You have surely seen these numbers on lamp packaging: 3000K, 4000K, 6000K... This is the colour temperature, expressed in kelvins (K). It indicates whether a light looks warm and yellow, neutral, or cool and bluish. Choosing it well completely changes the atmosphere of a room: a bedroom lit in cool white quickly feels clinical, while a workshop in warm white lacks precision.
Here is our guide to choosing the right light colour for each room of the house and for outdoors.
Contents
Understanding colour temperature
The lower the number in kelvins, the warmer the light (orange-yellow). The higher it is, the cooler the light (bluish white). Note: colour temperature has nothing to do with the heat given off by the lamp, nor with its power.
| Temperature | Name | Effect | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2700K – 3000K | Warm white | Cosy, relaxing | Living room, bedroom, garden mood lighting |
| 4000K | Neutral white | Natural, balanced | Kitchen, bathroom, office |
| 6000K – 6500K | Cool white, daylight | Stimulating, very crisp | Garage, workshop, storeroom, outdoor security |
| 7000K | Very cool white | Bright, highly visible light | Street lighting, car park, warehouse |
Which colour temperature for each room?
Living room and bedroom: 3000K
Warm white creates a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for rooms where you rest. In the evening, warm light is less tiring for the eyes than cool white.
Kitchen: 4000K
Neutral white renders the colours of food well and gives enough precision for cutting and cooking. You can add a warmer touch above the dining table.
Bathroom: 4000K
Neutral light near the mirror lets you apply make-up or shave with accurate colour rendering. For general ambiance, a warmer white is still an option.
Office and work corner: 4000K
Neutral white helps concentration without the coldness of industrial office lighting.
Garage, workshop, utility room: 6000K
Cool white provides crisp light for DIY, mechanics or storage.
Shops and retail
It all depends on the products: 3000K for a warm atmosphere (clothing, decor, café), 4000K for natural, versatile rendering, 6000K for a storeroom or hardware store where visibility comes first.
And for outdoors?
Outside, the choice depends on the goal: ambiance or security.
- Garden and terrace mood lighting: 3000K. Warm light highlights plants and the facade without dazzling. Example: the solar LED garden spike light 18W 3000K FERRI.
- Paths and areas around the house: 4000K. A good compromise between comfort and visibility, like the 300 mm garden globe with LED lamp 9W 4000K.
- Entrance, gate, courtyard: 6000K to 6500K. Cool white makes faces and movements clearly visible, ideal for security. For example the LED garden spike light 5W 6500K FERRI or the solar LED light fixture 300W 6400K NET.
- Street, car park, warehouse: 6000K to 7000K. Street lighting fixtures such as the LED light fixture 150W IP67 LAZIO (7000K, 15 000 lm) give bright light over a large area.
Our lighting products are available from 100 DH for a garden spike light; up-to-date prices are shown on each product page.
Brico MIM tip: around a villa, combine both: 3000K for the garden and terrace, where you spend your evenings, and 6000K for the entrance, gate and parking area, where seeing clearly matters most. You keep a beautiful ambiance without sacrificing security.
Lumens, CRI and 3-colour lamps
- Lumens (lm): colour temperature indicates the shade, not the amount of light. To know whether a lamp is bright enough, look at the lumens.
- CRI (colour rendering index): from 0 to 100, it indicates how faithfully colours are rendered. Indoors, a high CRI (80 and above) renders colours better; for street lighting, a lower CRI is common.
- 3-colour lamps: some lamps let you choose between several shades. This is the case with the linear magnetic lamp 24W 3 colours: handy if you are unsure, or for a multi-purpose room. Find the whole range in the Magnetic lighting collection.
Mistakes to avoid
- Mixing temperatures in the same room: a 3000K lamp next to a 6000K lamp looks messy. Keep a consistent shade per area.
- Using cool white in a bedroom: the atmosphere becomes cold and not very restful.
- Confusing shade with power: a 6000K lamp is no brighter than a 3000K lamp with the same luminous flux, it just looks whiter.
- Forgetting the neighbours: outdoors, point powerful light fixtures towards the ground, not towards neighbouring windows.
Safety: before changing a lamp or light fixture connected to the mains, switch off the power at the circuit breaker. For any new electrical installation, especially outdoors, call a qualified electrician.
Frequently asked questions about colour temperature
What is the best colour temperature for a home?
There is no single answer: 3000K for living and resting areas, 4000K for the kitchen, bathroom and office, 6000K for the garage and workshop.
Does 6000K use more electricity than 3000K?
No, consumption depends on the power in watts, not on the colour of the light.
Which light should I choose to light a house entrance at night?
A cool white (6000K to 6500K) gives the best visibility for security. If the entrance opens onto a terrace, a neutral white 4000K is still a good compromise.
Do you deliver everywhere in Morocco?
Yes, Brico MIM delivers to all cities in Morocco, with cash on delivery.
Find the right light
Warm, neutral or cool white: our entire lighting range, delivered everywhere in Morocco with cash on delivery.
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