LED lights have become increasingly popular in recent years. Those who are environmentally conscious like how efficient they are — using, on average, just $1.83 a year to power, as opposed to incandescent bulbs that cost about $10.95 a year to power. Others simply like their astounding 10-15 year lifespan. LEDs are becoming the obvious choice in new home construction and retrofits in remodeling. Still, one of the past misconceptions about LEDs has been that they give off harsh, sterile light. Innovations in LED technology have increased the brightnesses and “color temperatures” of LEDs for commercial or residential use. In this piece, we’re going to talk about selecting the ideal LED color temperature for each room in your home.
LED Color Temperatures for High Productivity Areas
There are spaces in your home where you need to remain productive, focused, and have an eye for detail. Places like the kitchen, a home office, and the bathroom are places where work or personal maintenance is performed. In the kitchen, being able to properly determine the freshness of ingredients and observe how items are cooking is crucial. In a home office, you want to avoid the distractions of home life and remain focused on the task at hand. In the bathroom, you want to make sure that your makeup is absolutely perfect or that you did not miss any spots shaving. In these high-performance areas, home builders and lighting experts usually recommend a colder LED color temperature and increased brightness level. The recommended LED color rating for areas of productivity in the house is usually about 3,000-5,000 Kelvin with a brightness of about 3,000-6,000 lumens.
Relaxation LED Color Temperature Areas
On the flip side of the LED color temperature scale, there are areas in your home where relaxation is the goal. The living room is going to be the most multi-functional room in the house with activities ranging from entertaining, reading, or watching movies with the family. Though often connected to your kitchen, your dining room should have a completely different feel from it — relaxing, calm, and pleasant. When it comes to your bedroom, relaxation and sleep are the room’s primary purposes. Many health professionals recommend removing sources of harsh light from bedrooms and even limiting screen time in the bedroom to promote rest. In these relaxing places, lighting experts recommend a softer light having an LED color temperature of about 2,000-3,000 Kelvin and LED brightness of about 2,000-4,000 lumens.
If you’re looking to build a new home with details, such as LED lighting, to your exact specifications, look no further than home professionals Perry Hood Properties. Our team of property experts can help you craft a home you’ll love spending time in for decades, if not generations, to come. Building your dream home has never been this simple.