How to Properly Layer Light for Low-Light Commercial Spaces

Various commercial spaces and restaurants opt for dimmer lighting to create a more comfortable and intimate atmosphere. For example, restaurants, bars, wedding and event venues, concert venues, etc., utilize lower light levels with multiple warm layers of light. Many areas need to be able to brighten or dim the lights depending on the time of day, the amount of natural light available, and to create an intimate or romantic atmosphere.There are four main types of lighting: accent, ambient, decorative, and task lighting. Each serves a different purpose and is layered to create the perfect atmosphere for commercial spaces.

Here's why layered lighting in commercial and retail spaces is crucial:

• Enhances depth and dimension: Layered lighting revitalizes bland spaces, adding vibrancy and interest. Without diverse layers, lighting can appear flat and unflattering. A room gains texture and depth by incorporating multiple layers, enhancing its visual appeal.
• Creates an ambiance or mood: Distinct light layers establish a room's ambiance. Each layer contributes to a cohesive lighting scheme, allowing for mood customization. By tweaking individual layers, you can evoke various feelings. For instance, dimming an accent light can create a softer, more relaxed atmosphere, with other layers adapting to complement the change.
• Highlights focal points: Different spaces boast unique features and assets. Layered lighting lets you spotlight specific areas or elements, highlighting their significance. Whether showcasing wall art, a countertop, or a workspace, layered lighting ensures these features stand out while illuminating the entire room.
• Establishes comfort: You can craft a warm and inviting atmosphere using layered lighting. The balanced light distribution throughout the room creates a cozy environment for guests and occupants, enhancing overall comfort. Using ambient lighting, task, and accent lighting to create light layers can help you achieve this goal. 

There are many different aspects of lighting design to consider when illuminating a commercial or retail space. Everything from ambient lighting to decorative light can influence a customer’s decisions. LED lights are dimmable and can fit a variety of commercial and retail spaces to create the best ambient lighting for your commercial space. 

• Intensity: This measures the amount of light the background reflects by factors like lamp wattage and brightness.
• Color: LED lighting is available in various color temperatures ranging from 2700K warm white to 6500K cool white. We also offer tunable white, single color, RGB,  RGBW, and RGB+CCT options for dynamic and customizable light output.
• Direction: A fixture’s placement and beam angle can affect customer comfort and product appeal. For example, if you are lighting a table at a restaurant, you want the table to be illuminated but not have the bulb directly pointing in your customers' eyes.  
• Levels: Using multiple lighting levels to direct a customer's focal point. 
• Top-level fixtures such as track lighting or downlighting add ambient light to the top of the room, creating a larger space and heightened visibility. 
• Middle-level fixtures such as pendant lights or sconces widen the room and add accent or decorative lighting. This lighting is functional, allowing customers to see around the commercial space easily with a decorative fixture for aesthetics.
• Low-level fixtures can be used for a wide range of LED lighting. These are versatile and are meant to provide task lighting for your customers.  

Restaurants and bars typically employ three primary types of light layering to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that encourages people to relax and enjoy themselves. Ambient lighting is the main light source, evenly illuminating the entire space. It blends natural sunlight with LED fixtures, providing a comfortable level of brightness. When used to diffuse light, ambient lighting can create an illusion of higher ceilings and broader walls, enhancing patrons' visibility and ease of movement.

Task lighting offers concentrated illumination for specific activities. Whether in the kitchen for cooking, at the cash register for handling transactions, or at tables for reading menus, task lighting ensures sufficient brightness where needed and for wayfinding through the restaurant or bar.

Accent lighting strategically directs attention to particular areas or features within the restaurant. It may accentuate architectural elements and artwork or highlight points of interest, such as menu boards. Some establishments opt for colorful lighting behind the bar or along walls to infuse personality and style. Accent lighting is crucial in crafting the restaurant's unique ambiance and visual identity.

Lighting for restaurants varies depending on the type of dining. For instance, a breakfast restaurant or cafe would use brighter lighting to help customers wake up and take on the day. Family-friendly restaurants often also use brighter light. However, a dinner restaurant geared towards adults will likely incorporate dimmer lighting to create a more intimate and romantic atmosphere.

It is common to see recessed lighting, track lighting, or downlights for ambient lighting in restaurants to illuminate paths between tables. Accent lighting, such as wall sconces, can be layered and positioned to brighten the table areas so that customers can read menus and food can be presented appropriately. Color Rendering Index (CRI) can be important in this setting. You want the color of the food to be accurately represented so it looks appetizing. 

Dimming features are great for the restaurant industry. The lights can be adjusted for the amount of natural light available and the time of the day. It is common for restaurants to dim the lights later in the evening. Decorative lighting fixtures can highlight unique aspects of the bar or restaurant, such as artwork on the wall or architectural features, and draw attention to the bar. LED filament bulbs can also add a vintage touch or warm ambiance. 

For most bars, the ideal lighting tends to lean towards the warmer side of the color temperature scale. A warmer glow, around 2500K, sets the right mood for a vibrant yet inviting bar atmosphere. This lighting fosters a sense of ease, encourages relaxation, and beckons patrons to unwind and enjoy a few more drinks.

Warm color temperatures emit a gentle yellow to amber tint, increasing comfort levels and making food appear more tempting or appetizing. As the color temperature cools down, reaching 4500K and up to 5000K+, the light takes on a cooler, bluish tone. Warmer CCTs provide a cozy and more relaxed atmosphere that adequately fits the bar environment. 

Overhead recessed or track lights can be placed over the bar and then layered with pendant lights that hang lower to the bar's surface. Strip lights can illuminate shelves in the bar's background to attract customers' attention to the beverage selection while also providing decorative lighting.

No wedding or event is ever the same, so venues will need to set up their lighting with multiple layers to fit the needs of each event and client. By incorporating multiple layers of lighting, you provide flexibility for the wedding party or event coordinators to tailor the ambiance to their liking and needs. 

This includes ambient overhead lighting such as recessed lighting, decorative wall sconces, wall-wash, strip lights, string lights, and access to natural light. With this approach, the ideal lighting setup that suits their preferences and requirements can be selected. Check out our blog's more wedding ideas using LED lights here: String Light Wedding Ideas and More.

For a soft, decorative look, LED string lights can be draped across the top of the dance floor or backdrops to create a romantic atmosphere. LED strip lights can line walkways, tables, dance floors, and more. Colors and brightness can be adjusted for the desired effect.

The lighting design around the dining tables during dinner will drastically differ from the lighting on the dance floor, buffet area, cake table, etc. Hence, various lights are necessary for wedding and event venues. Overhead, recessed lighting that can be dimmed may be a good option to provide a nice setting while dining, and it can be dimmed when guests start making their way to the dance floor.

Crafting the perfect ambiance for a wedding venue involves a delicate balance of light and color. Master the art of layered lighting by choosing lighting for your wedding venue that aims for a flattering color temperature that enhances rather than overwhelms. Opting for warmer tones, around 3000-3500K, creates a gentle, romantic atmosphere that complements skin tones and avoids harsh lighting that can feel clinical or dingy. 

Avoid overpowering your space with overly high-lumen outputs. While visibility is essential, softer, more romantic lighting is achieved with lower lumen levels. Strike a balance that illuminates without overwhelming.

Divide the space into sections and plan lighting accordingly. Tailor the lighting to each area's purpose; for example, use overhead lights for dining areas and softer wall sconces for the dance floor. Viewing the venue as distinct sections allows for more precise and customizable lighting solutions.

Ensure your meticulously planned lighting system is easy to control. With multiple controls in place, guests can effortlessly adjust the ambiance to suit different moments throughout the day. User-friendly controls make it accessible for everyone, ensuring a smooth and memorable wedding celebration for all involved.

House light layering throughout the whole performance in a concert venue varies significantly from the beginning when attendees are seated to viewing the concert and then exiting at the end of a show. Many theaters use a variety of lights, from flood lights to spot lights. For patron walkways, strip lights encased within Klus channels are an excellent option for pathway lighting when overhead lighting is dimmed. 

LED fixtures come in various brightness levels measured in lumens. Consider the size of the venue and the intended lighting effects when selecting LED fixtures. High-scale LED fixtures may be needed for larger venues to ensure sufficient illumination.

When seated, overhead lighting is necessary for concertgoers to find their seats easily and settle in before the show. Once a show starts, the lights will typically dim but leave just enough light for wayfinding and pathways in case a patron needs to be able to make their way out of the seating area safely. Several factors should be considered when considering LED lighting for a concert venue to ensure optimal performance and visual impact. Step lights or strip lights in STEKO Klus channels can be used to ensure safe pathfinding during theater performances.

Using various fixtures combined with field selectable or tunable white bulbs, such as wall sconces, theaters can offer a wide range of color options, but the quality of color rendering can vary. Look for LED fixtures with high color rendering index (CRI) values to ensure accurate and vibrant color reproduction, especially for stage lighting, where color accuracy is essential.

Selectable CCT LED downlights can be adjusted to different color temperatures, ranging from warm (e.g., 2700K) to cool (e.g., 6500K) white light. Consider the desired ambiance and mood of the concert when selecting the appropriate color temperature for LED fixtures. Warm white light is often used for intimate or relaxed settings, while cool white light may be preferred for energetic performances.

LED lights allow a venue to mix colors and create dynamic lighting effects. Look for fixtures with RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color mixing capabilities and additional features such as color chasing and pixel mapping. This allows for versatile and creative lighting designs that can adapt to different styles of music and performances.

Known for their energy efficiency and long lifespan, LEDs are a more economical and budget-friendly option for large venues than traditional lighting sources. Choose LED fixtures with high energy efficiency ratings (lumens per watt) to reduce power consumption and operating costs. 

Consider LED fixtures' low environmental impact and sustainability, including recyclability and non-hazardous materials. By considering these factors when selecting and implementing LED lighting in a concert venue, you can create dynamic and visually captivating lighting designs that enhance the concert experience for performers and audiences.

Mastering the art of layering light is essential for creating the perfect ambiance in low-light commercial and retail spaces. By incorporating various types of lighting, including ambient, task, accent, and decorative lighting, businesses can enhance depth, set mood, highlight focal points, and establish comfort for their customers.