Why you must know about the Kelvin Scale when coloring a room

Introduction

Color temperature is a method of describing the color characteristic of the light. It can either be warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). This is reported and measured in degrees of Kelvin (°K) on a scale of 1,000 to 10,000. Knowing the fundamentals of the Kelvin Scale makes it easier for you to understand the temperature of the light and what is suitable for you.

Below is the summary for the color temperature and their significance in your house:

 Source: www.westinghouselighting.com

Kelvin Scale and you

Kelvin Scale is the brilliant concept of the British inventor and scientist William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin. It is one of the three widely used measurements for temperature: Fahrenheit and Celsius. This has been conceptualized using the freezing and boiling points of water as basis. In color temperature, Kelvin is commonly used in lighting and in lighting application, Kelvin represents the physical temperature of the light. If we are going to discuss this in a detailed manner, you might find it boring or even confusing and even ending reading this article.

In simpler terms, different light sources produce different light colors, for instance, a candle emits reddish light while a sunset emits orange to red light. These are expressed using a number known as the color temperature and the unit of measurement is Kelvin using the Kelvin scale.

As such, various incandescent, fluorescent and LED lights are available in the market that have different color temperatures. These lights are therefore recommended to the appropriate room to give the proper effect that is expected to that certain room. For example, base on the table above, at about 3500K the light is expected to be “cool white” or “bright white”. This means that light at this color temperature is more neutral in color and may appear to have a slight blue cast. This type of lighting is ideal for reading and other desk related tasks. On the other hand, at 2500K, the light is denoted to be “warm light” which is considered to be cozy and comfortable and is very suitable for use in home particularly in the living room and bedrooms.

 What happens when you choose the wrong light? Let’s put it this way. You do not want to use warm light while reading your favorite novel or if you are studying for the exams. As this type of light may help you fall asleep. The same thing with daylight that will be installed in your bedroom. Having daylight in your bedroom will not help you relax, in fact this type of light will just make you active.

The right environmental lighting for you

The color temperature simply tells us that there is warm and cool color temperatures. Assessing and understanding the needs of your environment is the key in choosing the appropriate color temperature.

If you are going to examine things closely, the warm colors can be perceived as not that bright enough base on the Kelvin scale. Using this type of light in areas where you want to work or read may not be appropriate. When natural cool colored light enters and blends with your warm colored light, it tends to appear yellowish or pinkish. Same thing happens with the cool colors. If for instance you change your light to cool color, you may find it too bright even if the wattage is the same with that of the warm colors.

So in order for you to have the right kind of light, you need to know the fundamentals of the color temperature and never, never hesitate to ask your dealer or supplier about the light they have and the ambiance you want to project in your home.