What the numbers mean
| Color temperature | What it looks like | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 2700 K | Lamplight. Golden and soft | Most homes, stone and brick, historic houses |
| 3000 K | Warm but cleaner | Modern homes, white or gray siding |
| 4000 K and up | Cool, a little blue. Looks commercial on a house | Parking lots, task lighting |
CRI (color rendering index) measures how true colors look under the light. Aim for 90 or higher so brick looks like brick and stone looks like stone.
What warm white says
Warm white says the house is finished and lived in. It makes materials look rich and it's easy on the neighbors. It's the right choice for most nights of the year.
What color says
Color says something's happening: Christmas, the Fourth, a birthday, a game. That's its power, and also why it wears out when it's on every night.
Some cities decide for you
In Nichols Hills, outdoor lighting must be warm white, between 2600 and 3200 K, shielded and aimed down, and color is only allowed from October 30 to February 1. We design to that code there.
You can have both
Permanent lights do warm white and color from the same lights. Warm white runs on a schedule most nights, and holiday and game-day scenes take over on the dates you pick. See holiday lighting and the warm and welcoming look.
