How to choose your colours with light reflection in mind
Selecting colours for your Residential or Commercial projects can be tricky when you consider just how much there is to think about. Not only can it determine the look, feel and vibe of a room, but the colours you choose also go a long way in influencing how much light is reflected around, which makes a huge difference. Thus, LRV is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing laminate colours.
What is LRV?
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) refers to the amount of light that is reflected off or absorbed by the surface of a wall, ceiling, joinery, doors or any type of product involving colour. Different colours and shades have different expected LRVs, meaning that some will better circulate the light that enters a room, which affects the atmosphere and mood of the room considerably.
Theoretically, on one of the LRV scale we have absolute black and the other white, with colour shades that we use in homes obviously laying somewhere between the two extremes. In practice though, the blackest of blacks registers around 0% LRV while the whitest whites come close to 100%
What is LRV used for?
It goes without saying that home decorating is largely intuitive and based on feel. But matching colours effectively can also have a scientific basis when you consider the type of colours you are using. In fact, many professionals including interior designers, colour consultants, painters, decorators and architecture will consider at LRV as a means of calculating the expected light in a room.
LRV is important for other non-aesthetic reasons too. Choosing a colour with a high LRV in a room or corridor will mean it has higher visibility and may not require as many lights, for example. More often than not, buildings that require high visibility will need to fall in the 60-70% LRV range.
If you think of hospitals, which serve a very practical service, most surfaces are painted with high LRV shades and this ensures the highest possible visibility, rather than looking to create a comfortable atmosphere.
Contact your specification representative at Lamicolor for our LRV’s on the laminates we stock.
