Warm, or soft white, light, is especially appropriate for cozy living spaces where we want to relax and be comfortable. Use warm lighting to simulate evening or very early morning light. Use cooler lighting for tasks that require a lot of focus. Warm lights look better in many period rooms, and especially those with warm colors in them.

Warm white light will emit more of a reddish hue, while cool white light gives off a blue tint. People rely on their home’s lighting to make up for the lack of natural daylight, particularly during the winter months, so it’s important to understand the difference between warm and cool light sources so you can achieve the ambiance you desire.

What is Warm Lighting? To understand warm lighting, you need to understand color temperature. We measure the temperature of a light based on its Kelvin value— ranging from cool, neutral, to warm. Think about the sun at different times during the day. The sun at sunset is warmer and mellower than the glow of the sun at midday.

LED bulbs offer light in a range of color temperatures, it’s what makes light feel ‘warm’ or ‘cool’. A lower color temperature produces a warmer, more relaxing light. A higher color temperature emits a cooler, more refreshing light.