Everyone has their preferred lighting requirements for working. For instance, some may want a cozy mood, while others need a more formal meeting atmosphere. But every light color will not give you the same working comfort. That is why you need a good idea about color temperature for lighting your office. 

The atmosphere of the office requires an energetic mood. And for that, a color temperature between 4000K – 5500K works best. Yet, different areas of the office have unique lighting requirements. For example, the office’s break room requires a warm color temperature while the working area needs a cooler light tone. Again, a color temperature below 4000K will make office workers sleepy. That is why accurate knowledge of color temperature is essential in lighting offices.

However, there is no need to worry. This article will give a complete solution to your office lighting. So let’s begin-

What is Color Temperature?

Color temperature, also known as Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), is the visible color of light that a light source produces. That is, the color of light entirely depends on the color temperature. The measuring unit of color temperature is kelvin (K). And it ranges between 2700K and 6500K. Here, the higher the degree of color temperature, the cooler and more blueish the light appears. And for lower kelvin degrees, the light gives warmer shades with a yellowish tone. 

Now, what color and mood do you want to create for your office? Want to go for a warm tone or a cooler one? No worries, go through the below discussion to choose the ideal color temperature as per your preferences- 

Color Temperature Chart

The appearance of color temperature varies with the degrees of color temperature. And the below will give you a proper idea about the color effects based on CCT ratings- 

In these charts, you can see each range represents a different color. For instance, if you want a warm and cozy atmosphere for your office lighting, go for 2700-3300K. It will give you a “red,” “yellow,” or “orange” color spectrum.

Again, anything in the 4000K range will make colors less yellow and bluer in tone. And choosing lighting with a temperature around 5000K will give a blue-and-white tone. So, the range 3300-5300K will provide a blueish and calmer outlook to your office area. But if you want a natural daylight appearance for your lighting, 6500K works best. 

Therefore, you must have a basic understanding of the color temperature chart to pinpoint exactly which areas require which type of lighting. And in addition, one may quickly recognize the various colors and have a thorough understanding of them.

What is the Best Temperature for LED Office Lighting?

The need for lighting varies for different sections or spaces in an office. Yet, taking as a whole, 4000K is the optimal color temperature for office lighting. Why so?

4000K light falls in the neutral color category. Light with this temperature doesn’t strain the eyes or provide headaches. And so it provides a natural atmosphere that increases your working efficiency. In contrast, a higher CCT rating produces blue-tone light. And these light spectrums harm employees and make the workplace environment somewhat less energizing. 

So, the ideal choice is to use a white-tone light. That is because it will help the worker and the visitor boost work efficiency while creating a fun working environment. Besides, the natural daylight effect is sufficient to keep workers awake throughout the day. Additionally, one can add some other accessories, such as a spotlight for decor.

Color Temperature Recommendation for Different Office Lighting Areas

The office’s light color and ambiance should vary depending on the working purpose. Here are some space-wise color temperature suggestions for your office lighting:

General Office

For the general office room a neutral color temperature is preferred. In this case, a CCT of 4000K is ideal. It will give a natural atmosphere to your working space. However, you can also prioritize individual preferences in choosing warmer or cooler shades. 

Break Room 

Every company has one or two break rooms. It is a place for employees to relax. So, installing a cozy light setting in the break room area is wise. You can go for an orangish-yellow tone or natural blue-white ranging from 3300K- 5300K.

Office Corridor

The office corridor links numerous office spaces or meetings that need more attention. And to give a formal business vibe to anyone passing by, the CCT range between 3000K and 4000K works best.

Lobby Office

Office lobby is the focal point of all office activities. Additionally, it serves as a place for collaborative work. Visitors may also gather here for meetings or casual conversations. And so, cooler white light with a 5000K color temperature is the perfect tone for the area.

Color Tones Suitable For LED Office Lighting

Now that we have a fundamental understanding of color temperature, we must consider color tones. You could now be wondering, “What about the color tone?” 

Well, color tone is an essential component of the color temperature. It enables you to determine which tone works best in which environment. Check the below section to get an idea about these tones-

Warm White

The color temperature of 3000K gives a warm white effect. This light is typically warm and soothing. And so it is ideal for spaces that need a formal but cozy appearance. For example, warm white is excellent for an office corridor.

Natural White

This is known as the neutral tone because of its white light and the way it blends warm and soft colors. 4000K is the color temperature range for this tone. You can go for a natural white tone for your general office lighting. 

Cold White

Cold White is the color temperature of “daylight.” This color temperature is ideal for space where great feature awareness is essential. For example, your office’s working station or lobby needs a natural daylight effect.

Why is Color Temperature Important For LED Office Lighting?

Working in a strict office environment is always unpleasant. In addition, the issue worsens if the environment and lighting setup could be better. Color temperature is crucial for office lighting due to this reason. 

The lighting changes the office’s appearance and gives the staff members a new motivation. The greater the color temperature, the cooler and more energizing the light will be. 

Again, color temperature shows how people see the space around it. While some people may find enjoyment, others may find it extremely painful.

Employees at the office go through emails or perform laborious typing tasks. Naturally, this task requires much concentration. And in this case, neutral lighting always gives off a peaceful atmosphere encouraging the employees. 

Similarly, the break room should also have a yellowish light setting. The warm tone of such lights helps to relax and relieve stress. 

Things To Keep In Mind When Selecting Color Temperature

While selecting the color temperature for your office lighting, you should consider some factors. These are as follows-

Kind Of Atmosphere You Want To Create

Color temperatures create a significant effect on your office atmosphere. For instance, a warm setting gives you a cozy vibe. But for an energetic mood, a cool light tone works best. 

In the office, you require an energetic environment to work. And for this, you must choose color temperatures that are in a cool tone. 

Yet, a cooler color temperature is an ideal choice in factories or places that require heavy lifting. The use of such lighting will keep the workers from getting lazy.  And so they can concentrate on their work.

Colors You Want To Highlight In Your Interior

The office’s interior also plays a crucial role in enhancing interior designs. And so to highlight the interior, you must go for a proper light color.

 Use a cool color scheme if your room has white, blue, or silver walls or furniture. It will go well with such types of colors. But warm-temperature lighting is preferable if the room or other items are painted vigorously.

Diverse Applications

An office includes different types of lighting. For example, a welcoming atmosphere is preferable in the reception area of your office. So in this area, go for warm lighting shades. And the same goes for lighting the break room. 

Again, you can use warm or cool shades for lighting the office cabinets. In this case, LED strips work best. You can use plain white or tunable white LED stripes to decorate your office ceiling and cabinets. These strips are also ideal in your office’s lobby, break room or restroom.

Adjustable CCT Products For Convenience

Adjustable CCT product indicates adjustable color temperature light fixtures. A tunable LED flex is best for such office lighting. These strips allow you to change the color temperature of lights from warmer to cooler tones. Thus, you can adjust the light setting as per your working mood. 

Again, for the break room of the lobby, you can go for dim-to-warm LED strips. It will give an adjustable cozy atmosphere to the room. 

LED Lighting Vs. Fluorescent Lighting – Which is good?

Most consumers select LED lighting over fluorescent lighting. But why so? The reason is simple. 

LED lighting is more efficient, brighter, and functional than fluorescent lighting. But, again, if you contrast the two lights’ lifespans, LEDs are more durable. 

But, in terms of price, LED lights are more costly than fluorescent lights. Yet, considering the durability and frequency of replacement, LED is a better option.

Again using fluorescent light in the long term may affect your physical health. It increases stress and worsens for those who suffer from migraines. It further causes eye strain. Therefore, sticking with LED lighting is much wiser, considering the health risks.

For more information, you can read Advantages and Disadvantages of LED Lighting.

There are additional considerations that include the following-

In Terms of Power

Fluorescent lights consume more energy than LED lights in producing equivalent brightness. That is, LED lights are more energy efficient than fluorescent lights. 

In Terms of Quality

Considering the quality, fluorescent lights can’t beat LEDs. LEDs are renowned for their reliability and durability. Besides, they are more advanced lighting option and comes with numerous features. That is why, in comparing the quality, LED wins.

In Terms of Durability 

Fluorescent lights are less expensive. However, they last less time than LED lights. On the other hand, LEDs can last for years. For example, LED fixtures of LEDYi come with a warranty of 3 – 5 years.

In Terms of Color Temperature and Rendering

LED lights are more advanced than fluorescent lighting. For example, they offer an accurate color rendering index and adjustable temperature. But fluorescent lighting lacks such features.

In Terms of the Ability to Dim

Though both light types can be dimmed, dimming LED lighting is more accessible than fluorescent lights. 

Is Fluorescent Lighting Bad for Office Workers?

After learning the differences, I’m confident you now have a basic understanding of fluorescent lighting. For a very long time, the employer decided to adopt fluorescent lighting. The reason was their cheap pricing. But as soon as most workplaces started using it, there were several complaints. If someone asks if this is bad for office workers, the obvious response is yes because no one wants to work in an environment that is too bright to focus on their tasks. 

And since people have to work harder, fluorescent lighting has disadvantages that reduce productivity. For example, most people reported that they are highly stressed and complicated in the eyes, making them difficult to see clearly. In addition, working under fluorescent light puts a lot of strain on the eyes, which makes the worker tired and ultimately makes them sick.

Not only that but this light is known to flicker. They occasionally set off extreme mood swings in workers.

Additionally, employees have expressed headache complaints. Further, they claim that many workers’ sleep patterns have been disturbed by this light. And particularly among those workers who work late jobs and go straight to bed afterward.

Even though they slept, most employees were tired and lethargic during the day.

There have been claims that fluorescent lighting causes cancer because it emits radiation. However, there is currently no convincing evidence to support these claims.

How Does LED Light Affect Us?

Regarding workplace settings, LED lights are considered the best. But why are they the most popular choice? The reason is that LED lighting mimics natural sunshine and improves office productivity. In addition, this light’s brightness and wavelength might affect a person’s body clock and alter their mood. Additionally, natural blue and white lights enhance brain activation and boost productivity.

Even though LED lights are well known and are considered to have many positive attributes, they pose a significant long-term health risk. For example, excessive blue-ray affects human health. And finally, results in insomnia or irregular sleep patterns. One illness leads to another due to poor sleeping habits and other health problems. Again, warm, yellowish light helps in sound sleep.

How Lighting Affects Mood, Health, and Productivity In an Office

If taken as a whole, all types of light in the office or home have biological and psychological effects on us. Therefore it’s crucial to understand how this light affects things like mood, productivity, and health.

Lights have a more significant impact on our lives than we may realize because they aid in sleep and various other functions. We must be in charge of how much light we use in our daily lives, which is listed below:

Light for day versus night

It is known that we prefer more light during the day than throughout the night.

Therefore, intense light at night causes the body’s melatonin level to drop, which interferes with sleep.

And as a result of this hormone deficiency, people can experience other health problems.

Blue light

This form of lighting is preferred in workspaces as it boosts our energy and keeps us awake throughout the workday.

Red light

Red light is typically only used rarely, yet research has proven that it has favorable effects on our bodies and raises melatonin levels.

Warm lighting

This type of lighting is used in places where people want to relax or settle down since it has a more soothing tone.

White light 

This type of lighting is generally utilized for personal preference and is said to be more skin-flattering.

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FAQs

Conclusion 

In lighting your office, proper knowledge of color temperature helps you to create an ideal outlook. And this article will help you in choosing the best lighting options. Yet, if you are looking for a smart and standard office outlook, go for LEDYi lighting solutions. We provide you with the  ideal lighting for your office with our high-quality, LED strips. So, for the ultimate LED office lighting solution, contact LEDYi soon!