Color temperature, made visible
See what every color temperature actually looks like.
2700K, 4000K, 5000K — the numbers on the box tell you nothing until you see them in a room. Drag the slider below, then try it on a photo of your own space.
Every swatch is computed from the CIE 1931 Planckian and daylight loci — not an approximated gradient.
Neutral textiles, warm timber and sheer-filtered daylight. Typically specified at 2700K.
Now try it on your own room.
Take a photo on your phone. We read the white balance already in the image, then re-render it at any temperature from 1000K to 12000K — so you can see 3000K in your actual kitchen before you buy forty bulbs.
- Runs entirely in your browser — the photo never leaves your device
- Location and camera EXIF data stripped the moment it loads
- Tap any white surface to calibrate the reference precisely
- Save a share link only if you actually want one
The honest pros and cons
Every temperature is good at something and bad at something else. Here is what each one actually costs you.
Candlelight
The warmest light most people ever sit under
Ultra Warm / Vintage Filament
Amber glow with just enough color rendering to be usable
Warm White
The incandescent standard — what most people picture as 'normal' light
Soft White
Warm, but whites still look white
Neutral Warm
The commercial middle ground
Cool White / Neutral
The workplace default — crisp, alert, honest about color
What should this room be?
Start from the space rather than the number.
Getting a lighting spec right the first time
Occasional, practical notes on color temperature, CRI and specification. No product spam.