What Color Light Is Best For Porch Light?

With most houses, the front porch is the section of the house that is most visible from the street, and therefore, you want your front porch to look welcoming. Porch lighting is not only important for creating the right atmosphere but also doubles as security lighting in your yard at night. The right color bulb ensures that your yard is well-lit at all times without compromising aesthetic appeal.

Warm white light (2700K) is the best color for a porch light. Warm white light creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere while still providing adequate lighting that doubles as aesthetic and security lighting. Porch lighting with a yellowish or off-white hue works best in keeping flying insects to a minimum at night.

You don’t want your porch light to take away from the natural surroundings, but you don’t want to sit in a poorly lit area either.

Read on to find out which color porch light is best for setting the right mood while providing optimal security in your space.

What Determines The Colour Of A Porch Light?

The color temperature of the bulb determines the color of your porch light. The color temperature of a light is measured in degrees Kelvin (K), which is usually indicated on the bulb. Lower Kelvins (2700-2800K) indicate warmer, yellowish light, while higher Kelvins (4000-5000K) indicate cool, white light.

Why Does The Colour Of Your Porch Light Matter?

There are many different colored lights available for outdoor porch lighting. Now you may be wondering – what’s the big deal with the color of a porch light? When it comes to lighting, the bulb’s color temperature is very important because it helps determine the mood and atmosphere of the space.

We have an infographic image on best color lighting for outside spaces below to help or share. It can be made bigger by clicking on the image.

What Color Light Is Best For Porch Light?

Low Colour Temperature Vs. High Colour Temperature

Although high color and low color temperatures may look quite similar when viewed separately, you will notice a remarkable difference when you place the two different lights side-by-side. Below we have summarized a few key differences between them.

Low colour temperature lights:

Have a warm, yellowish hue that can resemble fire or candlelight
Create a cozy, friendly atmosphere
Have lower brightness
Set the mood, but aren’t always functional or practical in specific spaces

High color temperature lights:

Have a cool, bluish-white hue that can resemble natural daylight
It may make a space appear cold and uninviting
Are functional and ideal for workspaces like offices and kitchens
Have higher brightness
It may appear stark or harsh in certain spaces

What Are The Different Porch Light Colours?

Nowadays, most outdoor lighting is LED lights available in various colors and color temperatures and all can be suitable for porch lights depending on your aims.

1. Very Warm White (2200K)

Very warm white light resembles candlelight and is the perfect light color to create a cozy, intimate atmosphere indoors and outdoors. This color temperature is just one small step above the yellow light. It works great as landscape lighting and is also very similar to streetlights.

2. Warm White (2700K)

Warm white is slightly less yellow than very warm white and works very well for outdoor lighting. It creates an inviting, “homey” atmosphere that will make all guests feel at home and relaxed. It is one of the most preferred color temperatures for outdoor lighting.

3. Natural White (3000K)

Natural white light is significantly cooler than warm white. Although this color temperature doesn’t create a welcoming, friendly atmosphere as the warmer colors do, it can be a form of aesthetic lighting that works well as a garden light or highlights beautiful outdoor plants near your porch.

4. Cool White (4000K)

Very cool light temperatures work well to illuminate the outdoors but are not the best option if you want to set a comfortable, relaxing mood on your porch area. Cool white light appears almost bluish compared to the warmer colors. It is a crisp, bright light that closely resembles daylight or moonlight.

Porch Light Colours With Special Meanings

Most houses you drive or walk past will have soft white or yellowish porch or deck lights. However, some homeowners use bright-colored porch lights in different colors to create a unique space that sets a specific mood or conveys a particular message.

Red light. Red porch lights are often used during holidays like Halloween or even Valentine’s Day. It’s also a prominent color in Christmas lights. A red porch light may also bring awareness to heart health in some US cities.
Yellow light. A yellow porch light sets a happy mood and creates a welcoming outdoor space. Warm yellow lighting always creates a positive atmosphere and encourages good conversation.
Green light. A green porch light portrays wellness, hope, and renewal. It also represents Veteran’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day and supports Lyme disease awareness.
Blue light. A blue porch light sets a mood of calmness, relaxation, and peace. It can also be used in support of autism awareness or honoring police officers.
Purple light. A purple porch light invokes feelings of mystery and imagination. Purple is also the color used in raising awareness of domestic violence.
Pink light. Although rare, pink porch lights add a touch of glamour to an outdoor space. This warm and feminine color sets the mood for a party.

What Colour Porch Light Works Best For Deterring Bugs?

Insects perceive light differently than humans do and are generally drawn to three different light colors, namely UV light, green and blue. Insects are primarily attracted to ultra-violet (UV) light with wavelengths of between 300-420nm.

Bright white lights with bluish hues are most attractive to insects, while oranges, yellow and pink hues are least attractive to most insects. Due to the greater drawing distance, brighter lights with high wattage attract more insects than low wattage bulbs. Insects are also attracted to the heat emitted from light bulbs.

LED lights are a great option for porch lights since most of them do not emit UV light or generate much heat. Although most insects aren’t attracted to LEDs, certain colors may attract some insects. Like with UV lightbulbs, insects are attracted to bright, white lights. Therefore, LEDs that are a warm yellow or off-white color are the best for deterring bugs on your porch area.

If LEDs are not an option due to the cost, then UV light with warmer hues is the best option for preventing flying insects on your porch. It may not deter all types of insects, but it will keep bugs to a minimum.

If you are looking for which color would be suitable for you porch before you turn to lighting it then you can check out this article on back porch color ideas here and linked below.

What Colour Light Is The Best For Porch Light?

The right color porch lighting should light up your porch area and make it more comfortable to sit outside without drawing your attention away from the beautiful nature surrounding your home. Porch lighting is important for three main reasons:

To give a clear view of the outdoor surroundings
To add an aesthetic element to the porch area
To enhance security

Considering all the above factors, the best color for a porch light is warm white (2700K). Whether you’re using UV or LED lighting for your porch area, it is best to go with a color that not only creates a calming, warm, and inviting atmosphere but also contributes to a higher level of security when the sun goes down.

A warm white porch light will add ambiance to your porch area and deter thieves or troublemakers. Warm white also looks great with most architectural elements and enhances the visual aesthetic of the entryway to your home.

As mentioned above, warm white is also a great color temperature if you want to avoid battling flying insects when you’re sitting outside at night.

Best Porch Colour Light For Security Lighting

If you want to use your porch light purely for security reasons, then the color temperature of the light should be around 4600-6500K. Cool white with a bluish tint works best for lighting up an outdoor area to eliminate any shadows and potential hiding spaces for thieves and troublemakers.

Cool white light is brighter and slightly blinding compared to warmer color temperatures and does not appear as inviting. However, as security lighting, it serves its purpose by creating a vast expanse of light that illuminates your property when it’s dark outside.

We have a selection of articles on Porch lights, brightness location, color and more lighting options. We have highlighted some below but you can search if you need more.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking to boost the aesthetics of your porch area or improve on security, there is a color light that caters to either of those elements or both at the same time. A warm white light will give you the best of both worlds by enhancing security and improving the atmosphere and aesthetics of your space. Either way, probably best not to go for red!

What Color Light Is Best For Porch Light?

What Determines The Colour Of A Porch Light?

Why Does The Colour Of Your Porch Light Matter?