Light can be seen everywhere in our lives, such as the warm light from the sun, and the lighting from indoor lamps. Light energy brings great convenience to our life, and our life cannot be separated from it. A good light source can provide us with a happier and more convenient life.

color temperature

Do you not know how to choose a good light source for you? This article will teach you about lighting.

 

What Is Color Temperature

What is color temperature? I believe everyone will have a lot of doubts in the alarm clock, such as:

  • What is the concept of 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4000K, 5000K, 6000K that designers often say?
  • ​If we say yellow light, is white light too abstract? Should we use color temperature or color to communicate with designers or lighting manufacturers?
  • What color temperature should we recommend for your personal space?
color temperature

Next we will always answer you. Please scroll down to see.

 

What is color temperature? What is the concept of a series of numbers in the mouth of experts?

The word "color temperature" is actually translated from the English "Color Temperature". In simple terms, color temperature is the color of light. Kevin is a unit of measurement for color temperature, and the English letter K is used as a representative symbol. If you often see the packaging of lamps and lanterns or hear the designer say that the lighting is 3000K, 4000K, 5000K, in fact, this is talking about the color temperature, which is equivalent to talking about the color of the light.

How can the color temperature have anything to do with Mr. Kevin? Because it happens that Brother Kevin himself sells steel, and he may be a steel tycoon. At the beginning, when Brother Kevin observed the dissolved metal in the factory, he started from the beginning. When it reaches the highest temperature, the heated steel will show different colors when it shines, and this man recorded the color of the iron block with data, and later produced a specification table of color temperature!

 

Next, let's take a simple example: when the temperature of the black iron is not high, the color of the iron will be orange-red. As the temperature increases, the color of the iron will gradually turn yellow. When the temperature reaches the highest temperature, the iron will become Off-white. Therefore, the K value of the color temperature is similar to this concept. The yellower the light color, the lower the color temperature value. For example, 2700K and 3000K represent yellow light. The whiter the light has a higher color temperature value, while 5000K and 6000K represent white light.

color temperature

In fact, the color temperature is not the patent of brother Kevin who burns steel. Kevin may be more careful and observe this phenomenon. In fact, there are answers in nature for us to find. You may wish to refer to the change of the sun at different times in the picture below, which is actually the performance of color temperature (light color). Therefore, the color temperature is not only observed by burning iron, we humans live in the change of light color every day.

 

Usually, should we use color temperature or color to communicate with designers or lighting manufacturers?

Our suggestion is to use the color temperature (K) directly to communicate with designers or lighting manufacturers, because it will be more accurate. At present, most of the products on the market will use Warm White, Cool White, and Day Light to indicate the color of the light. Some manufacturers define it as Warm White, Neutral White, and Cool White. Just the literal meaning of each person's definition is very different, which can easily lead to confusion.

color temperature

Let’s take another simple example. Some lamps and lanterns’ packaging defines yellow light as 3000K, while others define yellow light as 2700K. Both are also yellow, but the color temperature is different. Some people call 4000K natural light, while others call it natural light. It is called warm white light; some high-end lighting brands in Japan have a color temperature of 3500K. In the representation of Chinese characters, some brands call 3500K yellow and white light, and some brands call 3500K warm white light or light warm light.

color temperature

For English-language brands, some lamps are called Cool White for 4000K, some for 4000K as Neutral White, and above 5000K are called Cool White. The above phenomenon is similar to domestic and foreign lamps. Therefore, it is more accurate to use the color temperature (K) as much as possible to communicate directly with designers or lamp manufacturers.

color temperature

 

What color temperature should we recommend for your personal space?

What color temperature light should be used in what space is actually a very subjective issue. We can't give a standard answer for everyone's space, because everyone has different requirements and preferences for the color temperature of lighting, and the definition of good and bad is also subjective. But here we can still provide some tips to help you plan your lighting:

  • The appropriate color temperature can be planned according to the purpose of the space and the people who use it, such as home, office, hotel, library, etc. Different light colors can also be matched according to the object of use.
  • The same color temperature should be used as much as possible in the same space, or it should not be too different to make the space look neat and whole.
  • Match the light color temperature according to the space material selection, such as 3000K and 4000K projected on light-colored wood, dark wood, light-colored stone, dark-colored stone, glossy surface, and matte surface, which brings different feelings to everyone.​

​We have compiled some case photo simulations for your reference. I hope you can create your favorite lighting environment and enjoy a good time.

color temperature
Color temperature 2700K
color temperature
Color temperature 3000K
color temperature
Color temperature 4000K

 

That's all for our introduction to light color temperature. Does it help you to recognize color temperature? If you are interested in exquisite lighting, please click to browse our website.