Backlighting in retail spaces plays a key role in creating attractive and functional visual experiences. This type of lighting, placed behind elements such as walls, shelves or products, enhances specific areas and contributes to creating a welcoming and sophisticated ambience.
In retail outlets, where first impressions are crucial, the right backlighting captures customers’ attention. It also highlights key products and guides consumers through the space. It is worth noting that the right retail lighting enhances aesthetics and is essential for creating comfortable shopping experiences.
An appropriate configuration of commercial lighting, such as ceiling spotlights or backlighting, invites exploration. At the same time, it enhances product colours and improves user perception. Conversely, poorly lit retail spaces will create discomfort, decreasing the time customers spend in the shop.
In this post we will explore how to implement backlighting effectively. We will also tell you about the benefits it brings to commercial spaces and its impact on shopping behavior.
Portuguese Project Cuf Tejo, Lisbon. Photography: Triggykind Lda
Advantages of backlighting
Backlighting is placed behind objects or surfaces, creating a soft glow that highlights key elements without being intrusive. Here are the main benefits of choosing backlighting for your establishment.
– Creating cosy and attractive atmospheres. Unlike other direct light sources, backlighting distributes light evenly. In this way, it softens shadows and reduces glare. It can also be used to guide customers through the space, highlighting areas of interest or special promotions.
– Excellent shopping experience. The right choice of retail lighting creates a warm atmosphere that invites customers to stay in the shop. In most cases, a great shopping experience translates into increased sales.
– Improved perception of products/services. Well-designed lighting enhances colours and details, and increases the perception of quality and value of goods. Illuminated products tend to appear more attractive and elegant, influencing purchasing decisions. Particularly important is lighting in fashion, technology or food shops, and the visual presentation of the product.
– Energy efficiency. Many backlighting systems use lamps with LED lights or other systems that consume less energy than traditional bulbs. LED lamps ensure greater durability and reduced long-term costs. They also reflect a commitment to sustainability, which is highly valued by consumers today.
In short, backlighting for commercial projects offers multiple benefits, making it an essential solution for shops and businesses looking to optimize their customer experience.
Pharmacie de la Tour, France. Photography: Víctor Antón Balgorri.
How to implement commercial backlighting
The design of retail spaces requires careful planning to achieve an aesthetic and functional effect that enhances products and improves the customer experience. We tell you, step by step, the keys to a successful lighting design.
- Planning the lighting design. First, consider the location and type of products to be highlighted. Backlighting is useful for highlighting shelves, display cases or signs. If the area is small, it is advisable to opt for soft backlighting. For larger commercial areas, it is necessary to use a large backlit panel. Also, take into account ceiling height, aisle layout and product layout.
- Types of backlighting. There are different ways to incorporate backlighting in a retail space. One of the most common is the installation of lights behind decorative walls, backlit mirrors or a backlit panel. It is also very common to find backlit lettering. Another option is backlit shelving, which highlights products directly. Illuminated showcases are ideal for displaying high-end items such as jewelry or technology.
MIM Andorra. Photography: Carlos Garralaga.
- Colours and tones. Warm tones create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. These colours are ideal for clothing shops or restaurants. On the other hand, cool tones – white or a range of blues – are associated with electronics shops. Adapting the colour temperature to the type of product influences the perception of space and goods.
- Practical tips. You can combine backlighting with other light sources, such as general or focal lighting. The balance between direct and indirect lighting helps to create an attractive and functional visual experience.
Backlighting of commercial spaces with Krion®.
Backlighting is a technical quality that allows light to pass through, to a greater or lesser extent. Solid surface Krion® is an innovative and versatile solution for this. The light transmission always depends on the colour and thickness of the workpiece.
Krion® offers the possibility of creating a backlit panel, whether on reception counters, interiors or facades, achieving a contemporary and clean aesthetic. For example, Krion® can be used to screen print the illuminated logo on a counter with the establishment’s or brand’s own colour. In addition, with this material it is possible to customize the colour of the light, achieving a wide variety of lighting effects.
Alembic Resort & Spa. Photography: Claúdio Gonçalves.
Some of the following Krion® collections are perfect for the design of backlit commercial spaces:
- The Light series exudes purity and clarity. With five colours designed to maximize the effects of backlighting, this collection transforms any retail space into a bright and welcoming environment. It is an ideal model for shops that desire a modern, minimalist aesthetic.
- Opale is a tribute to the dynamics of water and light. Its two models, Bianco and Grigio, offer a backlighting that recreates the serene movement of water, ideal for spaces that convey calm and sophistication.
- Luxury imitates the beauty of natural stone with a subtle touch of light, elevating the design of environments. The backlit Nacar, Beige Marfil and Pompei models are perfect for reflecting an exclusive and distinguished image.
- The famous Krion® K-Life 1100 Recycled Content, composed of 5% post-consumer recycled material, is capable of adapting to any design project. It can be applied on washbasin or kitchen countertops, or as indoor or outdoor cladding, generating a warm ambient light.
Other backlit elements
In addition to Krion®, there are other Porcelanosa Group materials, such as natural stones Altissima (XTONE), which are backlit. Thus, within the firm’s catalogue, there are various models, such as Adamantina, Alpinus, Baobab or Pangea that can be backlit, projecting an elegant and avant-garde image.
On the other hand, backlit mirrors (Noken) are an essential decorative element in futuristic and sophisticated commercial projects. In the design of commercial spaces, as far as the bathroom is concerned, mirrors with light achieve a feeling of spaciousness.
Noken backlit mirrors.
Backlighting has become an indispensable component for the facades of the most innovative projects. With Krion®, you can let your imagination run wild, creating exterior designs that are visually attractive and durable over time. In addition to the creative possibilities offered by Porcelanosa Grupo’s solid surface, its highly mineral composition makes it weather-resistant. And its ability to be backlit makes it possible to play with light and shadow to achieve surprising visual effects.
Tertiary Building. Photograph: Mortadela y media.
In this way, façades backlit with Krion® improve the visibility of buildings and add a differential value to the property. This is why Krion® is used in a variety of architectural projects around the world, from shopping centers to luxury hotels.
In short, commercial backlighting transforms both the aesthetics of the venue and the customer experience. By carefully planning location, lighting types and colours, it is possible to create a welcoming ambience and highlight key products. With these elements, retail spaces generate greater interest, improve aesthetics and contribute to increased sales.
