally brighter than cool white. However, at the brightest end of the cool white colour temperature range, it will still be very bright.

This blog will explore the differences between the colour temperatures, the impact they can have on a room or area, as well as suggested applications for each.

Light colour temperatures are measured in kelvins, which range from k up to k. The lower the kelvin of the light, the more yellow the light will appear.

The higher the kelvin, the more white the light will appear. Lighting companies will often use the terminology warm white, cool white and day light to describe the temperature of a light. For example, one manufacturer may describe k as cool white, while most would describe k as cool white. If a customer was to choose solely based on the description of the light temperature rather than the kelvins, they may end up with a light that is far harsher than what they originally wanted.

So, what's the difference? As you can see in the photo below, the k often called warm white has a yellow tinge, the k often called day light has almost a blue colour to it and the cool white k is a mix of the both with a neutral tone to it. However, as mentioned, certain applications will be far more suited to certain colour temperatures, so we recommend keeping an open mind on this. Warm white is the closest colour to candlelight; think of warm white as creating ambience in a room.

Rather than having the area flooded with light, warm white lights will have small pools of light, creating a calmer and more relaxing atmosphere. This pleasant and inviting environment is perfect for a living room or bedroom where you want to wind down and relax.

I personally did not like warm white before I understood the effect that warm white can have in a room. A warm white colour temperature is also ideal for more traditional applications where you want to create character and depth. For example, warm white lights are often used for weddings as it creates a romantic mood. Cool white around k is a great option if you are unsure which temperature to choose, as it has the best of both worlds. Cool white lighting is most suited in areas where you may require more brightness and a more lively feel in a space.

Other rooms that would suit cool lights include kitchens, laundries, garages and studies. If you choose to install cool white lights throughout your house, I recommend installing them with a dimmer. This will allow you to bring down the brightness and decrease the harshness if needed. While the colour temperatures in your home are entirely personal preference, many people find that daylight lighting are too severe and have too much of a blue appearance to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Some people find it even causes them headaches. We recommend daylight lighting only being used in high work areas such as offices or warehouses. The brightness and white appearance of daylight lighting reacts with the human brain to make it more awake and alert. It is the closest simulation of the natural colour of a bright sunny day.