There’s no two ways about it: lighting is the unsung hero of amazing commercial spaces. Beautiful lighting design not only helps set the mood of your office space, but it highlights architectural features, saves energy, reinforces your brand’s identity, and more.

Below, we’ll explore how to leverage the power of lighting in your commercial space to your advantage.

What Makes Lighting So Important?

Before we get into the nitty gritty of lighting techniques and strategies, it’s essential to understand the significance of lighting in commercial spaces. Lighting not only affects visibility but also plays a fundamental role in creating an atmosphere that aligns with the purpose of the space. Whether it’s a retail store, restaurant, office, or hotel lobby, lighting has the power to evoke emotions, guide behavior, and enhance the overall experience of employees and clientele.

A Breakdown: Layered Lighting

Layering lighting is a staple component to designing any commercial space. Instead of relying solely on a single source of light, designers like to mix and match different types of lighting to create depth and dimension.

The three primary layers of lighting are:

Ambient Lighting: This kind of lighting is perhaps the most used across residential and commercial spaces. Its main objective is to make sure that every occupant can see the space in its entirety.
Task Lighting: Task lighting is focused lighting that’s designed to support specific activities, like as reading, cooking, or working. In commercial interiors, task lighting is typically used to make sure employees can be as productive as possible with their work.
Accent Lighting: Accent lighting, also known as “decorative” lighting, adds drama, personality, and visual interest by highlighting architectural features, artwork, or focal points within a space.

The correct combination of these three layers is entirely dependent on what your goals for your commercial space are, what your brand is, the structure of your space, and what style you’re looking to adopt.

Basic Lighting Design Strategies & Techniques

Now, let’s explore some basic lighting design strategies and techniques that can play a huge role in creating the ambiance of your space:

Color Temperature: The color temperatures of the lights you use can significantly impact the mood of a space. Warm light (lower color temperature) creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere. This kind of lighting is great for restaurants, cafes, and lounges. On the other hand, cooler light (higher color temperature) creates a bright, fresh, and energizing feel that’s better suited to retail environments and office settings.
Dimming Controls: Installing dimming controls allows for flexibility in adjusting the intensity of light according to the time of day and desired ambience.
Lighting Zones: Dividing a space into lighting zones enables targeted control over different areas, allowing for customized lighting schemes tailored to specific functions or activities. For example, a restaurant may have separate lighting zones for dining areas, bar counters, and private booths.
Integrating Natural Light: Natural light always adds a sense of openness to a space, and instantly helps people feel more connected to the outdoors. It also has been proven to help people focus, be more productive, and improve circadian rhythms–all of which are incredible for employees. Strategically placed windows, skylights, or light wells are great ways to bring natural light into commercial spaces.
Decorative Lighting Fixtures: Using decorative lighting fixtures is an easy way to have some fun with your lighting design. Choosing fixtures that complement your design theme helps add a serious dose of personality to commercial interiors, whether it’s sleek pendant lights in a modern office or ornate chandeliers in a luxury hotel lobby.

Implementing Lighting Design That Sends a Powerful Message is Our Specialty

Having well-thought-out lighting design is essential for creating memorable, immersive, and effective commercial interiors. However, it can be difficult to execute if you don’t have the right training and expertise. At Planning Interiors, we pride ourselves on having a nimble, dynamic, experienced team so we can design the most effective and stunning commercial spaces possible for our clients. If you need help with anything interior design for your commercial space, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.