Soft White vs. Warm White vs. Daylight Bulbs: How to Choose the Right Lighting

Finding the right lighting for each room in your home is important. While color temperature, brightness, wattage, and Kelvins all come into play, the right balance is what matters. In any given space, you might have varying degrees of color temperature—an approach that can add warmth and dimension. Here, we examine the ins and outs of lightbulb types to help you find the perfect bulbs for every room.

Common Types of Household Lightbulbs

Most lightbulbs commonly used in homes are one of these four types:

Incandescent: Incandescent lightbulbs are usually found in appliances such as ovens and microwaves. They consume a lot of energy and burn out quickly compared to other lightbulb types.

Compact Florescent (CFL): Energy-efficient and long-lasting, these spiral-shaped bulbs can be used in both exterior and interior light fixtures.

Halogen: Halogen bulbs are most often found in exterior lighting fixtures like spotlights and floodlights, but they can be used for recessed and track interior lighting. They are less energy efficient than CFL and LED bulb types and heat up while they’re in use.

LED: These long-lasting bulbs are energy efficient and offered in a variety of color temperatures. They’re ideal for use throughout the home.

Color Temperature vs. Brightness

When determining the right lightbulb for your space, take into consideration both the color temperature (an important factor in determining the room’s mood) and the brightness of the bulb. Brightness is particularly important in task areas such as kitchens, laundry rooms, and offices, but finding the right shade or temperature of the light can be the difference between a functional space and one that feels downright sterile.

To find the right light for each room in your home, familiarize yourself with a few keywords, including Kelvins and watts.

Kelvins vs. Watts

While wattage can sometimes determine the brightness of a light, Kelvins serve a different purpose, referring to the warmth or coolness of the light. A bulb with a high Kelvin rating produces a whiter light, while a bulb with a lower Kelvin rating produces a warmer white.

Kelvin Rating

Kelvins play an integral part in setting the right atmosphere for any given space within your home. As you move from lower to higher Kelvin ratings, the color temperature changes to create different color light.

<2000K-2600K (Warm White): This creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. Most lightbulbs within the home are likely to fall within this range.

2700K-3000K (Soft White): Soft white delivers a yellowish light that is white enough to bring energy to living rooms, dining rooms, and other gathering spaces.

3100K-4000K (Bright White): While you won’t want bright white lights throughout your home, you might opt for a bright white light if you have a workshop, garage, or other utilitarian or task-oriented space in your house.

5000K+ (Daylight): This light is so cool it is likely to have a blue cast to it. A Kelvin rating over 5000 is best suited for industrial spaces and other non-residential areas.

Watts

Watts are a measure of the amount of energy consumed by a lightbulb every hour, although the lumens (brightness) per watt varies greatly depending on the type of lightbulb you use.  A higher-wattage lightbulb uses more energy than a lower-wattage variety.

Bulb to Watt Lumen Comparison

• 800 Lumen Incandescent = 60 watts
• 800 Lumen Halogen = 45 watts
• 800 Lumen LED = 9 watts
  

How Much Light Do You Need Per Room?

Rather than looking at wattage, Kelvins, or how many bulbs your light fixture calls for, understand that lumens are likely going to be the most important factor when it comes to determining the right amount of light for a space. How the room is used affects how much light is needed. Kitchens and bathrooms are spaces where the most light is typically needed. Hallways fall on the other end of the scale, whereas dining rooms are somewhere in the middle.

Use this guide for finding the right light temperature and lumens for each room:

• Garage (bright white): 8,000–10,000 lumens
• Kitchen & Bathrooms (warm light): 6,000–8,000 lumens
• Home Office/Study (bright white): 5,000–7,000 lumens
• Dining Room (soft light): 3,000–5,000 lumens
• Bedrooms & Living Rooms (soft white): 1,000–3,000 lumens
• Hallway (warm to soft light): 500–1,000 lumens