Have you ever bought a piece of clothing in a store, only to get home and realize the color looks completely different? Or noticed how food appears more vibrant in a restaurant than it does in your own kitchen? The culprit might not be the fabric or the ingredients – but the lighting!
What’s the missing detail?
CRI (Color Rendering Index) measures how well a light source reveals colors compared to natural sunlight. Ranging from 0 to 100, the higher the CRI, the more realistic and accurate the colors appear under that light.
At Katoa, we understand how crucial light quality is to shaping the perception of a space. That’s why we offer luminaires with a CRI > 80 as a market standard, ensuring a balanced and natural color reproduction for most environments.
However, when a project demands a higher level of color fidelity, we provide solutions with CRI > 90, perfect for areas where precise, lifelike color perception is key.
– CRI > 80 → Market standard, delivering an acceptable color reproduction for general use.
– CRI > 90 → Ideal for environments that require more vivid and accurate color perception.
– CRI > 95 → Offers a 95% similarity to natural sunlight.
Choosing the right CRI depends on the type of space and the lighting’s purpose. But where does this really make a difference? Let’s explore.
Retail and showrooms: the right color sells
Think back to our initial example. You walk into a store and find a piece of clothing you like. But when you get home, the color doesn’t look as vibrant under your own light. Frustrating, right? This is a perfect example of how low CRI lighting can distort our perception of colors and product quality.
In fitting rooms and displays, a CRI above 90 ensures customers see the products with true color accuracy. This boosts confidence in their purchases and reduces returns caused by color differences in other lighting settings.
At home: lighting that makes a difference every day
In residential lighting, there are spaces where color accuracy is crucial. Imagine a makeup mirror where skin tones look distorted, or a kitchen where the colors of ingredients seem dull.
For these areas, we recommend luminaires with a CRI higher than 80, especially in spaces like:
✔️ Bathrooms: for natural and precise makeup application.
✔️ Kitchens: to enhance the true color of food.
✔️ Closets: to choose clothes with accurate lighting.
In restaurants and supermarkets: highlighting the flavors
CRI enhances the natural colors of ingredients, making them appear fresher and more vibrant.
For culinary spaces, combining warm light (2700K-3000K) with a high CRI is ideal to highlight the reds of wines, the golden hues of pasta, and the fresh greens of salads. After all, a dish’s first impression starts with its appearance. Plus, high CRI lighting creates a cozy, sophisticated atmosphere without distorting the food’s natural colors.
Photography and video studios: lighting that captures reality
In the audiovisual world, every detail counts. Poor lighting with low CRI can alter skin tones, blur contrasts, and complicate post-production.
✅ High CRI = true colors, less digital correction, and flawless professional results.
To capture authentic, sharp images, choose lighting sources with a CRI over 90.
Clinics and hospitals: accuracy with No room for error
In medical settings, color accuracy is critical for diagnoses and clinical procedures. A high CRI helps differentiate subtle skin tones, tissues, and bodily fluids, ensuring precision and safety for healthcare professionals.
Additionally, quality lighting reduces eye strain for doctors and creates a more comfortable environment for patients.
Offices and workspaces: greater comfort, less fatigue
We spend a lot of time under artificial light at work, and the quality of that light affects our focus and well-being.
The best options are:
✔️ Neutral light (4000K) with CRI > 80 → Balances clarity and visual comfort throughout the day.
✔️ CRI > 90 for design or color-critical areas → Enhances color accuracy and reduces eye strain.
Investing in quality lighting can improve productivity and make your workspace more comfortable.
How to choose luminaires with high CRI?
Now that you know where high CRI makes a difference, the next step is to choose the right luminaires.
What should you look for?
– Always check the CRI in the technical specifications (ideally, CRI > 80 for general use and CRI > 90 for specific areas).
– Choose the right color temperature for the space (warm for cozy environments, neutral for workspaces).
– Opt for high-quality LEDs—remember, not all LEDs have a high CRI.
– Combine energy efficiency with color reproduction for the perfect balance of quality and consumption.
Light that enhances every detail
Whether in a museum, a restaurant, or your own home, the right CRI lighting is essential to ensure colors appear in their truest form. Small adjustments in lighting can make a big difference in the way spaces are experienced.
At Katoa, we develop lighting solutions with attention to detail, so every project shines at its best. Want to elevate the quality of your lighting? Contact us to discover the best solutions!
