An experience enhanced by restaurant lighting

LUX Solutions d'ÉclairageCommercial/Institutional
Lighting restaurant

The importance of restaurant lighting

The importance of lighting is often underestimated or even forgotten when designing restaurants. Like many other design factors and elements, lighting has many benefits and can be as essential as food and service in a restaurant. Not only does a great restaurant lighting help create an atmosphere and represent the restaurant and its image, but it also influences guest behavior. This can lead to increased sales and productivity, as well as create differentiation of the space and ensure safety for all.

Psychology and lighting in restaurants

Lighting is intrinsically connected to psychology, as it influences not only the mood of individuals, but also their experience. Indeed, proper lighting not only brings positive emotions, but it truly creates an atmosphere.

The ambiance and atmosphere of a restaurant are all as important as the services offered there and allow customers to magnify their experience. A restaurant meal should appeal to several senses at once, which makes lighting a significant element, as it obviously, greatly aids the sense of sight. Lighting will whet guests’ appetites, making the food and drinks enticing.

 

A guest’s dwell time will also be greatly influenced by the lighting, which can be perceived as both relaxing and welcoming, or cold and inhospitable. So depending on the type of restaurant, the lighting will be very different. An upscale establishment will certainly lean towards warm lighting that will make the clientele comfortable, while a fast food restaurant will favor cooler lighting that will not invite them to stay for hours. Regardless of the type of food or service, it is undeniable that lighting has an influence on the behavior of a restaurant’s clientele. In fast food, for example, brighter light will tend to encourage people to eat more than they should.

On the contrary, in an upscale restaurant, lighting creates a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, which makes customers want to stay longer and increases the chances that they will add items to their bill. Additionally, with lighting, restaurants help guests see a more attractive and charming version of themselves. With appropriately dispersed lighting elements and subtle lighting, restaurants make people feel more attractive. Lighting from candles on the table also seems to enhance people’s physical characteristics.

The benefits of good lighting in a restaurant

As mentioned earlier, restaurant lighting, like other types of businesses for that matter, can create an increase in sales. In fact, the better the ambiance achieved with lighting, the more guests will want to stay. They will want to enjoy the evening and the meal longer, which is likely to result in additions to their order, such as an extra glass of wine, dessert or more.

Lighting also plays a very important role, helping to make the food and drinks more appetizing, and therefore more tempting. To accentuate this effect, lighting must be strategically placed. The lighting must be thought according to two aspects: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative aspect will allow for sufficient lighting to allow for good vision, while the qualitative aspect will highlight the food, beverages, decor and more. This explains, among other things, why the bar section is often put forward with more light or why the tables each have their own individual lighting.

Modern restaurant lighting including pendant lights

Sales are not the only thing that proper lighting can increase in a restaurant. It also increases productivity in the kitchen. Good lighting, strong and uniform without being blinding and without causing a disturbance to the dining room, can pay off in a big way. Preparing high quality food with poor and inadequate lighting can be a real headache. Lighting is indeed very important in the kitchen, both for the safety of employees and for the optimization of processes and preparation. Moreover, lighting in the kitchen must meet several conditions for maximum safety. In fact, the lighting fixtures must normally be impervious to steam, smoke, dust and splashes. They should even be waterproof and resistant to shocks and breakage, as lighting regulations in the hotel and restaurant industry stipulate that no broken glass should come into contact with food and employees.

Open hotel restaurant's lit by chandeliers

In the different areas of the restaurant, lighting also creates a real differentiation of the space. It is certain that the lighting must always keep a utilitarian aspect, in order to allow the different activities to take place well. Restaurants inevitably have several areas, such as the reception, the dining room, the bar, the kitchen, etc. All of these areas must have lighting. All these areas must have their respective lighting and the needs of each area are completely different, depending on the activities that are practiced and the atmosphere that is desired. The reception area should be sufficiently lit, to allow guests to consult the menu if they wish, as well as to see their hosts and more, but not too much either, to remain pleasant. Tables further away in the dining room can afford to be less lit, to create a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere, for example.

Many food service establishments also have fairly small areas, but differentiating areas with lighting can help to significantly expand the area, visually. Finally, lighting helps to ensure the safety and security of employees and guests, which is absolutely paramount. Lighting will help direct people to safe exits in the event of an emergency, as well as help prevent accidents and injuries to staff, both in the kitchen and on the floor.

LUX Lighting Solutions have the expertise and the products to optimise the lighting of your restaurants. Contact us to get started!

Modern commercial entry with acoustic luminaire

In an effort to improve collaboration and creativity, companies are increasingly offering their employees open and modern offices. Although this type of design greatly favors teamwork, it also brings its share of disadvantages. Indeed, the fact that the workers all share the same space exposes them to a large amount of ambient noise. According to several studies, an employee could be up to 66% less productive when exposed to a single conversation between two colleagues. That’s why acoustic lighting is indispensable.

Companies benefit from keeping this style of office, as it is very positive for team dynamics. On the other hand, they also have a lot to gain by offering a healthy work environment to their employees. The solution? Acoustic lighting!

How does it work?

In order to fully understand how acoustic lighting works, it’s important to first understand how sound propagates. When a sound is emitted, it creates energy vibrations that travel through the air in the shape of waves. Depending on the type of surface these waves hit, the sound will either continue or stop propagating.  

When these waves come into contact with a hard surface, they bounce off in another direction, whereas a soft surface has the ability to absorb them so as to stop their propagation. The material used to manufacture an acoustic luminaire is usually felt. This one being rather soft, the felt has the capacity to retain the sound waves rather than to redirect them.

acoustic lighting composite

It is not only the materials that will have an impact on the efficiency of the luminaire. Indeed, the density and dimensions will also have their role to play. The density of the acoustic material is important for the absorption of low frequency sounds caused, for example, by the office ventilation system. For higher frequency sounds such as ringing, the density does not need to be so great. Secondly, the size of the luminaire should also be taken into consideration, as the larger it is, the more sound waves it will be exposed to.

Are there only acoustic luminaires?

Acoustic luminaires are probably the most popular products for this type of lighting. However, with LED technology, there are actually several other options for integrating acoustic lighting into your decor. First, it’ s possible to use LED strips to create indirect lighting on the back of an acoustic panel for an original and utilitarian decoration.

Then, acoustic panels made of felt can also be used to create suspended lights designed on the horizontal to incorporate, directly in the panel, LED lighting, to create a unique atmosphere to your office. 

The importance of acoustic lighting in an office

The atmosphere is one of the most important elements when designing an open office. It must be dynamic, comfortable and inspiring. In order to achieve this, the lighting must be of high quality and well distributed throughout the room. Even if the design and decoration of your office is great, too much ambient noise can greatly affect the atmosphere obtained, as it can alter the feeling of comfort of the employees who work there.

Open offices with computer and workers meeting

Create an open and creative space for your workers with custom acoustic lighting! By daring, it is possible to have acoustic lighting fixtures that will be the star of your decoration.  

At LUX, we specialize in designing custom acoustic lighting solutions to suit your needs. Do you have an office lighting project? Contact us to find out how we can help you make it shine!

Luminaire suspendu de salon avec éclairage LED indirect

The ceiling is present in every room and yet so often forgotten. Did you know that with a goog ceiling lighting, it is possible to showcase it and transform it into a decorative element?

Cathedral ceiling with suspended light fixture

How do you do it? Here are several tips and tricks to sublimate the ceiling.

Pointing the light upwards

First of all, by directing the light upwards, towards the ceiling, it will certainly be more visible and give an original aspect to the room. Indirect lighting is ideal to achieve this goal, whether in the form of LED strips or wall sconces. It is also possible to install suspensions that light upwards instead of downwards, or even both at the same time.

Indirect LED ceiling lighting in office

Illuminating a low ceiling

Second, upward-facing lighting can be used to enlarge a room with a low ceiling. Indeed, in some forms, lighting will make a room brighter, but it will also make it look much more spacious! Floor standing lamps are perfect in such a room because they avoid overloading the already oppressive low ceiling. Otherwise, wall lights and indirect lighting are always welcome.

Living room lit with a pendant light and LED recessed spots.

Suspension for a cathedral ceiling lighting

Thirdly, if you are lucky enough to have a high ceiling or a cathedral ceiling, suspension fixtures are the perfect choice! With all this space, we can afford oversized suspensions, which will be the stars of the room. They will indeed occupy the space, while conferring a warm atmosphere and an original style. Do not hesitate to hang them low, so that they are a real eye-catcher.

Very high ceiling illuminated by a large light fixture

The LUX team can design custom lighting solutions for you that will make your ceilings look majestic. We also have many products that are perfect for all your lighting projects, such as wall sconces, LED strips, recessed lighting, fixtures and more.

Contact us today or make an appointment now on our new online appointment scheduling platform!

Bureau de travail avec une lampe et une plante

Office design is changing a lot, and while the emphasis used to be more on productivity, the emphasis is now on atmosphere, originality and vibrant colors. A great office lighting is necessary to create a great workspace!

What kind of atmosphere do you want your offices to have?

Several new trends are emerging in 2021 for the design and decoration of offices and lighting is obviously part of the game!

Modern and colorful office

First of all, the orientation and layout of the space are revisited. Offices are no longer just a place to work and must be able to accommodate a more relaxed atmosphere as well.

Modern office with large windows and plants

Pleasant materials such as wood, velvet and felt will give a certain warmth to the décor and make employees feel calmer and more confident.

Open and modern workspace with plants and several windows

Plants can also be a great addition to office decor and atmosphere! Also, the use of color temperature lighting that is warm rather than cold will create a more relaxed atmosphere.

office with plants

Consider LED for a modern office lighting

Secondly, you can let yourself go with fashion and style and dare to incorporate unusual elements into the office decor.

Conference room with decorative recessed lighting

For example, huge designer chandeliers, sofas with famous designs, backlights or recessed LED strips with amazing designs, emblematic decorative elementsand etc, are more than welcome. The goal is to capture people’s attention and stimulate them.

Shelf with LED strip lighting

We then rely on original and interesting colors, patterns, textiles and objects! In 2021, offices can stop being mundane and can finally take on a personal character.

Blue office with visual art

A modern office is more than a workspace

Did you know that fashionable and personal touches in their offices greatly increase employee productivity, while giving them more confidence and strength!

Office with Cactus

Thirdly, spaces dedicated to team building, relaxation and play are becoming more and more popular, and in 2021 will even become one of the arguments used by companies to attract and recruit new talent.

Modern workspace with chairs and pendant lights

From relaxation areas with hammocks to reading corners and various playrooms, lighting is essential! These areas require subdued lighting to create a comfortable atmosphere. Several types of lighting are suitable for this purpose, such as recessed, wall or pendant luminaires.

Green Office lighting made of pendant and table lights

LED, to reduce the ecological footprint of your office lighting

Finally, environmental friendliness is at the top of the new trends and brings decorations with natural colors and materials. A feeling of comfort often results from the choice of such a decor. The addition of vegetation will make the space infinitely more welcoming and lively, in addition to allowing employees to rest their eyes more.

Rest area of an office with hanging plants and cushions

In addition, the use of ecological or eco-efficient technologies such as LED products is a must! Wall sconces, LED strips, recessed, ceiling lights and LED suspensions are indeed the best lighting products to follow the trend of respecting the environment, given their low energy consumption and their considerable lifespan.

Open collaborative office with colorful chairs

LUX has completed several office and workspace lighting projects over the years and has what it takes to help you with your projects! Contact us now, make an appointment online on our new platform or visit our website for more inspiration or to store!

Meeting room
Escalier avec des marches lumineuses

Get creative with your staircase lighting

Staircase lighting must definitely be effective, but why can’t it also be creative?

Indirect lighting in a staircase

Safety, utility and modern lighting with LED

There are many interesting ways to light a staircase, and these can even be combined for an even more sensational result.

Stairs illuminated with wall lights.

Thanks to its efficiency and versatility, LED lighting is perfect for this type of project. It offers undeniable advantages, such as a long life, low energy consumption, variation and color change options, among others.

Stairs with a lighted ramp

In a staircase, it will be both practical and give a modern style, whether in the form of wall, ceiling or floor recessed LEDs, LED strip light, LED suspended, wall or ceiling lights. Staircase lighting can even be artistic and eye-catching!

Huge ceiling light overhanging a circular staircase

Spotlight on steps and ramps

It is indeed possible to create wall lighting points, geometric lighting on walls and even a rain or a cascade of light. Recessed or indirect lighting also offers exciting alternatives! You can for example illuminate risers, steps and railings.

Recessed wall lighting for a staircase

There are 1001 ways to light a staircase. Contact the LUX Team or make an appointment now for plans and customized lighting solutions!

Pictures credit: Pinterest