What is Colour Temperature or CCT?

Light bulbs in various colour temperatures.

Is it hot in here? Oh, no it’s just that warm bulb you’ve got

Contrary to what we might assume when we hear cool and warm, cool is about more light being emitted whereas when less light is emitted, you’ll get a warm light. It’s essentially (and very basically) a case of bright and not bright light. There’s more to it than that, but it’s as good a place as any to start.

But how do you know which colour temperature to choose?

We’re so glad you asked!

What is colour temperature or CCT?

Some experts in the lighting industry occasionally refer to colour temperature as CCT, or Common Colour Temperature – they’re the same thing. They’re just trying to seem professional.

Knowing Kelvins, and the lighting scale, will help you make informed decisions on what type of lamp to buy. But it’s not the beam all end all.

Light is measured in Kelvins, that’s some info to note. As you move across the scale from low to high, the Kelvins increase from 2000 Kelvins to 6500. As the kelvins go up, brightness goes up, but energy consumption also goes up. Everyone’s going to have different aspects of lighting that matter most dependent on situation, where you’re lighting and what the lighting is for. So, energy consumption is worth keeping in mind.

But listen, you don’t need to be an expert on Kelvins and emissions of light and all that... stuff. There’s way more fun to be had elsewhere in the lighting world.

For example, ceiling lights tend to shower more light across a room than a floor lamp does. Because of the way ceiling lights are designed, they splash light further, at both 90- and 40-degree angles. Some ceiling lights don’t have traditional shades and sort of do their own thing. Geometric shades, chandeliers and other more modern lighting styles will act differently. Floor lamps that have shades tend to shoot light up and down in corner areas (or wherever you put it, no wrong answers, just creative ones).

Warm light sources have a lower colour temperature (2000-3000K) and display light across the spectrum of orange, red, and deeper yellow. It’s no coincidence that the light from a stove or log burner is inviting, the colour of fire itself invites warmth.

Imagine those cavemen, huddled around a glowing fire thinking ‘Wow, it sure is nice not to freeze in our sleep’.

In some roundabout way, we’re also looking at a mood lit living room just grateful to not be worrying about the frostbite.

That’s why we associated orange light with warmth, and protection – it is ingrained in our DNA, over generations and generations.

Cool light sources have higher colour temperatures, more than 4000K. The blue light range – this reminds us of the sky on a very clear, crisp, blue morning. You can emulate this light in any room, especially a room with a lighter décor of blues and white. We associated blue lights with safety, alertness, openness, awareness. Guess it makes sense that Emergency Services use blue lights, and why we hear of all the dangers of blue lit screens wreaking havoc on our sleeping patterns.

Which type of colour temperature are you trying to achieve?

Think about mood. Mood lighting is one of the most important parts of lighting for your home. If affects our well-being, mental health and the general vibes. What’s the atmosphere you want to create? Are you creating a space to wind down after a long day, to entertain friends and family or to get lost in your favourite hobby?
What’s your décor style? Do you want to highlight specific parts of the room? Wall colour can help to accentuate the type of lighting you choose. For example, a lighter pastel colour such as light blue or green works well with cool light.
Remember, what you want is what you want. There’s no right or wrong. But it’s worth considering whether you’re after comfort or function.

Now, we can’t forget… the magic of a dimmer switch. You’ll be able to adjust the light gradient from white to warm immediately in an area where you want darker tones for the evening time. From high function to low, slow, fun.