The level of light intensity can affect how a person is feeling, this meaning bright lighting can make a person feel warmer when the room temperature has not changed. In today’s society this means we need to start thinking more about the little things such as lighting, as it will have a greater impact on a customer’s impulse to buy.
“Lighting has a direct influence on our mood, with 80% of the sensory information the brain receives coming from our eyes. Lighting highlights architectural elements, product qualities and creates virtual spaces – impacting how we feel, what we think of a product, and ultimately the choice of whether to purchase or not”
Mihaly Bartha, Head of Lighting at GPStudio
It is more about making the customer feel at ease and feeling comfortable enough in your retail space.
Some retail stores are opting for the brighter, cleaner lighting which can pull the customer in. Whereas others are trying the mysterious approach of dimly lit spaces and cave-like entrance scenes, both are at either end of the spectrum yet equally as intense. However a carefully created contrast of the two could draw them in closer, more out of interest than mad curiosity.
Products in a well lit area which reflects their surroundings well can create an ideal selling space, as when the level of lighting matches well with the products, an ideal retail space has been born.
Lighting In a Small Space
Having eye catching lighting in a small space can be difficult, as if it is too dim the whole space will appear even smaller. Yet if it is too bright it will look like a candle trying to escape from a lantern. The main focus in any retail environment is the product, as long as the lighting keeps in sync with whatever that may be then it shouldn’t be too hard for the lighting to complement the rest of the store.
A big mistake most people make with lighting is the corners, they forget about them. Shady corners will always bring a space in, this is where the right level of lighting needs to focused. If handled correctly the rest of the space should appear equally lit. Through sharing excess light, smaller spaces could get away with using a lower wattage, ultimately saving money.
Lighting In Unusual Spaces
Whenever a space isn’t a simple square this begins to create problems. As more corners, curves and shadows are formed, difficulty begins to arise. Even more so if the space does not have a window, or access to natural light. Natural light can be both a blessing and curse. On a summer’s day it will light up the space. This means less lighting will be needed, and vise versa on a rainy day. Yet, if a space does not have access to a window, this can also be played to an advantage as the lighting will always be consistent.
However there is always a way around these problems, as long as the items on show remain as the main focus. Much like in a museum or gallery the lighting is always focused on the art. This allows the viewer to see every aspect of each piece. This is much the same with a product. The customer wants to see everything they can, before deciding whether or not to make a purchase.
Here are some final tips and tricks on levelling different lighting in a comfortable way:
- Mirrors – This is a great way of creating light without buying a bulb. Strategically placing mirrors in a space, will reflect the light to where it is needed.
- Decor – Consider decorative lighting, a two birds, one stone scenario. If an area of the space is rather dull but there isn’t anything worth lighting in that area. Try placing a decorative light there.
- Control – Being able to control the level of lighting, is great way of keeping the light the same throughout the day. As the weather changes outside, the lighting inside can be altered to adapt to sunny or stormy days.
