Types of Lighting In Visual Merchandising

Lighting is a key part of visual merchandising displays because the way you highlight specific products or areas of the store or premises can greatly influence a customer's buying decision. The way you use lighting can enhance the customer's journey through the store and help your brand tell a story about the products available.

Whether you run a retail store, pub, bar, restaurant, or hotel, you need to consider how the lighting you use affects the mood of your customers and the way they interact with your business. First, you should understand the different types of lighting and where they are used. Certain types of lighting can make your store look more spacious, while other types of lighting can create a warm, cozy atmosphere.

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Types of lighting in visual merchandising

There are four types of lighting you can use to highlight areas of your retail store or hospitality establishment.

1. Ambient lighting

This refers to the main source of lighting in the store - usually an overhead bulb or strip of lights. The lights you use for this purpose depend entirely on the size of your store. If you have high ceilings and a lot of floor space, you will need a lot of large lights to achieve the same effect as a smaller store, but with dimmer lights and less power. If the store is too dark, customers will have difficulty reading labels, while bright lights are uncomfortable.

2. Task lighting

These lights focus on areas that need more attention. Areas such as checkout counters and dressing rooms need more light so that customers can see exactly how clothes fit and so that staff can clearly see the money and cards they are handling.

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3. Accent Lighting

Highlight specific products to draw customers' attention using accent lighting. Focusing on key products lets customers know they are important and is great for focusing attention on seasonal, new, and discounted products. It is ideal for use in window displays to catch the eye of passersby and invite them in to browse.

4. Decorative lighting

Finally, decorative lighting is everything you can think of: from fairy lights to candles! It's perfect for evoking emotions or nostalgic memories, which is why this style of lighting is popular on key dates such as Christmas. Restaurants and bars often use this type of lighting to create a cozy atmosphere through the use of candles and lamps at the table.

Consider the type of venue you are lighting

The type of venue you are running will influence the decisions you make about lighting. For example, a bar or restaurant is unlikely to use a lot of bright ambient lighting because the atmosphere in these venues revolves around nighttime trading.

Therefore, bright lighting is unexpected, as customers prefer a dimly lit atmosphere at this time of day. Studies have actually shown that customers are likely to stay longer and spend more when restaurants have comfortable low lighting. Conversely, brightly lit restaurants, such as fast-food restaurants, are designed to encourage customers to eat quickly and move on, thus maintaining a higher turnover.