Lighting
Colour Temperature
Different light sources come with varying colour temperatures, measured in Kelvins. This influences whether the emitted light appears warm, neutral, cool or cold. A light's colour temperature determines its warmth or coolness. Essentially, it's a way to showcase light's colour traits, often categorised as warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish) hues, where higher temperatures signify a cooler light appearance.
Generally, warmer tones ranging from 2700K to 3000K create a welcoming ambiance, perfect for relaxation areas. Colours around 3500K, more neutral and white, foster a balanced environment. Cooler shades, around 4000K offer a clean, invigorationg setting, ideal for office and industrial spaces, even adding a modern touch to some residential spots like the kitchen. Colder tones resembling daylight, at 5000K and higher, enhance focus and alertness, perfect for enviroments requiring sustained attention and focus.
Lumens
Lumens (lm) quantify the overall visible light emitted by a lamp or light source, as perceived by the human eye. A higher lumen rating corresponds to a perceived increase in brightness. Essentially, lumens equate to light output.
The necessary lumens depend on various factors like room dimensions, ceiling height, colour palette, lamp type, fittings, specific tasks and user requirements.
Lamp Guide
In this section we aim to explain the vast array of lamp and bulb types which can be confusing even to the most experienced electrician or wholesaler. We have included charts to help you decide what shade of light you want, and even handy line drawings of the most commonly used light bulb fittings and caps.
Common Light Bulb Types
Light bulbs, or lamps, come in all different shapes and sizes; from the square-shaped compact fluorescent caps to the more common household Bayonet Cap. Have a look at the line drawings below. We have also included the more common Watt ratings for these lamps, along-side the lumens, or light intensity of each lamp. We hope that this data will help you to choose the correct light for each room in your house.
