Intercultural colour temperature preference (2300 K - 5800 K) of chinese and european subjects for white objects

Intercultural differences concerning the user preference of the indoor illuminant’s colour temperature (warm white, neutral white, cold white) is an important issue in today’s globalized market. The colour temperature preference also depends on the objects under illumination, e.g. the combination of multi-coloured objects or objects of different white shades. In this work, a scene with different white objects was illuminated in a full-scaled room by six different light sources with different colour temperatures between 2227 K and 5698 K and at two illuminance levels (500 lx and 1200 lx). Chinese and European subjects evaluated the preference of the white objects under different light settings. Results showed a general preference under the objects under neutral white light (at about 4000 K). The lower preference of warm white (2300 K) and cold white (5700 K) light sources was more accentuated by European observers than by Chinese observers. The higher illuminance level was preferred. Results are relevant to the selection of colour temperatures for indoor illumination (e.g., for residential applications).