Buy a few in each color ......... I cant stand 4k its like a dental office. 3k would be my personal max.

Hi Deanna - To answer your question, I would use 3,000K instead of 4,000K. I find warmer light to be like candlelight rather than yellow light. But that’s a personal opinion.

Your concern about brightness is a slightly different issue. You can get most any color temperature light (Kelvin number) in any brightness (lumens). For a standard reading lamp, for instance, I would be looking for a 750 to 800 lumen bulb. Regardless of your color temperature, the lumens will be how much light your light bulb puts out.

So back to your question - which color temperature will look better? You’ll get lots of votes for either 3,000 or 4,000K. One general guideline that might help - more traditional interiors often look better in warmer light. More contemporary interiors often look better in cooler light. (Color palette and textures will play a role also, so it’s not cut and dried.)

Hope that helps and best of luck!

The 3000K has a nice tone and is the closest to a natural warm light.

I think the 3000K would be a nice in-between from the average color temperature of lights (around 2700K and 4000K, which is much more white.


Some people like to use different temperatures in different spaces. Kitchens, bathrooms, and offices benefit from brighter whites and bedrooms, living areas, etc. benefit from warmer light.


You could also install the lights with dimming wall switches, so you can adjust the brightness to suit the time of day.

I'd pick up an inexpensive fixture such as this Commercial Electric 4 in. Matte White Integrated LED Recessed Trim whose color temperature is "selectable". Screw the base into a portable lamp and carry the lamp around to various rooms at various times of day (outside illumination makes a difference). Try the various color temperatures to determine the one(s) you like.

I've installed 3000K fixtures in most fixtures but used 3500K bulbs in the windowless kitchen so the walls would look whiter.