Lighting design is an important component of every modern design development. Errors in the location, power and color reproduction of light sources can spoil even the most chic idea. And vice versa, well-placed light accents will help to "play" and appear in any interior. Today, a tangible help in interior decoration is provided by a combination of warm and cold light of LED lamps. These devices, despite the relative high cost, are actively replacing other lighting elements, as they are the most environmentally friendly, durable and energy-saving.
The LED used in such a lamp is an artificially created semiconductor crystal that glows when connected to electricity.
Color temperature of LED lamps
When choosing lighting fixtures, they are guided by the value color temperature, which is measured in Kelvin (K) and is indicated on the packaging. This value indicates what tone the LED crystal glows. The higher the value, the colder and whiter the light coming from it will be. More often in the interior of an apartment, three primary colors are used, which are in the following temperature ranges:
- 2700–3500 K – warm white.
- 3500-5000 K - neutral (natural) white.
- 5000-6400 K - cold white.
Other options for choosing lamps for the interior
To choose the right device, you need to know what other parameters, besides color temperature, they may differ. All designations will be indicated in the marking.
- Operating principle. On this basis, they are divided into LED, fluorescent, halogen and incandescent lamps.
- Flask shape. Based on the design solution, the light bulb is made spherical (marking G45), pear-shaped (A55), in the form of a candle (C35), as well as mushroom-shaped, tubular, in the form of a spot.
- Plinth type. Can be standard with thread (E27 and E14), two-pin (GU10 and GU5.3), with pins for tube-shaped lamps (G13).
- Energy efficiency class. It has the designation A +, A ++, A +++. The more pluses, the less power consumption of the device at the same intensity of the light flux.
- Light flow. In other words, it is the brightness of the light source. Measured in Lumens (Lm). To understand what kind of luminous flux the selected LED bulb will give, the table below will help.
- Ra color rendering index. The color of objects illuminated by the device depends on it. For the light of the sun, this index is 100, for incandescent lamps - from 90, for LED - 80-89. If Ra is less than 80, the colors of objects in the room will be distorted.
The principle of choosing lighting in the interior
Each fixture with a warm or cool glow should be in its place and provide the best and most comfortable solution, depending on the purpose of the room. To understand the difference and determine which lamps are best suited for a particular room, familiarity with their properties and viewing photos will help.
Warm light
Warm radiation resembles the morning or sunset sun and is the most comfortable for the human eye. Such light is easily distinguished by its yellow tint. It promotes relaxation, helps to create an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation.
A light bulb of this color temperature will be appropriate in the bedroom and living room as the main source lighting (for example, in central chandeliers with diffused warm light). It can also be used in spot zonal lighting of cozy corners, for example, in floor lamps for reading or bedside lamps, as in the next photo.
Important! When designing an interior, it should be taken into account that “warm” lighting, in addition to reducing concentration and attention, distorts color perception: the colors of the warm palette are enhanced, and the cold ones are muted. Also, the absence of blue and violet rays in the warm spectrum leads to a visual change in the corresponding shades (green, blue and violet).
cold light
Cold white is perceived by the human eye as the light of the winter sun streaming from behind the clouds.Such lighting increases attention and concentration, creates a working mood. But at the same time it keeps a person in tension and, accordingly, cannot be used in large quantities, as it quickly causes fatigue.
The radiation of the cold temperature range is advisable to use in point directional sources or illumination in places that require increased efficiency, attention and accuracy. For example, in the working area of the kitchen, the wash area of the bathroom and the table in the office.
Cold white light distorts the color perception of the warm spectrum of shades. In such a glow, yellow, red and orange colors will change to greenish, purple and brown, respectively, and blue and green will become saturated.
Neutral (natural) light
The light emitted by the LED crystal in the middle temperature range is as close as possible to natural daylight and pleasant to the human eye. It is advisable to make the lighting of such a spectrum the main (basic) in the room, and cold or warm light will fit well into the design as accent elements, emphasizing the corresponding zones and sections of the apartment. Also, the advantage of such a lighting solution is the absence of distortion when the eye perceives the surrounding colors of the decor.
In modern conditions, experts sometimes prefer to deviate from the rules for the sake of exclusivity of design. And then a cold lamp becomes appropriate in black and white interiors or high-tech living rooms made of chrome and glass, a warm one in the office, for an atmosphere of comfort and trust.
Devices have appeared on the lighting products market that allow you to independently adjust the intensity and even the temperature of the light flux. It's managed LED lighting systems, equipped with a built-in special regulator - a dimmer, allowing you to vary the lighting depending on the need and time of day.
Thus, thanks to high-tech developments, it is LED lamps that occupy a leading position and are the “darlings” of designers. In addition, the video will tell you about the choice of color temperature for LED lamps.
