Kitchen lighting should allow for critical tasks such as cooking, chopping of food, and other activities that require close attention to detail. However, lighting also needs to make sure that the kitchen feels homely. The color temperature used for lights in the kitchen can be an important part of making sure the room fulfills both functions.
- What Is Color Temperature?
- What Color Light Is Best for Kitchen?
- Factors to Consider Before Choosing the Best Color Light for Kitchen
- Tips for Best Lighting in Kitchen
What Is Color Temperature?
Color temperature is the term used for the appearance of a light source regarding its color relative to a reference source when heated to a particular temperature. This temperature is measured on a scale of degrees Kelvin, the same scale used to measure heat in an environment.
However, the color temperature scale works opposite to the scale used to measure heat in the environment. Lights considered “warm” have values below 3,200 K, and “cool” lights have values above 4000 K. Natural light ranges from 3,200 – 4,000 K.
What Color Light Is Best for Kitchen?
Common choices for color temperature of light in the kitchen are natural white or white just slightly towards cool blue. These are lights with color temperatures of 3,200 K and above. The brightness and clarity of these higher temperature lights provide brightness and clarity needed for doing jobs in the kitchen.
However, many factors will influence your kitchen’s atmosphere except light color temperature. Therefore, when choosing the best color light for your kitchen, also consider the factors we are going to talk about below.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing the Best Color Light for Kitchen
Important factors to consider in choosing the color temperature best for the kitchen are brightness, color rendering index (CRI), lighting type, kitchen size, kitchen style, and lighting direction.
1. Brightness
A kitchen needs plenty of light for carrying out fine detail tasks and to keep an eye on cleanliness. Lights of higher color temperature such as natural white and cool white are generally brighter than lights of lower color temperatures. This is because of the extra material which has to be added to an LED (phosphor) to turn its natural blueness to a warmer, yellow glow.
2. Color Rendering Index (CRI)
Color rendering index (CRI) is a measure of a light’s ability to reproduce surface colors on a scale of 100. It is based on a light’s ability to reproduce eight different colors compared to a reference light source. A CRI level of above 80 means that a light’s accurate representation of the eight surface colors is very good, and a level above 90 would mean that representation of the colors is excellent.
A high CRI is particularly important in kitchens with strong design elements such as worktop surfaces, cabinet fronts, and floors. If a lot of effort has gone into designing the appearance of the kitchen, it is important that the lighting accurately represents the chosen colors and how the colors have been blended together through kitchen design.
Depending on the overall ambiance of your kitchen, you can achieve a higher CRI by choosing color temperatures close to either side of the 5,000 K of natural light. For a slightly warmer feel with high CRI, choose a color temperature of around 4,500 K. For a slightly cooler feel, choose something around 5,500 K.
Choosing color temperature on either side of natural light can help to increase color rendering in the kitchen. However, also bear in mind that CRI is not the same thing as color temperature. Two bulbs of the same color temperature can have very different CRIs. Make sure to check both color temperature and CRI values marked on bulbs.
3. Lighting Type
Type of light is also an important factor in choosing the color temperature for kitchen lights. It is important to choose color temperature for kitchen lights based on the light in question. The two main types of kitchen lights can include the main ceiling light and under cupboard lights.
If you have more than one type of light in the kitchen, it can be good to mix different color temperatures to produce an overall room color temperature. Under cupboard lights are best with color temperatures of natural white or cool blue as a source of task lighting. This can be contrasted with a warmer main ceiling light to give the kitchen an overall feeling of warmth.
4. Kitchen Size
Kitchens require a stronger level of lighting than living rooms for the safe and hygienic preparation of food. It is important therefore that the lighting is adequately bright. In big kitchens, you either need lots of light sources or lights which provide plenty of light on their own.
As explained above, bulbs with a higher Kelvin rating (“cooler” lights) are brighter than bulbs of lower Kelvin. This is due to the material added to warmer LEDs. If you have a big kitchen with a limited number of light sources, it is therefore better to use cooler bulbs with higher Kelvin ratings. This will ensure plenty of bright light.
5. Kitchen Style
The style of the kitchen is also an important factor in choosing bulb color temperature, and lighting temperature can be a fundamental part in kitchen design.
Warmer color temperatures are better suited to more rustic-style kitchens. This is because of the similarity between warm colors and the use of open fires in the kitchen before the use of electric or gas ovens. In more modern kitchens, natural white or cooler bulb temperatures will help to set off a modern-looking style and clean lines.
6. Lighting Direction
The direction of lights should also be factored into your decision on kitchen light color temperature. This is particularly important for the ceiling light which provides most of the light and is likely to be the most powerful light in the kitchen.
Some ceiling lights such as spotlights or downlighters are unidirectional which mean that they only transmit light in one direction. Other lights such as diffuse shades or flat ceiling lights are omnidirectional which mean they transmit light in all directions.
Unidirectional lights may be better fitted with bulbs of warmer color temperatures in the kitchen to reduce some of the contrast afforded by this directional lighting. On the other hand, natural white or cool white bulbs can be used in omnidirectional fittings to ensure that these lights provide the brightness needed in the kitchen.
Tips for Best Lighting in Kitchen
Two ways of choosing the best color temperature light for the kitchen is the use of dimmable lights and the mixing of different light types.
1. Use a Dimmable Light
A dimmable light is one whose brightness can be increased and decreased using a dial or remote for the setting of different moods. Using a dimmable light means that you can use a wider range of color temperatures in the kitchen depending on the atmosphere.
If you want to create a clean and sleek look in the kitchen, use cool white bulbs. If the need arises to create a more ambient feel, the use of a dimmable light enables you to do this using the same color temperature bulb. Likewise, the brightness of warm white bulbs in more rustic settings can be adjusted using a dimmable bulb to ensure that the kitchen is adequately lit for practical tasks.
2. Use Different Types of Lights
Most rooms in the house should have a mix of ambient, accent and task lighting. The ambient lighting provides most light in the room, and is usually provided by the main ceiling light. Accent lighting is used to emphasize certain features of the room such as furniture or areas unlit by the main light. Task lighting provides a little extra light for carrying out specific activities.
With brightness playing such an important part of kitchen design, it is best to include all three types of lighting. Using a mixing and matching of different light sources gives you flexibility depending on time of day and occasion. It also means you can mix and match lights of different color temperatures.
Kitchen accent lighting such as under-cupboard or in-cupboard lights are best fitted with natural white or cool blue bulbs. This provides high contrast and good visibility, and makes it easier for the eye when carrying out tasks.
However, ambient lighting such as the main ceiling light or lighting used in recesses or on pillars can be warm white. A mix of different color temperatures can be an important part of making sure the kitchen is both functional and friendly.
Summary
The kitchen is often the heart of the home, and lighting can be important in making a kitchen both functional and friendly. Color temperature should be factored into lighting choices in the kitchen, and can be selected based on the above seven factors. The use of dimmable bulbs and the mixing and matching of color temperatures on different lights will help you get the best out of your kitchen.
