Two fittings can be identical and still make a room feel completely different — because of the bulb inside. The number that matters most is colour temperature, measured in kelvin (K). Get it right and a room feels calm and flattering; get it wrong and even beautiful pieces can look clinical.
What the numbers mean
Lower numbers are warmer and more golden; higher numbers are cooler and bluer.
- 2200–2500K — candlelight. Very warm and amber. Lovely for decorative filament bulbs and late-evening mood lighting.
- 2700K — warm white. The glow of a traditional incandescent bulb. Soft, relaxing and the most flattering for skin, food and timber.
- 3000K — soft white. Still warm, but a touch crisper and cleaner. A good all-rounder.
- 4000K — neutral white. Bright and fresh. Better suited to garages, workshops and some commercial spaces than to living areas.
- 5000K and above — daylight. Cool and blue-white. Rarely right in a home.
2700K or 3000K?
For most homes, the choice comes down to these two. As a rule of thumb:
- Choose 2700K for living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and anywhere you relax. It's the colour that makes a home feel warm and considered after dark.
- Choose 3000K for kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and home offices, where you want things to look clean and a little crisper — while still feeling like a home rather than an office.
If your home is open-plan, pick one and use it throughout the connected space. A kitchen at 3000K running straight into a living room at 2700K can look noticeably mismatched.
Why warm light makes a home feel expensive
We associate warm light with firelight, candles and the low sun of late afternoon — the times we're most at ease. Warm light also flatters natural materials: brass glows, walnut deepens, linen and plaster look soft rather than grey. Cool light does the opposite, flattening texture and exaggerating every mark on a wall.
That's why most hotels, restaurants and designer homes keep their lighting warm, and why we favour warm colour temperatures across our range.
Colour accuracy matters too
Colour temperature tells you the tint of the light; CRI (colour rendering index) tells you how accurately it shows colours. Look for bulbs rated CRI 90 or above — food, skin tones, artwork and fabrics will look true to life rather than dull or greenish.
A few practical tips
- Match within a room. Keep every bulb in one space at the same colour temperature.
- Dimming warms things up. Many LED bulbs stay the same colour when dimmed; if you like a candlelit feel late at night, look for “warm dim” or “dim-to-warm” bulbs.
- Check integrated LEDs. Some fittings have built-in LEDs with a fixed colour, or a switch to choose between two or three settings — the colour temperature is listed in each product's specifications.
- Buy one and test. If you're unsure, try a bulb in the room at night before buying a full set.
The short version
- 2700K for living, dining and bedrooms.
- 3000K for kitchens, bathrooms and workspaces.
- One colour temperature per room or open-plan space.
- CRI 90+ for true colours.
Pairing colour temperature with the right mix of fittings is the other half of the story — see the three layers of light every living room needs. And if you'd like a second opinion on your room, send us a message.
