Get Your True Colors Shining Through
While the quality of light used to be a subject only when discussing photography, high-end retail, or museum lighting, many home and business owners are realizing the benefits of quality lighting. Even me! I’m moving soon and I’ve spent countless hours meticulously choosing paint colors for my new home. Next up is complimentary furniture. I want these things to look as beautiful and vibrant as the way they did in the well-lit stores. So, it seems the time is right to consider a lighting upgrade. I’m already a fan of LED lighting; nearly every bulb in my home is some version of LED. It’s mostly the energy savings (which can be quite dramatic) and the extended lamp life that initially attracted me—it’s so nice to get ample light from less wattage and forget about changing lightbulbs for years at a time! But increasingly it’s becoming about not just the quantity of light, but the quality of light. As someone who once ended up in a bright office meeting room and noticed I was wearing two different colored shoes, I can tell you, it’s all about color rendering and perception.
One of the ratings on LED bulb packaging is CRI. What is CRI, you ask? It’s an acronym, and it stands for color rendering index. The CRI or color rendering index rating is a quantitative measure of how well a light source reveals object colors in comparison to sunlight, or natural light. In other words, their “true colors.” The scale is 1–100 with 100 being the highest value, only given to light sources that perfectly reflect all the colors of the spectrum. Standard high CRI bulbs with a rating of 90 or greater can be used in lamps and fixtures throughout your home (don’t forget about your closet! Choosing outfits with complementary colors will become a breeze!) High CRI decorative bulbs can transform your bathroom lighting. For special task lighting under cabinets in the kitchen (or to make those Instagram food photos POP!), there’s even high CRI tape lighting options! But the opportunities don’t end there—the color and quality of high CRI bulbs are also easier on the eyes and reduce strain and fatigue, so try these bulbs in your office and business areas too.
If dimming is desired, not to fear! Many high CRI bulbs are dimmable; check the dimmer compatibility sheets included with the bulbs to ensure your dimmer is compatible.
Quality plays an important role in so many things in life, make sure it’s considered when lighting your spaces. An investment in high-quality lighting for your home, business, office, and display areas, can help reveal all the vibrance and colors of the spectrum. And don’t forget that choosing high CRI bulbs may also save you from the agony of mismatched shoes!
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