Picking the wrong colour temperature is one of the most common mistakes I see in commercial LED upgrades. A warehouse bathed in warm 2700K light looks dingy. A cosy restaurant under 6500K daylight LEDs feels like a hospital. Getting this right costs nothing extra, but getting it wrong can undermine your entire lighting investment.

Here’s a straightforward guide to choosing colour temperature for every major commercial environment.

Understanding the Kelvin Scale

Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). Lower numbers produce warmer, more yellow-toned light. Higher numbers produce cooler, bluer light.

• 2700K-3000K: Warm white. Similar to incandescent or halogen light. Creates a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.
• 3500K-4000K: Neutral white. A balanced tone that works across many applications.
• 4000K-5000K: Cool white. Clean and bright, good for task-oriented spaces.
• 5000K-6500K: Daylight. Crisp and energising, mimics natural outdoor light.

Every commercial LED fitting lists its Kelvin rating on the spec sheet. Some newer models offer tuneable white, allowing you to adjust the colour temperature after installation. That flexibility comes at a premium, but it’s worth considering if your space serves multiple purposes.

Retail: Match the Mood to the Merchandise

Retail lighting is about selling products. The right colour temperature makes merchandise look appealing and keeps customers browsing longer.

Fashion and lifestyle stores: 3000K-3500K. Warm tones flatter skin, make fabrics look rich, and create the relaxed shopping atmosphere that encourages longer visits. High-end boutiques often lean towards 2700K-3000K for a luxurious feel.

Grocery and fresh food: 3500K-4000K for general areas. Use 3000K accent lighting over bakery displays to make bread look golden. Fresh produce benefits from 4000K, which renders greens and reds accurately. Meat displays should avoid cool light entirely as it gives product a grey appearance.

Electronics and appliance stores: 4000K-5000K. Cooler tones make screens look brighter and give the space a modern, tech-forward feel.

Key tip: Always check the Colour Rendering Index (CRI) alongside colour temperature. A CRI above 90 ensures products display their true colours regardless of the Kelvin rating. Cheap LEDs with CRI below 80 will make your merchandise look flat.

Offices: Productivity Without Fatigue

Office lighting directly affects concentration, alertness, and comfort. Research from the Illuminating Engineering Society consistently shows that colour temperature influences cognitive performance and mood in workplace settings.

Open plan offices: 4000K is the standard for good reason. It provides a clean, alert environment without the harshness of higher Kelvin ratings. Staff working 8-hour shifts under 5000K+ lighting report more headaches and eye strain.

Meeting rooms: 3500K-4000K. Slightly warmer than the general office creates a more collaborative feel for discussions. If your meeting rooms double as presentation spaces, tuneable LEDs let you shift cooler (4500K) when screen visibility matters.

Reception and waiting areas: 3000K-3500K. First impressions count. Warmer tones feel welcoming and professional without being overly casual.

Breakrooms and kitchens: 3000K-3500K. These are rest spaces. Cooler task lighting over benchtops is fine, but the general ambience should signal relaxation.

Hospitality: Warmth Sells

Hotels, restaurants, and bars almost always benefit from warmer colour temperatures. The goal is atmosphere, and cool white light destroys it.

Restaurants: 2700K-3000K for dining areas. Warm light makes food look appetising, skin tones look healthy, and the space feel intimate. Fine dining venues sometimes drop to 2400K for candlelight-equivalent warmth.

Hotel lobbies and corridors: 3000K-3500K. Warm enough to feel welcoming, bright enough for safe navigation. Guest rooms benefit from 2700K-3000K for a restful environment.

Commercial kitchens: 4000K-5000K. This is a workplace, not an ambience zone. Cooks need to see clearly for food safety. The AS 1680 lighting standard recommends minimum 240 lux at bench level, and cooler temperatures help meet that without excessive fixture counts.

Bars and pubs: 2700K or lower. Warmth creates the social atmosphere that keeps patrons ordering. Cooler accent lighting (4000K) can highlight feature walls or signage without disrupting the overall mood.

Warehouses and Industrial: Function First

In warehouses, distribution centres, and manufacturing facilities, colour temperature is about visibility and safety.

General warehouse: 4000K-5000K. Workers need to read labels, identify products, and operate equipment safely. Cool white light maximises perceived brightness, meaning you may need fewer fixtures to achieve required lux levels. That translates directly to energy savings.

Loading docks: 5000K. These transitional spaces between indoor and outdoor benefit from daylight-equivalent light. It reduces the eye adjustment period when workers move between environments, which is a genuine safety consideration.

Manufacturing and quality control: 5000K-6500K for inspection areas. Cooler temperatures reveal surface defects, colour variations, and contamination more reliably than warm light. General manufacturing areas are fine at 4000K-5000K.

Energy Considerations

Colour temperature itself doesn’t significantly affect energy consumption. A 20W LED panel at 3000K draws the same power as a 20W panel at 5000K.

However, higher colour temperatures produce a perception of greater brightness. Research suggests that cool white light at 5000K can appear 10-15% brighter than warm white at 3000K, even at identical lumen output. In practical terms, that means you might be able to specify slightly lower-wattage fittings in cool-lit spaces and still meet AS 1680 lux requirements.

The real energy savings come from choosing correctly the first time. Replacing fittings because the colour temperature is wrong means paying twice for installation and disposing of perfectly functional equipment.

Getting It Right Before You Buy

Order samples. Any reputable LED supplier will provide sample fittings or at minimum offer a trial installation for larger projects. Test them in your actual space, at the times of day the space is occupied. A colour temperature that looks perfect at noon might feel completely different under evening conditions.

If you’re upgrading multiple zones in one building, create a lighting schedule that maps each area to its appropriate Kelvin rating. Your electrician needs this before they start ordering stock.

Colour temperature is a detail, but it’s one your customers, staff, and visitors will notice every time they walk through the door. Spend thirty minutes getting it right and you’ll never have to think about it again.