How important is lighting for retail stores?
Presentation plays an important role in retail design and lighting is strategically fundamental when setting up your store. This will not only impact positively your business, but will also position your brand and differentiate from others.
Now, more than ever, it is critical to make the best of shops. Competition is getting stronger and online shopping is becoming more popular. But how can we achieve this? The key is to attract as many visitors as possible, create a comfortable environment where they can feel welcomed, safe and relaxed, and to offer a rich experience. This can lead to repeated visits and eventually increase sales. One major element to consider and that can help you create this environment, is lighting.
What can lighting do?
- Creates the pleasant atmosphere you want for your customers
- Highlights specific products, furnitures or areas you want to put emphasis on
- Displays and showcases your merchandise
- Helps to see clearly and easier
- Draws attention of passersby
- Makes your products look their best
- It can brighten areas and directs at where you want the customers eye to go
- It has a direct influence on our mood and behaviour, how we feel, what we think, how we see and perceive things.
Types of lighting
There are three types of lighting. We recommend not to use only one type, but to combine all three and have different levels of lighting.
Ambient - Is the general light, providing the overall atmosphere
Here pendant lights, downlights, panels, wall fixtures and bulbs can be used.
Accent - Used to focus certain areas, products, pieces or furnitures
We recommend track lights, directional fixtures, led strips.
Task - Light used when performing specific tasks
Pendant light, directional downlights, track lights and lamps.
What to consider?
- Mix fixtures according to the type of lighting. For example, use LED bulbs that provide ambient level light with pendant and track lights.
- CRI>90 is commonly recommended for retail lighting, so the true colors of the merchandise can be seen.
- Choose the color temperature that fits best. 3000K to create a warm, cozy environment or 4000K for a colder white.
- Don´t make the store very bright, instead provide uniform and even light distribution and use some contrast between spaces.
- Use dimmable, RGB, CCT or beam angle adjustable if you want to change from time to time the level of light, the color temperature, color or the light distribution.
Light is the final impact on your overall design, it helps define your brand and reflect your store. Create a unique space and make a strong impression.