I always think of Patricia as "the goddess of light" because of her advocacy for 4000k bulbs.

I guess now I will have to regard her as "the goddess of truth and light".

You don't have to go back to the other bulbs to pretend about your hair. Just pretend all you want. Any chance you can call it really platinum blond??

Kempek01 yes, absolutely… I’m convinced now she is “the goddess of truth and light” and I am now really platinum blondish! 😊

4000k is bright, too bright for my house. Buyer beware 😅

I have 2700K, a warm white and I think they are perfect. You definitely see more with LEDs.

You're a 4000K blonde!! ;) That's better than platinum blonde, right?

Lol!! So funny. I’d go back to 3K. But who is Patricia colwell?

JL, she’s a pro here on Houzz.

Disregarding discussing CRI, most people do not like 4000K in living areas of the home. For the same reason that they never wanted fluorescent lights in those spaces where the "cool" tubes hovered around 4000K. In the kitchen or bath it was more acceptable, but even then they may have used "warm" or "soft" fluorescents to not make earthen colors look sterile under the "blueish" light. LED technology does not change how the mind perceives a color composition and what those expectations have become.

Matching daylight depends on what time of day you'd like to match. Here is a chart:

I have to go back to my soft white, white hair or not, ha! It’s just more comfortable for me. My hair is still white, umm platinum, even though with the soft white it doesn’t look as harsh!…But I tried!

I really really dislike 4000k. Gives a cold cast to everything. I fell for the 4000k line and tried them. They all went back into the package and 2700 or 3000 went back in everywhere. My house is warm and inviting again, as opposed to the surgery suite look 😉

No, not for me either. Too blue. i would stick at 3000-3500.

I can’t stand anything over 3500. Besides the glare and shadows they cast in my house, they actually make me queasy. I’m sensitive to certain lights.

Patricia sure does love those 4000s. :D They’re the answer to every ill in the world: paint color issues, tile patterns, kitchen layouts, burned toast, toenail fungus.

I like the muted look.

Most of mine are 3500. i really dislike yellow light, yet when the Edison bulbs came out, we were quite enmoured….until I tried them and was horrified at how jaundiced everything looked. I like good illumination without a yellow cast, not easy to find and the 3500 is close enough for me….not hosptial-like but not discolored either.

Agreed! 3500 soft lights for me from now on. I like the soft white lighting.

I think whoever invented the dimmer switch was genius! LOL. I prefer my night light.

That type of light is great for task lighting on artwork. But living with it all over isn't comfortable, imo. Softer light just feels better.

am I the only one on the 4000k camp?? 3000k makes everything look yellow... I don't know how people stand it. lol. And whiter light doesn't mean brighter!

I think the point is that everyone has their own likes and dislikes. To say that 4000K LED lighting is appropriate for all rooms in everyone's homes at all times is just not true and kind of arrogant. I for one despise LED lighting, and especially 4000K. It looks unnatural and antiseptic. But that's just my opinion. We should all be free to light our homes the way we want.

I Don't require that much "truth" anywhere in my house. Laid out on an autopsy table? I suppose there's an argument for the need.

In the meantime? I prefer not to destroy the soft but not sallow warmth from a gorgeous lamp, the pools of light offset by dimmer corners in a space. I do not need all washed out to a uniform and jarring brightness of broad daylight and high noon.

The shelves in my basement are stocked with incandescent to keep this joint glowing for a long long time. Let me know when you find a led that even comes close to the beautiful glow of a soft pink bulb in a table lamp.

As Diana said: You love the bright clarity? Have at it. What annoys me is anyone believing your choice of bulb will protect the earth......or that there is ONE way to light a space. Further annoying is that LED should be an option.......................not a dictum. From anyone and especially from government. Think I will hoard some more : )

Yes agreed Jan Moyer…Give me incandescent any day! I too enjoy different lighting in different areas of my home. Sad, and wrong to dictate what can be made, sold and bought.
Oh, and as for the LED longevity myth (lie) They do not last years and the cost is outrageous.

I think you need to understand that 4000K mimics daylight and anythin lower casts a yellow glow not a natural light and anything higher begins to have a blue cast . I use 4000K becuasre then all my choices work no matter what time of day since incandescents are now not available anythwer I live the next best if you love theyellow glow would be LEDs in 3500 or lower I just don't want to figure what a color will be when I turn on the lights . I have 4000K LEDs all through my house we changed every MR16 halogen that we did have . Yes the bulbs are expensive but we have had all of ours for 8 yrs so IMO not bad ROI for really good lighting. Not to mention the money you save by switching to LED

I tend to recommend 3500K--bright enough to get the job done, but not so bright that it feels cold. But the real metric you should be aware of is CRI--Color Rendering Index. You want to shoot for 90+, which means colors will look their best and most authentic.

Sabrina--where do you find the CRI index? I haven't seen that # on any of the packaging I've looked at.

I've always understood that the suggestions to change lightbulbs were an attempt to counteract colors in the room that were TOO yellow. I've had an almost impossible time finding 3000-3500 bulbs. I want less yellow than 2700 but not as bright as 4000.

I have 3000k (chosen after checking the display at Lowes and seeing which were too yellow and too blue in a side by side comparison.) To my eyes, 4000K is too blue, and 3000K doesn't look yellow at all. So, I suspect that there is a component of individual perception of the light color on top of the actual rated K. I might go with 3500K but they are hard to find.

Also have noticed that different brands with the same ratings for K and Lumens can look much different in use.

I have found that cheaper LEDs (like some that I got at Sam's Club (GE) and Menards (TCL) do not last more than 2-3 years and sometimes less than that - becoming yellower and less bright over time - but my kitchen ceiling wafer lights (Sylvania) are now 8 years old and still going strong.

When I first switched to LEDs (and compact fluorescents) in table/floor lamps, I felt that, for some reason, they don't cast light as far as an incandescent bulb did - but on the other hand, I can get a much brighter bulb in the fixture, so that works for me.

If problem finding incandescent bulbs, available on Amazon (albeit more expensive than big box stores).

*raises hand* Another hoarder of all wattages of incandescent light bulbs, but especially the 150W and 100W.

Psst: Please don't open that closet door without my help.

@junco East Georgia zone 8a should be on the box here:

Click on the photo to make it larger so you can see the labeling.

Had my right cataract removed and while looking at the eye chart in Doctor's office saw that it was black letters on white background. Looked at same chart through my left eye which still had a cataract and it was black letters on a yellow green background. So what kind of lens are you looking through??

Carol, if you’re asking me, then you have a great point!

I started this post as a funny one…but for real, I’m done with trying the 4000 led, and any led if I can help it. I like the soft white incandescent bulbs. If and when the incandescents are gone and I’m forced to go all leds, then it’s the 3000’s to 3500 soft whites or as close as I can get to that for me.

I get my incandescents on Amazon as well. Halogens are great too for recessed fixtures.

RS S....you just described why I miss the BIG skylight in my former bath. If one could pass muster in front of that mirror in the morning, you were good to be seen anywhere. May not have been happy with the flaws, but at least not arriving some place and wishing for some foundation, or less blush ;0)

I replaced all of the old eco-friendly light bulbs the previous owner had with new 3000k bulbs. I have 10’ ceilings with recessed lights and while I really like the color it just doesnt seem bright enough still. How do I select a brighter, stronger light bulb next time?

There is no space that can be adequately or attractively lit from the ceiling, and the higher the ceiling, the more this is true. Even a kitchen is best with some under the cabinet lighting, versus all from recessed and pendants.

If a gathering/living space it shall require the layers afforded in lamps....sconces on the wall, picture light over art etc.

All the above make any space more inviting : ) and brighter as necessary

I think our homes are a reflection of our personalities and that we shouldn't just follow the latest trends.

At 60 years old I don't really care if white on white is the latest rage, I had that 25 years ago and got tired of it.

I think the colors in our home should bring us joy. I thin the lighting should match the colors and feelings that you want to portray.

My one sister has a Tudor home with Queen Ann antique furniture and fall colors (greens, oranges, browns and greige) She has Edison bulbs in her Edison fixtures and uses a very soft 2700 k lighting. Her home is warm and welcoming and very relaxed. You feel like you are in a historic home. It fits her style. She also has olive tone skins, light brown hair and looks great in fall colors.

I have a MCM home with very clean lines, 10 ft wide windows and my colors are taupe, violet grays, purples, wine reds and teals. I use 5000 k lighting in my home. Purples turn to mud when you add yellow. My home is much more energized than my sister's home. I have ivory toned skin and dark eyes and hair - I am a winter and look good in jewel tones.

My sister-in-law has a country style home. She has blond hair and blue eyes and looks good in spring colors, Her home is decorated in cornflower blues, peaches and ivory. 2700 k lighting was too yellow in her home and 5000 k was too bright. She uses 3500k lighting.

We all live in Pennsylvania, but I spent 30 years in San Diego. Studies show that geography and lighting preference is connected. Canadians are much less likely to use 5000k lighting and those in the Southern states in the US are much less likely to use 2700k lighting and more likely to use 5000k lighting.

I miss the bright, sun filled days and need to combat the dreariness of the overcast days.

I also have 2 other siblings, one that uses 4000k and one that uses 5000k lighting in their homes, but both are in their 70s and needed brighter whiter light due to failing eyesight. Our ability to see colors and contrast diminishes as we age,

There really isn't a one size fits all answer. We have to know what works in our homes, with our style, personality and the colors we love.

I also recommend that people test the colors using a space that is lit with table lamps. Buy a few different temperature lights and live with them for a few days. We may perceive a 5000k light as blue if we are used to the room being lit by a 2700 or 3000k light, but once we stop comparing the colors we realize that it isn't blue, it is the 2700k and 3000k that are yellow.

Another interesting comparison is our favorite scents.

I like white florals (Jasmine, Gardenia) and clean berry and citrus scents.

My sister with the Tudor home likes green and earthy scents (Pine, musk, heavier spices)

Lisa, the owner of the country home loves apple and bakery scents.

How do I select a brighter, stronger light bulb next time?

Looki Lu, most LED light packaging lists the lumens put out by the bulb. That is the measure of how much light is produced - not "equals xx watts", nor the color temp (K). You might have 3000K bulbs with a low lumen output, or at least, lower than you need for your use. Also, as Jan mentioned, you might not have enough fixtures (even in the ceiling) for the size of your space.

For example, my kitchen (8' ceiling) lights are each 800 lumens, and I have 5 - so that is 4000 lumens - in my 107 sq ft space (just over 10' x 10'). They are plenty of light - but a larger space would require more fixtures.