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Light colour and Kelvin

Choosing the right colour temperature for each application

01.
Explanation of light colour

Introduction

Light colour is an essential factor in how we experience a room or environment. The colour temperature, expressed in Kelvin, determines whether a lamp is a warm, neutral or cool light emits. In this article, we dive deeper into the common light colours (2200K, 2700K, 3000K, 4000K), their properties, and the role they play in industrial, commercial and residential lighting.

What is Kelvin and why is it important?

The term Kelvin (K) indicates how 'warm' or 'cool' a light source looks. The higher the Kelvin value, the bluer (cooler) the light. On the contrary, a lower Kelvin value means a warmer, more yellow-orange glow. Kelvin is crucial because it:

  • The atmosphere affects: Think 2700K for a cosy living feel versus 4000K for bright workplaces.
  • Impacts on productivity: In offices or industrial environments, a higher Kelvin value can promote alertness.
  • Environmental factors respected: In nature reserves, 2200K is often used to minimise light pollution for fauna.

Light colour vs. energy efficiency

In general, modern LED lamps have similar efficiency (lm/W) for each colour temperature. Yet in practice, it appears that very hot (2200K) and very cool (6500K) lamps are often slightly lower in efficiency than the mid-range ones (2700-5000K). Therefore, choose a light colour that ensures both energy savings and user comfort.

The most common light colours in Kelvin

2200K - Extra warm (Amber-coloured)

  • Appearance: Very warm, 'candlelight-like' glow.
  • Typical applications: Historic centres, parks, terrace lighting; also to reduce nighttime light pollution.
  • Advantage: Very atmospheric, pleasing to the eye.
  • Disadvantage: Limited colour recognition, not ideal for precision work.

2700K - Warm white

  • Appearance: Traditional incandescent atmosphere, soft and homely.
  • Typical applications: Living rooms, hospitality, small-scale retail.
  • Advantage: Cosy, recognisable light image.
  • Disadvantage: In an industrial context, it may look too 'warm' or insufficiently bright.

3000K - Warm-neutral white

  • Appearance: Slightly more neutral than 2700K, but still a warm shade.
  • Typical applications: Shops, lobbies, business spaces where warmth and professionalism need to be balanced.
  • Advantage: Good combination of ambience and functionality.
  • Disadvantage: Sometimes too warm for workplaces where maximum colour reproduction is needed.

4000K - Neutral white

  • Appearance: Cooler than 'living room temperatures', but not as blue as daylight white (6500K).
  • Typical applications: Offices, warehouses, industrial sites, outdoor areas, car parks.
  • Advantage: Popular for its fresh, universal look.
  • Disadvantage: May appear too clinical in ambient spaces.

(Note: Higher colour temperatures such as 5000K or 6500K are less commonly used, but are mostly found in laboratories, heavy industrial applications or detail-sensitive sectors).

02.
Choose what fits

Tips for choosing the right light colour

Although the choice of, for example 2200K, 3000K or 4000K may seem simple, in practice several considerations come into play. It is not only about creating the right atmosphere, but also about functionality, safety and energy consumption. Below are four practical tips for step-by-step determining the right light colour, whether you want to light a cosy café, an office environment or an industrial shop floor.

1. Determine the function of the room

Ask yourself what is happening in space. Is it a:

  1. Residential or hospitality environment: Choose warm tones (2200K-3000K) for more atmosphere.
  2. Office, industrial workplace: Often, the light colour 4000K offers a good balance between brightness and comfort. High-risk workplaces would benefit from more than 4000K.
  3. Specific inspection tasks: Consider a light colour higher than 5000K with high CRI for accurate colour therapy and detail recognition.

2. Take environmental factors into account

  • Daylight influence: Spaces with a lot of daylight can benefit from light colours around 5700K, so that daylight and artificial light blend naturally.
  • Light pollution and nature: In outdoor environments, especially near residential areas or nature reserves, a lower Kelvin value (2200K-3000K) can greatly reduce disturbing stray light. Wherever possible, have nuisance towards your surroundings checked in calculations.

3. Match colour temperature to visual needs

  • Atmosphere vs functionality: Warmer Kelvin for ambience, higher Kelvin for functionality.
  • Length of presence: Prolonged work in too warm light can induce drowsiness, too cool light can be tiring for some people.
  • CRI and colour recognition: Remember that in addition to Kelvin, the CRI value also determines colour rendering (e.g. CRI≥80 is often desired in professional working environments).

4. Test and evaluate

  • Sample: If possible, place a test luminaire with the desired Kelvin in the room and assess the effect.
  • Insight from users: Ask employees, residents or customers about their experience.
  • Possible dimming options: Consider dimmable and even tunable white luminaires (adjustable Kelvin) if needs vary over the day.
Barracuda - low glare heavy duty led floodlight (dcbright)
Example: Our floodlights are mostly 4000K to 6500K because they are used in demanding environments.
In foggy environments, this is counterproductive, which is why we offer the option to switch to amber.
03.
Switching in light colour offers advantages

Colour-changing lighting

Not only in the consumer market (think "smart lamps" with an app) is colour-switchable lighting popular, but also in the industrial and professional sector we increasingly see luminaires that can change colour temperature. The biggest advantage? You can adjust the light colour to suit the conditions or time of day:

  • Fog and bad weather: In some outdoor environments, a warmer Kelvin (e.g. 2700K or 3000K) can penetrate haze or dust better, actually improving visibility compared to cooler light.
  • Dynamic workplaces: In industrial halls in the morning, a slightly cooler colour (4000K) can provide alertness, while late in the day slightly warmer light (3000K) provides more comfort, for example to reduce fatigue.
  • Events and hospitality: On sports fields, in showrooms or on occasions with different usage scenarios (from hard work lighting to mood lighting), the option of colour switching is a valuable feature.

04.

Together into one working solution

Getting started with light colour in an Industrial project?

Discover the power of JEL Products and its industrial LED lighting solutions for greater savings in energy, costs, and CO2 emissions while improving your work safety. Contact us today by filling in the form below so we can support you in lighting your working environment in the best possible way.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information and is not intended as professional advice. For specific questions or tailored advice, we recommend contacting our experts.