Correlated colour temperature (CCT), measured in kelvin (K), describes whether white light looks warm or cool. Lower values, such as 2700–3000 K, appear warmer; higher values, such as 5000–6500 K, appear cooler.
Move the slider to see the colour shift. Then compare Low CRI and High CRI: CCT describes the light’s colour, while CRI describes colour fidelity relative to a reference light at a similar CCT.
Try it: warm to cool
Warm: homes, cafés and restaurants
Illustrative comparison. Actual appearance depends on the light spectrum, materials and display.
Choose CCT for the atmosphere you want, and consider colour rendering separately. Two lights with the same CCT can make the same materials look different.
Compare colour temperature and colour rendering
Use the CCT slider to compare warm and cool white light, then keep the same colour temperature while switching between Low CRI and High CRI. This separates two design questions: the appearance of the light itself and how it renders the colours of objects.
The swatches are an illustrative comparison, not a prediction for a particular lamp. For fixture selection, read how to choose LED downlights. To explore light distribution as well as colour, try the interactive lighting layers tool, or browse all NORIX interactive lighting experiences.
