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1. LEARN THE BASIC TYPES OF RETAIL LIGHTING
Before you set up the retail lighting design for your store, you have to understand first the purpose of each type of lighting. The different kinds of lighting you see in stores can all be grouped into just 4 categories:
a) Accent lighting
This type of retail lighting solution highlights areas or items in your store in a dramatic way. They make products and specific locations inside the shop pop out and draw customer attention.
Accent lighting can be put on shelves, windows, or walls – anything or anywhere in the store you want to give importance to is applicable. It can be installed behind shelves as a backlight for more subtle illumination, or on the front as a spotlight to brighten corners.
b) Task lighting
This kind of lighting is designed to brighten a spot and enable certain tasks to be accomplished easier. Their purpose is to illuminate an area more than any other kind of lighting can do.
Service desks, checkout counters, dressing rooms, office spaces, stockrooms, and warehouses are the areas where you can see task lighting work its magic. These locations need bright lights to make it more convenient for staff and customers to do what they need to do.
c) Ambient lighting
Ambient lighting is the general light source used inside the store. It fills the gap between task and accent lighting fixtures and keeps every corner lit. It provides enough light to ensure customers see everything around them and give them a sense of security.
Ambient lighting also helps set the mood of the place. The overall softness or brightness of the space can be defined using ambient lighting without interfering with the effects created by task and accent lighting.
d) Decorative lighting
This kind of lighting usually involves eye-catching fixtures with the main function of adding aesthetic value to your store. They’re often flexible as they can be used either as an ambient, accent, or task lighting.
2. IDENTIFY HOW MUCH AREA YOU NEED TO COVER
In drawing your retail lighting layout, compute the total floor area that needs to be illuminated. According to the Lighting Research Center, ambient lighting should provide around 1.5 to 2.5 lumens per cubic foot.
To determine the total amount of brightness your store needs, you have to compute for the dimensions of the space. You then multiply the dimensions with 2.5 lumens which is the maximum recommended brightness to illuminate a space. The result you’ll get is the total amount of lumens you need to adequately light up the whole space.
To maximize the retail lighting layout, it’s recommended to place the light fixtures no more than 6 feet apart from each other. The distancing between fixtures will depend on the effect you want to exhibit and on the type of lighting employed.
3. DETERMINE THE KIND OF LIGHT SOURCE YOU NEED
Before you choose the design of the light fixture, learn first the kind of light source you need for your store. A luxurious chandelier means nothing if it can’t provide the right amount of light to your target area.
The color and the brightness of the light source will set the atmosphere you want to express inside the store. An inappropriate choice can create brand inconsistency or worse, poor customer experience that can impact business reputation.
The warmness and coolness of the light source are defined by the color temperature measured in Kelvin (K); you can see this value in the box of the light lamps or bulbs you’re buying. According to retail lighting guidelines, the higher the value of K, the whiter the color of the light emitted.
If you’re aiming to create a softer, warmer, and more intimate setting, aim for a light source with low Kelvin value. If you want a crisper tone that mimics natural lighting, look for products with a higher Kelvin value.