Kelvin Guide

Kelvin Guide

What colour temperature actually means

2700K, 3000K, 4000K, 6000K — explained plainly, so you choose once and choose right.

Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). Lower numbers are warmer and more orange; higher numbers are cooler and more blue. It has nothing to do with brightness — a 2700K bulb and a 6000K bulb can produce the same lumens. It only describes the colour of the white.

2700KWarm white 3000KSoft white 4000KCool white 6000KDaylight
KAYVA range . KAYVA range .

The four you will see on listings


In the KAYVA range

2700K — Warm white

The colour of traditional halogen and incandescent light. Relaxed, warm, flattering to wood, fabric and skin. The default choice for living rooms, bedrooms and dining — anywhere you unwind.


3000K — Soft white

A step cooler than 2700K, still on the warm side. Common in hotels and F&B. In practice most people cannot tell 2700K and 3000K apart in isolation — which is why we chose one, not both.


In the KAYVA range

4000K — Cool white

Neutral white — neither warm nor blue. Crisp and clear without feeling clinical. Suits task areas: kitchens, studies, home offices, bathrooms where you do makeup or shave.


6000K — Daylight

A distinctly blue-white, close to overcast daylight. Common in offices, workshops and hospitals. Very few homes benefit from it — it tends to make interiors feel cold and flatten warm materials.

Why KAYVA offers two, not four

2700K and 4000K cover the two jobs light does at home: rest and work. 3000K sits between them without doing either job better, and 6000K suits workplaces more than living spaces. Rather than stock four temperatures at varying quality, we chose two and hold both to Ra95+.

Room by room

Room Choose Why
Living room 2700K Warmth suits wood, fabric and evening wind-down.
Bedroom 2700K Warmer light supports relaxation before sleep.
Dining 2700K Food and faces look best under warm light.
Kitchen 4000K Neutral white for prep work and judging food colour.
Study / home office 4000K Crisp light aids focus and reading.
Bathroom (grooming) 4000K Neutral light for accurate skin tones at the mirror.
Wardrobe / dressing 4000K Neutral light shows fabric colours as they will appear outdoors.

One rule: never mix temperatures in one sightline

A 2700K downlight next to a 4000K downlight is the fastest way to make a good renovation look cheap. The eye forgives many things; it does not forgive two different whites side by side. Pick one temperature per zone, and switch temperatures only where a wall or doorway breaks the line of sight — warm in the living room, cool in the kitchen is fine if you cannot see both at once.

Kelvin is only half the story

Colour temperature tells you the shade of white. It says nothing about how faithfully that light renders colour. A warm 2700K bulb at Ra80 will still turn oak grey and dull every red in the room. That is what CRI measures — and it is the reason KAYVA exists. Read why CRI matters.

Two temperatures. One standard: Ra95+.

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