When it comes to painting the interiors of your home, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important factors that can affect your paint color is the lighting in your space. The type of light bulb you use can make a significant difference in how your paint color appears. In this article, we will explore how various light bulbs can affect your paint color and what you should be aware of when choosing your lighting.
The Science Behind Lighting and Paint Color
Before we dive into the impact of different light bulbs on the paint color, let’s discuss some science behind the relationship between lighting and colors. Light is made up of several different colors that are visible to us, which are also known as a spectrum. When light falls onto an object like walls or furniture, some of these colors get absorbed while others get reflected back into our eyes. It is this reflection that makes us see various hues and shades.
Paints have a certain level of reflectance which means they absorb some light and reflect others back out. Lighting can change these colors by changing what they absorb or reflect differently. That is why when choosing a color for your room’s space, it is essential to see it under various types of lighting to understand just how it will look at all times.
The Different Types Of Light Bulbs
There has been a significant shift in recent years towards energy-efficient bulbs like LED lights, which come with several benefits such as cost savings, enhanced durability and low energy consumption compared to traditional incandescent lights:
Incandescent Light Bulbs:
The most common type of bulb used for decades has been incandescent bulbs but are slowly moving out due to its inefficiency in energy consumption compared to LED. Incandescent bulbs emit warm light that is yellowish with a color temperature range of between 2500K-3000K.
LED Light Bulbs:
LED bulbs are the most energy-efficient type of bulb available in the market, making them cost-effective in the long run, and can save up to 80% or more compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. These lights emit a cooler white light around 2700K-6500K.
Halogen Light Bulbs:
A halogen bulb is an incandescent bulb that produces bright, white light and has longer life span than traditional incandescent bulbs. It emits a warm white light similar to incandescents, but are more efficient in energy consumption.
The Impact of Different Light Bulbs on Paint Color
The type of light bulb you use can have a dramatic impact on how your paint color appears, even if it’s the same paint color. Let’s find out how different types of lighting affect paint colors:
Natural Lighting:
Natural lighting is considered the best source for determining paint colors because it gives you an accurate understanding of how your color will look during the day under sunlight. The direct sunlight has a blue/white hue and can make colors appear brighter and more vivid than artificial lighting sources.
Cool White Lighting:
Cooler toned LED lights have a blue cast to them and generally emits brighter hues when compared to other bulbs. They enhance blues, greens and violets in wall paints while muting warmer colors like reds, oranges, and yellows. If you opt for cool white lights for illuminating your house space, picking warmer shades for your walls can create coziness yet contrast.
Warm White Lighting:
A warm white light has yellow tones and is similar to the light emitted by incandescent bulbs which are commonly used in bedrooms or living rooms because it is more relaxing compared to cooler tones. These bulbs have an impact on the wall color by making it look muted while enhancing yellows, reds, and oranges.
Conclusion
Choosing the right lighting for your room is essential because different bulbs can dramatically alter your paint color’s appearance. It’s important to check how your paint colors will look in a broad range of lighting conditions before you choose them, so you have an idea of how they’ll appear under different lights.
As technology advances at a tremendous pace, there is no shortage of bulb options available nowadays. The key takeaway here is that understanding light properties like color temperature and reflectance will help you determine which light sources are best suited for highlighting colors in various spaces.
