Can you ask your builder to give you the actual kelvin numbers? Likely 2700k - 5000k? We don't know what 1-5 actually means.

I think it's the usual ones I see in the LED lighting---1: 2700, 2: 3000, 3: 3500, 4: 4000, 5: 5000

He said they normally set it to 4 which is pretty bright, like task light working in office type

You could bump the kitchen and master bath up to 3 for better task lighting? So...

Kitchen & Master Bathroom: 3 (Neutral White). Cleaner, better for tasks

Master Bedroom: 1 (Warm Light). Cozy, calm

Everywhere Else: 2 (Soft White). Safe choice for common spaces

I suggest you consider bulbs that are 3000K to 4000K

You should have recessed can lights like you see below that are lit with PAR Blubs like I have posted below. Dear Lord, I hope your contractor is not planning to use WAFER LED LIGHTS. They are not compatible with high ceilings.

The brightness of a light is measured in lumens. The color of a light is measured in Kelvins. (e.g., 2700K). Personally, I like the way incandescent bulbs looked, and those were about 2700K. To me whiter light, although closer to daylight in color, feels increasingly clinical—4000K feels like an office, and 5000K like a hospital, but maybe it feels cleaner to you. Think about homes you’ve been comfortable in. What color temperature feels best to you.? There’s no right answer, just your preference. Another thing I also prefer is using the same color light throughout a home. I find color changes from room to room jarring. Would this bother you?

I love all LED 4000K bulbs everywhere you can put some on the proper dimmer if you want . I hated incandescent light always that yellow hue distorts colors and IMO just not nice . I would never go 5K and 3500K is the absolute lowest I would ever go in any space .

Wow! I never realized how much lighting preferences is such a wide variety.

A lot depends on your age, too. The lenses in your eyes get yellower and you need brighter light (often twice as much) to actually see nearly as well as you did when younger. Older people often prefer bluer light with higher color temperature.

Absolutely. Also keep in mind that dimmers will change the brightness (lumens), but will not impact the color (dimming cool lights will not warm them up, and putting warm lights on high will not make them whiter).

ADVISE = VERB

ADVICE = NOUN

I used 3500K throughout when we built in 2021. Very happy with that choice. A good mid point that doesn't look warm/yellow or cool/blue.

• 3000K for dining room, bathrooms and hallways; 3500K for kitchen; 2700K everywhere else.
• Lutron Diva or Maestro dimmer switches in all cases.
• (Optional) Lutron Maestro motion sensor/dimmers for mudroom and hallways (if electrical boxes are appropriately located)