In a retail space, it’s all about the customer experience. After all, you need to attract new customers every day. Your store layout must be functional and visually appealing, and your lighting will be the cherry on top. If your store is poorly lit, it will negatively affect the customer experience.

On the other hand, a well-designed retail store can create a positive experience and influence customers to buy. From providing a warm and inviting ambiance to highlighting desired products, good lighting makes all the difference in your store.

This article will guide you on effectively using lighting in a retail space. Read on below to get started.

The Basics of Lighting

First and foremost, you need to know the basics of lighting for retail settings. These are:

• Ambient – This type of lighting should reveal all product displays and merchandise. It should be soft, diffused, and non-directional.
• Accent – Accent lighting highlights specific store areas or draws attention to a particular product or area. It is used to complement ambient lighting, as aggressive accents can cause stress.
• Decorative – This type of lighting adds a decorative effect to the store. Decorative lighting is usually cast at an angle and has low wattage. It’s generally used to complement ambient and task lighting.
• Task – This type of lighting displays the product information to the consumer. It is directional and cast at an angle to illuminate the products and add value to the customer.

With that out of the way, you can employ lighting in your retail space through the following:

Utilize Balanced Lighting

Uniform lighting is not recommended to showcase products in a retail environment. Instead, retail stores should provide unique lights for highlighting each product. Lights offer a contrast against the natural lighting in a room and help the customer focus their attention on one product at a time. Each product or section should have its own color scheme, but a room with too many lights overwhelms the customer’s senses. It also makes it difficult to see where you are going; dimly lit rooms are better to navigate than brightly lit ones.

Plan Your Lighting Layout

In regards to general lighting, as a good rule of thumb, you want to light the visible area of your retail space. In other words, the amount of light you need depends on the amount of space you are lighting. For example, a small aisle might require a high-powered light. You might need additional areas of lower-powered light to balance with the high-powered light in the aisle. A large retail space would need a greater number of lower-powered lights to fill the space.

Consider Lighting Texture

It’s recommended that you use a consistent design and finish. Nothing is more visually confusing than when different parts of the same retail space are finished or lit differently. In terms of color and design, a uniform appearance makes aesthetic sense—and it provides a cohesive and relaxed retail environment.

Think about it this way: do you want it to be noticed or blend in? As a rule, you want your retail space to match the mood and tone of the area where it’s located.

Add Flair through Color

Color is another important consideration. Some colors are easier to work with. For example, figures tend to work well in warmer colors like red, yellow, or orange. Shades of green and blue work well for fish tanks, metals, and jewelry. The color of your product can dictate the color of your lighting.

When choosing colors for your retail space, consider your products, the room’s layout, the time of day, and the style of your store. If your products are dark colors, use light colors for your lighting. Similarly, your product may not match the style of your store, but the lighting can. The lighting you use can bring attention to your products and make your store look more professional.

Conclusion

Your retail space should be serving customers, and lighting is the first and foremost thing that’s often noticed. If your retail space is poorly lit, you will have difficulty attracting customers or retaining them. Just note the information above so you won’t have any problems.

If you’re looking for custom lighting manufacturers, PTY Custom Lighting is the one for you! We have served various businesses, from restaurants to hotels and other establishments. Yours could be the next, so contact us today to get started!