2700K vs 3000K : What’s the Difference?

Lighting is one of the most influential aspects of a home environment. There are various options of white light to choose from, so here we discuss the differences between the white light colors of 2700K vs 3000K to help you determine the best choice for your space.

To understand their differences, you first need to understand that color temperature is a way to describe the light given off by a bulb in terms of how warm or cool it appears.

A color temperature is a specific measurement designed to let you know the relative warmth or coolness of colors of white light.

Choosing Between 2700K & 3000K

When it comes to choosing between 2700K and 3000K, the key difference is in the color of the white light.

• 2700K describes a soft white color temperature of light at 2700 degrees of kelvin. 2700K is warmer with richer amber hues than 3000K but both are still classed as warm white.
• 3000K describes a warm white color temperature of light at 3000 degrees of kelvin. 3000K is cooler than 2700K but still classed as warm white.

So 2700K is the degree of kelvin that has a visibly warmer tone of white than 3000K, they emit light at two different temperatures that have a direct impact on the appearance of everything around them and the subsequent mood of the room.

When choosing between 2700K and 3000K, the difference in light is not wide and for most people you may not be able to tell the difference between two homes that each use the 2700K and 3000K.

However, the difference is easily seen with a comparison between the two different light sources.

We created a test video to show you the difference between the light from a 2700K downlight and a 3000K downlight. You can really see the difference between the gold tones of 2700K and the cooler warm white of 3000K.

Pro Tip: We recommend that you do not necessarily have to separate these two colors when in the same room, combinations of both can work well together.

When to Use 2700K Warm White

The white light of 2700K began with incandescent light bulbs, that when turned on the filament inside would heat up to the point where over 80% of the energy was heat and 20% became light. The heat of that filament is 2700 degrees Kelvin, which is why they are rated at 2700K.

A 2700K light bulb has a yellowish appearance that makes colors look more natural and comfortable in your living spaces.

This can be especially useful for tasks or activities like:

• watching TV, relaxing in
• reading books, etc., which are generally better suited to warm lighting.
• living spaces
• bedrooms
• lounges
• dining rooms
• materials that already have a warm color tone ie some woods and fabric

GE Relax 100W Equiv. Dimmable Soft White LED Bulb

Soft white 2700K all frosted glass A21 shaped E26 base. 100 Watt replacement 13.5 Watts (1600 lumens). Branded quality for good dimming with most dimmer switches.

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GE Brand Quality Dimming

When to use 3000K Soft White

The white light of 3000K became more popular with the creation of low voltage lighting that surrounded the tungsten filament with a halogen gas. The heat interacts with the gas and emits a light at around 3000K, which is a slightly whiter light, with cooler tones which can make colors appear crisper and truer under the illumination of this temperature.

3000K is preferable if you are either working or playing in an environment that requires clear sightlines and good detail recognition for accurate quality perception, such as when painting, reading a book or cooking.

In general, 3000K LED lights are more suitable for:

• kitchens
• dining rooms
• offices
• bathrooms
• General ambient light for cleaning
• hotel foyers
• materials that reflect cooler colored surfaces like tile and glass.

So a 3000K LED light bulb has a whiter appearance that makes colors look crisper in your working or entertaining spaces, so tasks like cleaning and preparing food, hosting guests , etc., are better suited to cooler lighting.

Mix Color Temperature For Perceivable Differences

The two color temperatures can blend well in a single area without any aesthetic problems as long as they are not immediately adjacent to one another within the same light fixture.

Use Both in a Kitchen

For example in a kitchen, the task lighting over counter tops from under-cabinet lights would benefit from the cooler and cleaner colored 3000K LED, with the general ambient lighting from recessed ceiling lights delivering a 2700K LED and the result would look cohesive and attractive.

Use Both in a Bathroom

Bathrooms require the crisper 3000K as the ambient general lighting, suiting the common finishes of shiny white tiles, sinks and toilets. This color is more task orientated so used in the day and mornings.

In the evenings, a bathroom benefits from a lower output 2700K lighting circuit, providing a more relaxed and calming environment to bathe in and prepare for sleep at the end of the day.

Mix for Contrast

The contrast between the two can be used as a lighting design tip to create a focal point, where the eye can be drawn to the seemingly brighter object lit by 3000K over adjacent 2700K.

There is another common description of color known as cool white or 4000K, so it may be helpful to also compare warm white vs cool white or soft white vs daylight to help you decide. We also look at warm white vs soft white light bulbs and 3000K vs 4000K.

Philips LED Dimmable Warm Glow Effect A19 Bulb

Warm Glow Effect provide 800 lumens of soft white light. Warm Glow dimming offers flicker free, silent dimming that works with more dimmer switches than any other LED on the market; The more you dim, the warmer the light from 2200 to 2700 kelvin just like traditional incandescent light bulbs.

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Warms Color as Dimmed

Color Rendering

The light created by the LED is changed to either choice as it passes through a phosphor coating on top of the LED chip. The quality of the yellowish looking coating will affect how well the light renders the real colors it falls upon.

The quality of artificial lighting is measured and quantified in various ways, traditionally as a color rendering scale (CRI) and now in the age of LED more accurately as part of a TM-30 scale.

You might have thought that a 2700K bulb is too yellowish and this might be because it has a low CRI value. It doesn’t matter what color the light is, the CRI value will make objects look worse. So you need to ask yourself if your issue with these bulbs was their color temperature or their CRI value.

If you want a light that is bright and clear, but also shows colors correctly, then you should try to get a light with a color temperature of 3000K. It can have the same high quality of CRI as 2700K but it’s crisper feel makes colors look truer in feeling, even if not technically accurate.

Always look for a CRI of at least 80Ra when referring to the packaging or box of your choice of lamp and bulb.

Our Verdict

So the key points to take away are:

• 2700K is warm whereas 3000K is slightly cooler, but both are classed as warm whites.
• 2700K lights are good for when you want to relax your occupants and 3000K is perfect if the main focus of a space is concentration or activity.
• The color rendering of objects and rooms from either choice will improve the higher it is.
• Lighting choices should be made based on your personal preference by the feeling and mood you want to achieve in a space.

Andrew Orange, the owner of Orange Lighting qualified and worked as an interior designer in 1993 before specialising in lighting working on high profile projects based in London. Since starting Orange Lighting Ltd in 2003 he has been sharing his knowledge and unique teaching style mostly to his designer clients, offering practical real life advice born from running a busy consultancy and lighting supply business. Launching in 2020, his blog has evolved into Quick & Easy Lighting, curating some 25 years design experience into making the lighting choice and design process achievable and easy to understand for all.