Most people think the majority of lighting varieties are the same, noting the differences between different lights in terms of color and brightness alone. But warm and cool lighting provide very different experiences, and if you use them appropriately, your entire home will be more functional, more comfortable, and more welcoming to your guests.
What are the best ways to use both warm and cool lighting throughout your house?
What’s the Difference Between Warm and Cool Lighting?
First, let’s explore the difference between warm and cool lighting. Emitted light isn’t all the same, even if we would characterize the light as white. Some forms of light emission have a reddish hue to them, while others have more of a bluish hue. We refer to light at the red end of the spectrum as being warm, while the light at the blue end of the spectrum is referred to as cool.
On light bulb packaging, this is expressed in the form of a temperature scale. At the lowest end of the spectrum, we have candles and the flames from basic matches, which are the warmest forms of light we can perceive; these tend to be in the range of 1700K to 1900K. For reference, sunrise and sunset lighting tends to be around 1800K.
Have you ever felt that the light from the moon is noticeably brighter or strikingly different than the light from the setting sun? That’s because moonlight tends to be a cooler color with more of a bluish hue, at around 4100K.
What about the lights you would use in your home? Incandescent bulbs have a relatively warm tone at 2700K to 3000K. Here, the term “warm” makes perfect sense because incandescent bulbs use thermal radiation from a heated internal filament to produce their light.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are typically cooler than incandescent bulbs, but still remain at the warmer end of the spectrum, just above 3000K. These days, you can purchase LED bulbs that simulate a wide range of different temperatures, from the ultra-warm 2700K range to something much cooler, simulating full daylight at 6000K or higher.
Using Warm Light
Warm light has a tendency to simulate sunset, which makes it perfect for relaxation and for creating comfortable atmospheres. It’s also exceptionally good at providing light that isn’t too oppressive or blinding. However, you might find it difficult to focus on tasks if warm light is your only option; it doesn’t provide the sheer illumination value or focal intensity that cool light does.
Use warm light for the following:
· Ambiance. Consider using warm light to create ambience in specific rooms of your home. With careful placement, you can instantly transform the mood of a given space and more make it relaxing or inviting.
· Background lighting. Warm light is also good as background lighting. If you’re watching a movie in the living room, a pair of warm lamps in the background can illuminate your environment without interfering with your primary experience.
· Comfort. Many people find warm light to be cozy and comfortable, making it perfect for spaces where you want to curl up and relax.
· Late nights. You may also want to use warm lights in spaces where you tend to gather late at night; it’s easier on your eyes and can help you transition to a peaceful night of rest. Cool light could interfere with this process, tricking your body into believing it’s a different time of day.
Using Cool Light
By contrast, cool light is exceptionally good at providing stark illumination and helping you focus on the tasks that are in front of you. There are times where it feels a bit harsh, especially late at night, but there are certain applications for which cool light is perfect.
· Task lighting. Cool light is ideal for task lighting. Whether you’re chopping vegetables, solving a puzzle, or reading a book, cool light is going to be your best friend.
· Offices. For this reason, cooler is also ideal for office spaces, especially if you usually work during the morning and afternoon.
· Accent lighting. Cool light also serves an important role as accent lighting, helping you illuminate certain fixtures of your home and allowing you to create dynamic relationships between your background warm lighting and your more focused cool lighting.
As you can see, both warm and cool light have a place in your home. You may have a personal preference for one or the other, but if you want to capitalize on the best possible environment for every room of your house, you’re going to need a combination of both to make it work.
Use each end of the spectrum to its fullest advantage and you’ll end up with a much more comfortable and functional home environment.
