Color temperature is the degree of warmness or coolness of a light source, measured in kelvins (K). Warm light is in the lower temperatures (2,700-3,000K) and can appear yellowish, similar to a standard incandescent bulb. Cool light is in the higher temperatures (4,000-6,500K) can appear more bluish.

The color temperature is the color of the light that would result if you heated a “black body” (piece of suitable metal) to that temperature. If you heat it to 2,700K, it glows warm (slightly yellow) like a standard incandescent bulb. If you heat it to 6,500K it will glow with a bluer hue.

Depending on the type of business you own, you may choose different color temperatures depending on the use. For example, a jewelry display case would look best in neutral white (4,000K) to make the jewels shine! Whereas a dressing room in a clothing store might choose a soft white (3,000K) to help improve the skin tone of customers while they try on clothes.