Most people can picture what a warmer light looks like compared to a cooler one, but few non-experts understand lighting color temperature well enough to make informed comparisons and choose an ideal solution for their outdoor application. Even fewer grasp it well enough to explain the color temperature scale to customers.
This article will explain everything you need to know about choosing or recommending lighting color temperatures for an outdoor space.
Outdoor Lighting Color Temperature Basics
When selecting outdoor lightbulbs, look for a number between 1,000 and 10,000 with a “K” next to it in the bulb’s specifications. The “K” stands for Kelvin, which measures the bulb’s color temperature. Physicist William Thompson, Baron Kelvin, developed this temperature scale in the late 1800s. The warmest possible lighting color temperature on the Kelvin scale is 1,000, while 10,000 is the coolest. For reference, outdoor lighting usually ranges from 2,000 to 6,500 Kelvin.
It may surprise you that higher numbers indicate cooler color temperatures, but these figures describe color instead of heat. However, you can use the idea of heat to help you remember and explain how color temperature works.
Picture a flame that burns orange on the outside but blue near the center, where the temperature is highest. You can see the same effect with lightbulbs. Bulbs with lower color temperatures have yellow-orange tones, which look warm, while bulbs with higher color temperatures have blue-white tones, which look cold. Note that since we are describing color rather than literal heat, bulbs with higher color temperatures do not necessarily feel hotter or colder to the touch than bulbs with lower color temperatures.
Types of Color Temperature for Outdoor Lighting
Color temperatures for outdoor lighting fall into the following broad categories.
- Very warm white: Lightbulbs rated between 1,000 and 2,500 Kelvin produce very warm white light, which resembles orange candlelight. This range is popular for creating romantic or deeply relaxing atmospheres.
- Warm white: Bulbs rated between 2,500 and 3,000 Kelvin emit warm white light, which appears somewhere between orange and yellow. It has a cozy, inviting feel.
- Cool white: Bulbs rated between 3,000 and 4,500 Kelvin radiate cool white light, also called bright white light. This light is a more neutral white, sometimes with a slight blue tint. It creates an energizing mood.
- Daylight: Lightbulbs rated 4,500 Kelvin and above give off blue-white light that resembles daylight. It feels crisp and refreshing.
The midpoint of these popular color temperature ranges is around 3,000 Kelvin. Lighting at or near this point is neutral or natural.
The Importance of Color Temperature for Outdoor Lighting
Color temperature matters for outdoor lighting because it affects appearance and mood. It is essential to helping people get what they want from of a space.
Lighting color temperature can enhance or detract from an aesthetic effect. For example, warm-neutral white light, around 3,000 Kelvin, can highlight a garden’s grassy greens.
Choosing the ideal color temperature also has functional implications. For instance, a 6,500 Kelvin bulb will be a much more effective security light than a 3,000 Kelvin bulb. The expansive daylight effect offers superior visibility to help guests find their way around safely and reduce the risk of unseen intruders.
Besides appearance and function, a light’s color temperature impacts people’s mood. Varying lighting temperatures can make people feel calmer, more alert, more welcome, productive or restful.
Tips for Choosing Landscape Lighting Color Temperature
Choosing or recommending a landscape lighting color temperature involves balancing location, purpose and mood. Here are our top five tips to help you make a wise lighting temperature call.
- Think location: Consider the area you want to illuminate. Warm lights could create a cozy outdoor seating or dining area. Neutral-cool white lights are handy for dispelling shadows over paths and staircases.
- Be purposeful: Every light has a function, like enhancing security, setting a mood or highlighting a landscaping feature. Consider the light’s purpose and what people will do in the illuminated area. Cool lighting highlights details well, accentuating bark, leaves and wall designs. Warm lighting evokes a comforting ambience. Daylight temperatures are essential for peak, expansive visibility from security floodlights.
- Set the mood: Think about how you want people to feel when spending time in each area. Light significantly impacts human psychology. Warmer lights help calm people down, while cooler lights increase focus, alertness and visibility.
- Support natural rhythms: The longer people spend in an area, the more impact its lighting has on their health. Warm lighting helps the mind prepare for quality sleep at night, while cool lighting supports wakefulness during the day. Cool white lights suppress the brain’s sleep-inducing melatonin release and boost alertness.
- Choose an aesthetic: The ideal color temperature can also depend on the aesthetic a location is aiming for. A home or business owner wanting a sleek, modern look with clean lines can accentuate this effect through cooler lighting. On the other hand, warmer lighting creates a sense of delicate sophistication that suits classic architectural features.
With these tips in mind, you can find the right outdoor lighting color temperature to create a beautiful, functional space.
Find a Brilliance LED Distributor Near You!
Brilliance LED is your perfect partner if you want to enhance outdoor spaces for your clients through high-performance lighting. We provide high-quality lighting solutions for every outdoor application. Our made-in-America Metal Works lighting fixtures include:
- Bistro string lights
- Landscape wall lighting
- LED directional lighting
- LED landscape path lights
- Outdoor accent lighting
- Outdoor hanging lights
- Outdoor step lights
Pair these high-quality fixtures with sustainable LED bulbs with color temperatures ranging from 1,400 Kelvin to 5,700 Kelvin. Whatever effect you or your customers want to create at their location, Brilliance LED has the bulbs and fixtures you need. Choose Brilliance to experience A Higher Light Form.
Find a Brilliance LED distributor near you to purchase outdoor lighting for business and residential locations. If your store carries lighting products, partner with Brilliance LED by becoming a distributor and enjoy a year-end rebate.
