So you’ve just spotted your dream luxury vinyl floor, possibly while browsing online, or maybe in a retailer showroom. Now it’s just a matter of buying and installing it, right?
Not quite.
Lighting, both natural and artificial, will affect how the floor looks in your home. And in some cases, that can be much different from how it appears under the bright glare of showroom lighting. A typical home has warmer lighting, which could affect perception of the floor’s colors, patterns and textures.
To avoid surprises, we strongly recommend asking your Karndean retailer to borrow a display board. If possible, get samples of several colorways to compare as the angle and amount of sunlight in your home changes throughout the day. (Note: You also can order free swatch samples on the product pages of our website.)
Natural Light Vs. Artificial Light
The orientation of your home affects how much sunlight different rooms receive. In North America, rooms with south-facing windows receive the most direct sunlight; east-facing rooms get more morning sun, while west-facing rooms get more in the afternoon.
Texas White Ash RKP8105 in a bedroom shown in the natural morning light, natural day daylight and artificial evening light.
You can’t do much about how much natural light rooms receive, but you can control the artificial light, whether it’s the “temperature” of the bulbs or where you situate accent lamps.
Color temperature ranges from warm to cool and is measured on the Kelvin Scale, from 1,000 (candlelight) to 10,000 (clear blue sky). The lighting you choose within that range – combined with the tone of the flooring, paint and furnishings – will affect the ambience of your space. Warmer lighting creates a cozy, inviting mood, while cooler, crisper lighting feels vibrant and modern.
Sundown Oak HC04 shown in cool white (7000K), day white (5400K), soft white (3200K) and warm white (2600K) lighting.
Lighting Tips, Ideas And FYIs
- If you prefer darker flooring, use warmer lighting to avoid having the entire space feel dark and unwelcoming.
- It’s even possible that photos of the same flooring look different – a close-up color-swatch image vs. a room bathed in morning sunlight, for example.
- Want to see our flooring in your home without a sample? Use our Floorstyle visualizer to upload a room photo and see how different designs will look.
- Our retailer partners are experts who can help with everything from flooring design to technical questions about products and installation. Use our online store locator to find retailers in your area.
Note: This blog post was originally published in June 2020. It’s been updated with new information.