Color temperatures like daylight and soft white change how a space or object looks when the light illuminates.
So it is important to choose the best options as per your requirement and placement.
Both daylight and soft white can be called too many cool vs. warm things. Or, in another way, it can be 2700K vs 6000K.
Clearly, we are referring to two different types of color temperatures that belong to opposite sides of the spectrum.
And yes, there’s a scale that helps to detect the LED light colors. It is known as the Kelvin scale.
The lower number on the scale is a more yellow tone, and the higher number is more blueish.
The scale ranges from 1,000K to 10,000K.
Soft White ranges between 2700K-3000K
Daylight ranges between 5500K-6500K
Differences between Soft White vs Daylight
Daylight is more white, far cool, and blueish tones. However, Soft white has warm tones and a yellow color range.
Daylight has more blueish tones and is recommended for commercial locations.
Soft white comes with a more earthy shade which is suitable for residential environments.
If you are looking to explore more options, you can compare the differences between 3000K vs 4000K and 4000K vs 5000K as well.
There’s a slite difference between these temperatures, but these are the color ranges that most people find suitable for lots of locations.
Soft White is perfect for:
Under Cabinets
Residential
Closets
Bedrooms
Kitchen
Bathrooms
Daylight is perfect for:
Display Cases
Signage
Garages
Commercial
Offices
Soft White vs Daylight temperature for Bathrooms
In most vanity or bathroom applications, you need a brighter illumination. We recommend choosing color temperature ranges from 3000K to 5000K.
Daylight can be too sterile and blue. Personally, I like to be on the side of cool white to soft white.
Remember, daylight color temperature is around 6000K which is more blueish and better in commercial locations, while soft white is about 3000K is recommended for highlighting wood grains and earthy tones.
GREAT EAGLE LIGHTING CORPORATION A19 LED Light Bulb, 9W
Here are things to remember:
Paint color
Size of the room
Cabinetry color
Existing natural light
Countertop color
Both 3000K and 6000K offer quite different lights. The softer color light is more pleasant, but daylight is the best option for more brightness.
So, finalizing the light color in the middle is beneficial for many of us. Therefore, 4000K color can offer an overall nice and balanced light.
Soft White vs Daylight LED light for Kitchens.
Soft light is the most ideal and primary choice for transitional or traditional kitchens. A daylight fixture is harsher than a warmer light. Warmer lights look excellent in earthy tones.
Look for the cool white range between 4000K-5000K if you have a modern kitchen. This is generally better than a 6000K daylight color which is more blueish and harsh.
You obviously don’t want to make your kitchen unwelcome and sterile with a daylight lighting fixture.
Instead, you can cool white or soft white for better lighting.
Guide to Soft White vs Daylight for Bedrooms
Generally, the bedroom is the space where we go to wind down and relax. A warm, or even a yellowish light, soft white light is preferred in bedrooms. You should choose between 2000K to 3500K LED light for better lighting in your bedrooms.
Most people enjoy the daylight sun. However, daylight lighting is not a pleasant color or preferred for bedrooms. Daylight light is more harsh and bright light with a blueish tone.
If you want to turn your bedroom into an inviting and warm place, choose a true and tried warm white LED light for better lighting.
Govee Warm White LED Strip Lights, Bright 300 LEDs, 3000K
Philips Hue White A21 High Lumen Smart Bulb, 1600 Lumens
