When it comes to the lighting within a commercial property, an outdoor setting or just a person’s home, having the right ambience is always welcoming to the attending audience.
LED light bulbs are slowly becoming the most popular option for lighting on certain premises. However, there are still buildings with dull or no lighting at all in spaces.
But what are LED downlights? Why is it essential to have the right downlight lighting around your home or workplace when trying to complete day-to-day activities? What LED downlight colour(s) and temperature(s) are the best? Read along to learn more about these questions.
What Are LED Downlights?
LED downlights are similar to ceiling spotlights in the fact that they are recessed and attached to a ceiling within a property which illuminates the chosen space. This is a perfect alternative to a constant hanging or bulky lighting choice.
Due to their minimalistic aesthetic, you will not even notice it being there - meanwhile, it will produce impeccable brightness for your everyday tasks. Highlighting the key areas whilst adding a unique ambience and setting to any room such as the bathroom, kitchen, dining room, etc is a perfect way to draw attention and compliments from visitors.
Once you have picked your LED downlight from the countless options available - there are many circular bezel rings and finishes that you can choose from. This is where you’d choose the colour of what would suit the room. After you or the professional has installed the LED downlights, you can expect up to 50,000 hours of lifespan compared to any other form of lighting.
The Colour Temperature Chart
First of all, this colour temperature chat is not how warm or cold a light gets when it has been on for a long time - as LED lighting doesn’t need heat to appear brighter. Colour temperature is a measurement of appearance rather than brightness and heat.
Colour temperatures are measured in Kelvin (KA) - therefore, a higher kelvin energy rating means it will be a lighter colour such as a whiter or bluer type of lighting. Opposed to a lower Kelvin rating such as an orange-looking white. Here are the main types of colour temperatures that are used in present-day lighting across the globe:
Daylight (5000-6500K)
Perfect for a more natural setting within your commercial property or home - daylight will add a slight tinge of blue. With this light, it has an exceedingly high brightness - so depending on your personal preference is whether you’ll want this to be installed or not. Using a natural LED light bulb like this could help you wake up more instinctively and easier - or on the flip side, it could be classified as too bright for others.
Cool White (4000K)
Cool white is slightly less apparent than more natural daylight - but this is not a bad trait. Cool white LED ceiling lights are typically used in major supermarkets and any important commercial scene. This is down to it being extremely clear and making it simple to view items or objects. Cool white lighting is also more energy-efficient even though it appears very bright - meaning it is a good call to install in your bathrooms, kitchens, etc.
Warm White (3000K)
Warm white lighting is essentially the middle-ground for all of the different energy types of lighting and is currently becoming one of the most favoured options among the public. This is due to it being still quite warm, nor too cold - so the balance of having a bit of both is a necessity for customers right now.
Extra Warm White (2700K)
With this variant being the closest type of light to a traditional light bulb - it will appear as the dimmest of the ceiling lighting options. Each product will appear more orange in contrast to other colours on the temperature chart. The lights' low level of ‘Kelvin’ will not always be an option for LED downlights colours - in which case there are the other alternatives above!
What LED Downlights Colours Are Best For You?
Whether it be for your home or workplace - a LED colour change from your previous lighting may be a possibility moving forward. Here are the best types of lighting you can install in specific areas (whether it be a colour change or complete renovation):
Living Rooms and Dining Rooms
When you gather around the table to have your dinner or are having a long chat with your family to socialise - you want to feel a cosy ambience with the perfect lighting. The versatility of these smart LED downlights allows you to choose from numerous amounts of light bulbs (colour changeable or not).
However, with a living room - having a warm feel will (between 1800K - 2700K) is our recommendation for a satisfying colour temperature. In order to do this, you will need to invest in a high-end warm white light bulb. Each event that takes place in your living or dining rooms will need different lighting settings - so finding dimmable downlights to adjust the mood is crucial.
Workspaces and Offices
Each office typically has a range of different downlights - depending on the job role or company you work for. Most of the time, the office/ workspace will have optimal lighting for focus and productivity. Cool white (4000K) is usually the most popular choice among businesses worldwide as it won’t impact the view of anyone’s screen (laptop or computer)) and not too bright for prolific work.
Kitchens or Canteens
Although you may just think of a kitchen and canteen as just a workplace - it needs to be somewhere with changeable lighting depending on the time of day. A specific atmosphere while assembling your favourite dishes or just relaxing to eat them is required for the least stressful experience.
Depending on your personal preferences - you may feel like a balanced downlight to shop for (warm white 3000K) which will be not too warm and not too light. Also, if you want to add more traditional LED downlights for the seating area of the kitchen or canteen (2200-2700K) to lower the brightness down when eating compared to cooking - they would complement each other nicely.
