The bathroom is the place where most people get wrong when choosing a color temperature.
The color temperature of light changes how a space is perceived when illuminated. So it is very hard for assuming whether a cool white or warm white will be the best suit for the bathroom.
So we gonna be discussing various color temperatures for bathroom. But one can also keep the cabinetry color, fixtures color, and wall color into account. So, How To Choose A Color Temperature For Bathroom? Here you go.
Best Color Temperature For Bathroom
Cool white is the best color temperature for bathrooms. However, it may be different from brand to brand. It may fall between 3500K and 5000K color temperature. But also remember that the thing that you have designed for your space also matters a lot while choosing a color temperature.
Well, we do various task like shaving, doing makeup, grooming, etc, which needs a bit brighter color temperature. We need to choose a light color that allows us to be alert and concentrate. Well, How To Choose A Color Temperature For Bathroom?
Color temperature between neutral white which is 3500K and cool white which is 4800K is usually the suitable color. But the thing is you should not give up on your personal preferences when choosing a color temperature. Most of us prefer a warm tone of light over a cool tone which is quite normal.
How To Choose A Color Temperature For Bathroom?
Some of the things you need to consider while choosing color temperature for bathroom are:-
Bathroom Decor
\What Do You Want For Your Bathroom Design? Make sure whether it is modern or contemporary. Also, confirm whether it is transitional in style or not.
All of these things work well with certain lighting color temperatures.
Wall Color
Wall color can have a greater impact on your bathroom space, as light reflects off surfaces. You can also test multiple color temperatures before finalizing it.
Most people use white or off-white wall color, as this is like universal color in bathrooms. Also, it works with different tests of color temperatures.
But if you have different color rather than white like gray or taupe color then you should give different color temperatures a try.
Lights can make prominent colors. In some cases when blueish and pinkish hues come from mixing colors that don’t seem to be quite good.
One can use a photography fill lamp to test various LED color temperatures against your paint color to see which works the best.
Moreover, the colors of your walls can alter throughout the day:-
- East Facing- It gets cooler afternoon light (Can use a warmer paint color).
- West Facing – It gets brighter afternoon light. (Can use a cooler paint color)
- North Facing- It gets blueish natural light throughout the day. (Can use warmer paint colors)
- South Facing – It gets very bright natural light. (It uses darker paint colors)
Cabinet Color
I know you guys are getting creative day by day with vanity cabinets and built-in storage areas.
- Wooden cabinetry looks best when a warmer hue light is used, as it gives earthy tones. Warm white lights can range from 2700K -3500K.
- White cabinetry looks best when a cool white light color temperature is used. Coll white lights can range between 3500K -5000K.
Have painter Thermo foil cabinets? Well, you can have options for a wider range of color temperatures.
Color temperature between 5500K -6500K looks blueish and sterile. So you can go with color temperature under 5000K.
Finish Fixtures (Faucet, Light Fixtures, Towel Rack, Door Hardware)
All the things including brushed nickel, black and brass finishes, and oil-rubbed bronze can have a greater impact. You can take an example brushed nickel has got warm tones whereas chrome has got a more modern look. This has got more impact on the overall design.
The Task Being Done
All the bathrooms are not the same. One can have several bathrooms such as a master bathroom, a guest bathroom, a half bathroom, or even a quarter bathroom., depending on where your bathroom is.
Each of these bathrooms is quite different, so while selecting various color temperature for bathroom.
If you want to take my suggestions then here you go. When it comes to non-master bathrooms then you can be less strict about the color temperature Primary bathroom needs to be properly illuminated, as it is larger.
Why does CRI (Color Rendering Index) Matter?
CRI stands for Color Rendering Index is measures between numbers 0 and 100. ALight sources such as incandescent and halogen have a CRI of 100 whereas at point zero all colors look the same.
So in simple, we can say that the measurement of how colors look under a light source when it is compared with sunlight. Also one can see the differences in colors when the CRI number is above 90 in number.
Generally, we can find it on light fixtures product fact labels. Also, we can see it in the specifications provided by the manufacturers.
So the thing is CRI enhances the colors of the objects in the surrounding which are under the light source.
When there is high CRi the color generally seems brighter. So the CRI is important for quality light and CRI above 90 is suitable for a true color match. By this, we can say that when the color temperature bulb is connected with a low CRI number like 80 then there would be no change.
Though the LED lights might have the same color temperature, they may alter how they look. Besides this, some of the factors like Lumens and CRI are of great importance.
Difference Between Wattage and Lumens
Wattage and lumens always matter when it comes to lighting. And if you want to illuminate your bathrooms properly then you might need to know a bit about this stuff.
Wattage
What the heck is Watt? Umm, it is just a measurement of power. Most small devices consume very less amount of power and wattage to operate it. Moreover LED technology produces more light while using just a few watts. So as of now, we may consider lumens the most rather than wattage.
Lumens
Lumens are a unit measurement of brightness. 1 lumen is equal to the brightness of 1 candle. Similarly, 800 lumens is equal to 800 candles. By this, we can say that the higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
The main thing you need to know is How this affects color temperature? Wanna know?
Well, with the same color temperature you can have different lumens numbers, which can affect how the illuminated space looks like.
Let me be clear about it with the example you can have a 5000K LED light bulb color temperature, but a different wattage and a different lumen output number on the same bulb.
- 5000K color temperature with a 100-watt bulb and 1500 lumens.
- 5000K color temperature with a 60-watt bulb and 750 lumens.
The conclusion is if you want a brighter light then use the one having a higher lumens number. Similarly, if you want a dimmer light go with one having a lower lumens number.
Lastly, I want you to recommend seeing lumens while purchasing a light, not its wattages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have answered some of the common questions regarding Color temperature for bathroom that most people have in their minds.
3000K or 4000K for a Bathroom?
Well for bathroom application both 3000K and 4000K are suitable Moreover they sit on the right spot as they are neither too warm (yellow) nor too cool (blue).
If you guys have got more traditional bathroom decor then 3000K might slightly work better than 4000K. As we 4000K have more cool tones then it might be a great fit for modern bathroom settings which have got white or light-colored cabinetry. But at last, it’s always your choice.
Is 5000K Too Bright For A Bathroom?
5000k can be a bit unpleasant for residential bathrooms, as it’s the point where light starts to give out more blue-ish tones. But for sure 5000K color temperature gives you a clean feel in your space. So you might test both 5000K and 4000K in this case and go with the best one.
Is Soft White or Daylight Better For Bathroom?
To be honest the color temperature between soft and daylight may be the best suited for a bathroom. For a bathroom, Soft white can be too yellow as far as I am concerned and daylight could be blueish.
So you can try out the soft white which is between 2700K and 3000K and daylight which is between 5000k and 6500K.
To conclude
As our bathroom is used for grooming, toileting, brushing teeth, applying makeup, washing faces, and so on. So you need to create a bright and clean space by choosing the best Color Temperature For Bathroom.
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