When entering a home or a room, the first thing that greets the senses is the lighting. Lighting sets the mood and makes a home feel warm and welcoming. A lighting plan combined with design can make any setting more pleasant and comfortable as well as more engaging on a sensory level. Why is lighting so crucial to the look and feel of a home?

It’s hard to be sad in a bright sunny room and easy to relax in a cool, soft one. Color and light are critical elements of interior design, but more than that, light impacts the mood of a room in much the same way color does. Lighting type and placement play a key role in how any space is used. However, when choosing lighting for a room, there’s more to think about than wattage. Lighting color temperature is also essential.

Color temperature refers to the tint of the emitted light. The lighting temperature guide below can help you choose the proper lighting for each room of the home.

What Is Lighting Temperature?

Lighting temperature refers to the color a light source produces. Color temperature is measured in Kelvins, a measurement based on the color of heated metal. When heated, metal will glow in a range of colors, including red, yellow, or blue. Low color temperature creates a warm white light, while those on the higher end of the scale offer cool, crisp light.

While color temperatures range from less than 2000K to over 6500K, most lighting in homes is somewhere between 2000K and 4500K. These color temperatures fall into three main categories:

• warm light (2700-3500K)
• cold light (4000-4500K)
• full range (5000-6500K)

Color Temperature Lighting Chart

Every mood has a time, a place, and a lighting color temperature. The most important thing to remember is that cooler color lighting temperature promotes alertness and energy and warmer color lighting temperatures promote relaxation and coziness. Using this knowledge, you can use lighting to enhance your home’s mood, making it the perfect place for all life’s activities.

Chimera 25 Inch Large Pendant by Corbett Lighting

This light and airy bedroom shimmers under the glow of the Chimera 25 Inch Large Pendant by Corbett Lighting. The bright natural lighting energizes the mornings, while the warm lighting makes it a restful place in the evenings.

The Convenience of a Dimmer

Using lighting dimmers is an easy way to adjust the ambiance of a room for different times of day, events, and tasks. A dimmer switch lets you set the tone of each room depending on its current activity. These days, most of the rooms in a home have more than one purpose. Dining rooms require soft light for dining and a brighter task light for homework or game nights. Bathrooms need bright illumination for morning grooming and warmer, soft lighting for relaxing. A dimmer switch provides many options for adjusting the lighting according to the activity or mood desired.

Temperature Recommendations by Room

Warm white lighting at the low end of the scale gives off a cozy, relaxing vibe. They are great for bedrooms and living rooms. They also work well for decorative lighting and outdoor fixtures.

Bright white lighting on the cooler end of the spectrum creates an energetic, vibrant mood. They offer more contrast than warm lights, making them ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. They are a popular option for areas that require task lighting.

The brightest end of the spectrum offers lighting similar to natural daylight. These colors are crisp, clear, and rejuvenating. This color temperature is often used for display lighting, security lighting, spotlights, and garages.

Best Lighting Temperature for Bedrooms (2700K-3000K)

To create an atmosphere conducive to sleep. It’s better to install bedroom lighting with a lower temperature that emits softer, warmer lighting. White, stimulating light, and light with a bluer tint can reduce the amount of time you spend in restful sleep.

Tilda 36 Inch 6 Light Chandelier by Arteriors Home

It’s easy to imagine drifting off the sleep under the soothing glow of the Tilda 36 Inch 6 Light Chandelier by Arteriors Home. This chandelier breaks away from the norm to craft a mood room destination filled with romance.

Suzanne Kasler Morris 23 Inch Cage Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co.

Even with tons of natural light, a bedroom will need warm lighting to augment its aesthetics. Bright morning light sets the energy for the day, while the Suzanne Kasler Morris 23 Inch Cage Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co. offers calming, restful ambiance in the evening.

Best Lighting Temperature for Living Rooms (2000K-3000K)

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to living room lighting temperature. You may have to mix lighting temperatures to get the best results for all the activities in this room. Choosing the proper lighting for specific areas of the room, such as task lighting for reading in accent lighting, adds a thoughtful touch to the design. Carefully layering the lighting can determine the best mix of temperatures.

Tryst Large Pendant and Vida Wall Sconces by Fredrick Ramond

In this cozy, comfy living room, the Tryst 42 Inch Large Pendant by Fredrick Ramond radiates soft, warm light throughout the space. A pair of Vida 17 Inch Wall Sconces bolster the illumination without raising the color temperature.

Best Lighting Temperature for Dining Room (2700K – 3000K)

The dining room is a place for entertaining, and the dining room lighting is critical in making family, friends, and guests feel comfortable. If the light is too bright, the food and décor can appear washed out. And no one likes to feel like they are eating under a spotlight. Warm white to golden tones is ideal for creating a welcoming ambiance. Dimmers are especially useful in a dining room, while eating, the light can be slightly brighter and then lowered to promote a comfortable, convivial vibe.

Pearson 48 Inch 24 Light Chandelier by Capital Lighting Fixture Company

The Pearson 48 Inch 24 Light Chandelier by Capital Lighting Fixture Company complements this open-concept dining room’s light, airy design while bringing warm light and character to the space. The simple lines and grand proportions create a stunning focal point against the vaulted ceilings and magnificent view.

Aerin Sanger 36 Inch 18 Light Chandelier by Visual Comfort and Co.

This elegant dining room offers chic dining under the warm white illumination of the Aerin Sanger 36 Inch 18 Light Chandelier by Visual Comfort and Co. A well-placed mirror bounces light around the room, serving as an additional light source. Table lamps provide accent lighting at the lower end of cool white color temperatures.

The Best Lighting Temperature for Bathrooms (4000K-4500K)

The bathroom is where you get ready for work in the morning and get ready for sleep in the evening. It is also where you relax at the end of the day. Bathroom lighting in cool white color temperatures provides the illumination needed for grooming tasks, and a dimmer will let you lower the light level in the evenings before sleep. Key to bathroom lighting is how well it renders color so that you can see how your face will look when you present it to the world.

Mitzi Brielle 16 Inch Wall Sconce

A pair of Mitzi Brielle 16 Inch Wall Sconces bring stunning style to this bathroom. Their minimalist design, clean lines, and retro style are perfect for this space. Cool white color temperature light highlights the gorgeous wallpaper and offers illumination for grooming and other tasks.