The lighting of a retail environment such as a shoe shop, a clothes shop, a hairdresser or even a jeweler’s or a boutique must be studied carefully, so as to be able to show the products in their best light.
A store that follows a Lighting Design project, just like a beautiful window, stimulates the public to enter, creates a pleasant atmosphere, adds character to the store and increases sales.
Below you will find all the techniques to illuminate a shop in an impeccable way thanks to the advice of our interior designers… enjoy reading!!
How to choose the right lighting for your shop
The choice of lighting to adopt for a shop varies according to two main factors:
- Type of Store: it is evident that each store has specific lighting needs, both in terms of quantity and quality. Therefore a hairdresser will not have the same needs as a clothes shop, and a shoe shop will not have the same needs as a jewelry store. At the end of the article you will find accent lighting tips for every retail setting.
- Style and Atmosphere: every self-respecting lighting design project is aimed at enhancing the style of the store and creating an atmosphere that can amaze customers. So the lighting must be chosen based on the colours, finishes and interior design in order to guarantee a fascinating stylistic continuity.
To best illuminate a shop, you must use at least two different types of light, so as to avoid the common mistake of lighting the shop with identical devices positioned in the same way, without creating contrasts.
The advice is to use ambient lighting sources that provide general lighting for the entire space using chandeliers or other types of pendant lighting for shops.
Accent lighting is used instead to highlight products on display or architectural features of the room in strategic points of the store. Accent lighting includes picture lights, LED strips and directional track lights.
Finally, I also recommend evaluating the use of decorative lighting that enhances design objects or noteworthy details, so as to ensure a strong scenic impact and originality in any retail environment. For example with upward lighting, such as floor lights behind a plant.
Illuminate your shop showcases to highlight the products
Every Lighting Design project in a shop starts with the lighting of the showcases, and it couldn’t be otherwise, let’s see why…
A shop window is its business card, it can be the discriminating factor between entering intrigued by what one has seen or continuing one’s walk, therefore a properly set up window must attract the attention and curiosity of customers.
The most beautiful garments or the new fashions of the sector to which they belong will be exhibited and it would be a shame not to recognize their right value with the wrong lighting.
To illuminate a showcase in an impeccable way, different devices will be needed: it is recommended to install a track with adjustable spotlights at the top and LED strips in the floor so as to show your products “in the spotlight”.
If the size of the showcase allows it, suspensions can also be used which will guarantee the dual function of lighting and furnishing, enhancing the design of the showcase itself.
Entrance lighting
Once the customer has decided to enter, intrigued by what he has seen in the window, he will find himself in front of the shop entrance.
The lighting of the store entrance must be well thought out to convey a sense of welcome and leave customers impressed, this is fundamental for the sales process.
The visual impact once you cross the entrance threshold must be effective and must make you understand the style of the store and why it differs from the others. For this reason it will be important to choose the lighting sources based on the furnishings, colors and available space.
If the dimensions allow it, the best choice to illuminate the entrance to the shop falls on a large chandelier with a strong scenic impact which will provide uniform lighting, which will then be integrated by the secondary lights of the purely display areas.
Which lights to choose between classic or LED
The choice of lights is more important for the general design of the room than one might think.
This is because light bulbs emit different color temperatures, which have a significant effect on the business, as they will allow the products for sale to be presented in the best light.
Light bulbs generally have a range from 2500K to 6500K: the K stands for Kelvin rating which tells us what its color temperature is, meaning how cold or warm that light is, with 6500K being the coolest and 2500K being the warmest.
LED bulbs today tend to last up to 6 times longer than conventional bulbs, are cooler to the touch, require little maintenance and use less energy, at a higher cost.
But be careful, lighting only through LED strips is cold and detached and does not create a focal point, therefore it will be advisable to vary the types of lighting while always using LED light sources.
How to create a focal point
All high-end shops have a focal point that attracts attention, it is a great interior design function, it helps to define the atmosphere and style of the environment, it also provides greater balance in the arrangement of the furnishings inside the shop.
Often the focal point is the first thing you see when entering the store, given its location, which will naturally make it the most attractive and eye-catching element.
Another important note is to make sure whatever item you choose as a focal point is large in size and is one of the tallest features in the room.
A fitting example could be a Murano glass chandelier which, thanks to the brightness and reflections of the crystal, allows you to create a chic atmosphere, to give personality and authority to the shop, allowing it to differentiate itself from shops linked to discount spotlights.
The Murano glass chandelier therefore, in addition to natural lighting, can act as a focal point, adding a sophisticated detail, but of great scenic impact, to any retail environment.
Lighting advice for the retail environment
In conclusion, a short list of tips on which devices to use for accent lighting based on the various types of retail environment.
- Hairdresser/beautician: it is advisable to use Ring light or LED panels on each workstation to facilitate cutting and treatments.
- Clothes shop: it is advisable to use Strip LEDs on the shelves with clothing on display and table lamps to furnish the central counters and at the checkout.
- Jewellery: it is advisable to use spotlights with focal lenses and suspensions to illuminate the internal exhibitors in a circumscribed manner.
- Shoe shop: it is advisable to use floor lamps near the armchairs and mirrors to furnish the test area.
- Eyewear shop: it is advisable to use sconces on the sides of the mirror, preferably with a lampshade to highlight the lens fitting without dazzling the customer.
Depending on the service offered and the products on sale, it is advisable to choose different color temperatures.
For a clothes or shoe shop it is preferable to choose a warm light, therefore without exceeding 3000 K. For an eyewear shop, a hairdresser, a beautician or a jewelery shop it is instead preferable to opt for a colder light, around 4000 – 4500K.
Developing a Lighting Project for a retail environment requires various skills, it is therefore essential to rely on a team of professionals in the sector who will be able to recommend the best solution based on the customer’s needs.
Cristalleria Murano ® makes its team of expert contract and interior designers available free of charge, with the aim of creating original and refined lighting, to give any environment a distinct and classy air, so as to guarantee excellent performance both from an aesthetic and functional point of view.
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