Color Rendering Index (CRI) Versus Color Temperature – What are They?

Over the past few years, there has been a complete confusion over the difference between color rendering index and color temperature. But here in this article, we will clarify your doubts between the two and simplify your understanding of the same.

What is Color In General?

Color is nothing but a property of light that can be seen by the naked eye. It is of great importance to notice that even the most brightly colored object when placed in a dark room displays no color at all. Therefore, light is the most important aspect that decides if a color can be seen or not.

How Many Types of Colors Do Exist?

We have primary colors and secondary colors. Primary colors are mixed in order to form secondary colors. Some of the most important colors known to mankind are the following: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Brown, Black, White, and Grey.

There are many instances wherein people tend to believe that a specific room should have a certain color and so on. The different reasons could be either due to religion or just the fact that some people are really in love with a certain color.

We will discuss that a little later in this article but for now, let’s get started about the difference between color rendering index and color temperature.

What is the Color Rendering Index (CRI)?

The simple definition would be the ability of a light source to precisely display all the possible frequencies of a certain spectrum as compared to the color temperature. It is ideally rated on a scale ranging from 1-100. Natural sunlight has the highest CRI of 100, while LED lights nowadays have the range from 75 to 90. Higher CRI is more expensive in general.

The lower the CRI the less accurately will the colors be reproduced. The light sources that have blazing radiators tend to have a CRI of about 100 since all the colors in the CRI spectrum are shown equally in its form. For example, you can see an apple has “wine red” color under sunlight, they will have “dark pink” color under the low CRI lights. What is the importance? For some special occasions such as art gallery and museum, the lighting requires up to 95+ CRI to allow the visitors to see the “real” colors.

What is the Color Temperature?

It is defined to be the simplest method of describing different color characteristics of light; that includes Warm (yellow toned) and Cool (blue toned) colors measured in degrees of Kelvin.

The higher the degree Kelvin, the whiter the color temperature. However, the white lights will appear brighter than those of a lower Kelvin degree.

And thus, CRI affects the color of the object we perceive while color temperature is the color of the lights emitted. They are completely different parameters describing the nature of a light source.

1. The Types of Lights and When to Apply Them？

a. Soft and Warm White

These are best suited for the bedroom and living room in particular. It gives a sense of warmth and a cozy feeling to the room.

b. Bright and Cool White

These generally work very well in kitchens, bathrooms, and backyards. They definitely make the room look brighter, whiter and give a sense of positive energy feels.

c. Daylight

They are also used in the bathroom, kitchen, and garages. They can be used as reading lights or even when you want to sit down and do a project. If you’re a lady and you love applying to make up, then this one is meant for you. It’s my personal favorite.

2. Interior Designers Have a Way of Getting it Done

Interior designers have a huge role to play when it comes to deciding the color and texture of the rooms and their lighting. Lighting in a room changes two things; one is the ambiance of the room and second is the sizing of the room.

Great lighting can make your room look bigger while a certain type of lighting can actually make your room look smaller. So choose well.

The placement of furniture and color of the same walk hand-in-hand for an interior designer. The room size, the type of furniture and the natural lighting; all play an equal and important part in making a room look the way it should.

How to Use Lighting in Commercialized Areas?

1. A Parking Lot

While driving your way to the parking lot, extra lighting would obviously prefer by all. It is much safer for drivers and pedestrians rather than just some odd dim lighting that could actually cause accidents or even thefts. The most important thing about lighting in a parking lot is that it should be well lit especially during the nights so as to minimize the number of accidents and crimes taking place. Majority of the parking lot uses 2800 to 3500K (warm) lighting and 65 to 80 CRI.

Certain things one must try to keep in mind are the facts about light pollution. Light pollution affects nature in so many different ways right from the migration of various land animals to the movements of birds at large. There has been a huge impact especially a negative one on these living creatures so much, so it has posed a threat to their existence. Humans are also affected directly or indirectly. There’s also been a huge change in the circadian rhythm of certain animals. Therefore, care must be taken while choosing the correct lighting.

2. A Football Field

Nowadays recreational football has become more popular than it was ever before. So, in order to play the game well enough, there has to be sufficient and the right exposure to light on the field. Obviously, high CRI lights during the broadcast and featured matches will be better and brighter than the usual. However, lighting during all the other games must be enough to play the game well. There has to be both uniformity as well as visual comfort to the eye, especially in residential areas where playing the sport is an actual thing.

3. At the Hospital

Have you ever noticed that a hospital setting has bright and a much whiter light as compared to others! Well, it shouldn’t take you by surprise the fact that throughout the hospital setting; all the rooms including the labor room, the doctor’s office, patient rooms, bathrooms, library, intensive care unit, all of them are required to have a specific lighting with a set amount of intensity.

During examination procedures and surgery, a lighting called the mobile type luminaire is used and it has an output illuminance of approximately 70,000 lux. This type is also used as an additional lamp in the Operation theaters.

How to Get the Best Lighting for Your Room?

1. Always have it planned out.

2. Put on your swag mantra.

3. A little exploration won’t do any harm.

4. Lighting up those stairs just adds to the beauty.

5. Try to be as decorative as you can.

6. Try not to rely on just a single source of light.

7. Place your light switches in the right areas somewhere where it could be easily accessible.

8. Go on and add some lights to your closet.

9. Maximize the use of small places.

10. Spread the light around.

11. Most importantly choose the right quality of light sources.

This way you will not only have the perfect home designed for yourselves but will also have an amazing and colorful neighborhood to live in.