Lumens & Kelvins: Your Guide to Automated Lighting Settings
Have you ever noticed how a well-lit restaurant or store instantly boosts your mood? It’s not just you. Scientific studies have found a correlation between lighting and emotions, and it’s been proven that our circadian rhythms are influenced by natural light. After all, many people experience seasonal affective disorder during the darkest times of the year.
So, who is to say the lighting in your house isn’t affecting your daily moods, too?
Automated lighting systems have revealed all-new ways to adjust the appearance of your home’s lights. Depending on the time of day, you’ll want to shift your LEDs’ brightness and color temperature, which are measured in lumens and Kelvins.
Most people have heard of measuring lightbulbs with Watts. But what are Kelvins and Lumens, and why are they important for your automated lighting system? Below, we’ll share all you need to know about lighting settings for your home in South Florida and the Boca Raton area.
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Lumens: Measuring Brightness
Brightness is quantified by the unit lumens. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter a light will appear. Bright light is known to intensify emotions, while low light settings keep emotions steady and calm. But many people install lightbulbs randomly, not paying much attention to lumens and how they may affect the atmosphere.
In community-oriented rooms like the dining room or foyer, it’s best to use a dim light setting at about 200 lumens. But to energize the mind in your home office, it’s a good idea to use brighter lights at about 500 lumens. Brightness goes a long way in creating an ambiance, but it’s not the only factor.
Kelvins: Measuring Color Temperature
Your lights may be bright or dim, but what color temperature are they? White light can range from warm to cool tones. Color temperature can be measured, too, by the unit Kelvins. The lower the number of Kelvins in a light, the warmer it will appear.
So, at 2000 to 2700 Kelvins, your lights will shine in cozy amber tones. 3000K appears like a warm, white light. 5000 to 6500K will look icy white, and all the way at 10,000K shines nearly blue.
Why does color temperature matter? Well, our circadian rhythms are guided by sunlight. Indoors we use artificial light, so if you’re living under the wrong color for certain times of day, it could impact your sleep, alertness, and moods. After all, it feels cramped and stuffy to use warm, dim lighting during the day. And likewise, ultra-bright, cool lighting feels uncomfortable and harsh in the late afternoon and evening.
Customize Both with Automated Lighting
When you own a smart lighting system like Lutron, you’re never stuck with static lumens or Kelvins. Instead, your home’s lighting fixtures can be automated to gradually adjust throughout the day, starting bright and cool in the mornings then softening and warming by sunset. You won’t have to do a thing—it’s all scheduled to adjust on its own!
If you’re curious about automated lighting for your South Florida home, Definitive Electronics is your destination. We program and install smart lighting and landscape lighting solutions in luxury homes across the Boca Raton area.
Contact us here to get started today!
