Paint Store Lighting

When considering the lighting options for any location, it is important to consider the actual location first rather than choosing lighting solutions with a one size fits all mentality. For instance, a paint store will have very different lighting needs compared to other retail locations. A paint store sells paint and other tools needed for this task, but is essentially selling color to the shopper. With this in mind, here are a few tips for choosing the best lighting for a paint store.

1. Pay attention to color rendering index

The first step in finding the right solution for this unique location is to look at the color rendering of the proposed lamp type. Color rendering is how well the light can pick up and showcase colors. If you have a poor color rendering index in your fixtures, you will end up with colors being washed out and your shoppers won’t be able to pick up on the differences of relatively similar hues. A good rule of thumb is to opt for a color rendering index of 90 or higher for the best results in this area.

2. Pay attention to color temperature

The other matter related to showcasing paint colors is looking at color temperature. Color temperature is how white or yellow the light output looks to the naked eye. A yellow or warmer color temperature will make the color looked washed out or dingy whereas a color temperature too cool or white will create a blue tinge to the paint colors. Try to stay in the middle ground of the color temperature scale, around a 4000-4500k, to avoid negative impacts related to customers being able to clearly see the color without added influences from the lighting.

3. Avoid shadows

Shadows can be a problem for any location, but paint store lighting needs to make sure lighting is shadow-free for some obvious reasons. For instance, shadows can make it harder to see the paint samples. It can also make it harder for the eyes to adjust to the illumination if the shadows are too stark. It also creates a less than professional appearance that might be off-putting for shoppers. A great way to avoid shadows is to choose fixtures that offer mostly downlight as opposed to a mix of uplight and downlight.

4. Use LED fixtures

When looking for a solution that meets all of the above suggestions, LED solutions are the best bet. LED technology offers the best quality of light output in a range of color rendering capabilities and color temperatures while creating minimal shadows in the process of illumination.