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Did you know the lighting you use can impact your retail outlet's ability to attract customers? If a shop appears too bright or dark, isn't efficiently lit, and so on, it could turn people away before they even set foot in the door. The lighting you use and how bright you opt for can be influenced by many factors and the type of environment you want to create.

It's a tricky balance, but this post looks at some ways you can find the proper lighting and avoid common lifting mistakes in retail.

Lighting Style

First up, we have the style of the actual lights themselves. What type of design or feel you are going for in your store can directly influence the kind of lighting you should use. For example, spotlight or led strips can enhance smaller areas to make displays pop if you want to highlight specific products or collections. If you are going for a charming feel with a stylish yet relaxed vibe, you can use more decorative lighting, while if you need to create a brighter environment, you can use 8ft LED shop lights to increase light in all areas.

Choose The Brightness and Colour

The brightness of your lights and the color you choose can massively impact the overall lighting in your store. There are different objectives to using different types of lighting, and they can be instrumental in helping you create the vibe you are aiming for.

Brightness refers to the amount of light a lighting source projects, while color is the tone of the light. You can choose various lighting colors and brightness levels to suit your needs.

It is important not to confuse brightness with color to ensure you can get it right and avoid overcomplicating your lighting or choosing the wrong style. For example, stores selling darker products or tech items can benefit from emphasizing brightness to illuminate the space and the products. In contrast, clothing stores might prefer to focus on the color of the heating and opt for a warmer option to create a cozier atmosphere.

Even Illumination

When you have decided on your lighting style, color, and brightness level, you need to ensure effective placement. This will give you a more even illumination throughout your store and avoid any dark or hidden spots. This can not only help to ensure customers can see all items but increase safety and security too.

Utilise Natural Lighting

While adding ample artificial lighting is vital for your store, you must also make the most of natural illumination. This can help you to add a more authentic element to your lighting plan and overreliance on artificial lighting. Make use of large window displays and avoid covering them up and blocking out the light. Use mirrors to reflect lighting back into the store and compliment natural lighting with lighter colors in your design and fittings for more impact. From here, you can compliment the natural light with wall sconces over featured products, under-shelf lighting to highlight darker places in the store, and even candlelight or flickering flame effects to enhance a homewares store and create warm vibes to promote products.

Conclusion

There are many ways you can ensure thorough and even illumination through your retail space. By focusing on the existing natural light and knowing what type of feel you want to create, you explore the different brightness options and lighting styles to make the right choices.