The impact of art object color and style on museum visitors’ correlated color temperature (CCT) light preferences

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand the effect of art objects’ color and style on museum visitors’ CCT light preferences. In order to analyze both color and style of art objects’ effect on museum lighting preference, a small exhibition room was designed. The study was conducted with three sample groups for three styles of paintings. Those styles were still life paintings, drip paintings and contemporary figurative art paintings with three color schemes for each style which are blue, red and neutral. Three CCT of light were used in the experiment which are 3000 K warm white, 4000 K neutral white and 6000 K cool white LED spots all at 200 lux illuminance. Besides the CCT preference, participants were asked to evaluate factors that would appropriately describe the exhibited objects, painting color and lighting relations. Those evaluative factors were warmth, brightness, comfort, pleasantness, naturalness and relaxation. The results showed that most preferred CCT of light was 4000 K for all styles and colors. The general indication that could be done about the CCT preference results is that visitors want to see warm color paintings under lower CCTs while in case of cool color paintings the choice of visitors are towards higher CCTs. This preference tendency is the most significant on paintings that have facial depictions. According to the evaluative emotional states results, for all bipolar adjectives both color and CCT have an impact. The results of the study can be beneficial for museum curators, lighting designers and interior architects while designing a museum environment.