Opinion


kbb Birmingham 2018 Show Special


How to… design lighting plans that work


Gary Wilson, sales director of Sycamore Lighting, advises how retailers can profit from designing functional lighting schemes


W


hen offering clients the best advice and price for a new kitchen, bedroom or bathroom installation, the lighting element of the project


can often get overlooked by the retailer or designer, and passed on to the electrician. However, this is slowly changing, with retailers and designers now recognising the additional benefits that a good lighting scheme can bring to any kitchen, bedroom or bathroom project.


The most important consideration when designing lighting schemes is to listen to the client and establish what they need the lighting to do within any given space. To determine their requirements, questions should be asked about the colour scheme, furniture choices, lifestyle, the amount of natural light available in each area, and finally the expectation of the aesthetic from the lighting scheme.


In the past, lighting fitted to furniture was an afterthought, and purely based around functionality, with an accidental element of design flair attached to it. Now, with consumer knowedge and demand growing, it has got to be part of the initial thought process when planning a new kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Once the initial planning has been agreed, then the next stage, from a lighting point of view, is to determine


the colour of the lighting required. Colour temperatures range from warm white right through to cool white, with a natural setting in between the two. The best way to determine the desired colour is to offer the client working samples of lighting, and show the variations in conjunction with door colours, worktop finishes, and handles. Generally, warm white tends to suit a more traditional environment, cool white complements a modern, high-gloss-style kitchen, and natural white is well suited to any application. Showing examples of all these colour options allows the client to choose what they feel will best suit their application. Colour-adjustable products are also now available, which allow users to switch between all of these colours to create whatever look they desire.


Positioning


When the colour choices have been made, then it’s a question of how best to use the lighting within the project. There are many different areas within the kitchen that can be illuminated and a variety of solutions to suit each one. Ceiling and under-cabinet lighting are the two most obvious choices, however, there are many other options available to add a stunning effect to any kitchen.


LED strips can be added to plinths, under worktops, around kitchen islands or above cabinets. It is also ideal inside larders or cabinets controlled via an infra- red switch that turns the light on or off when the door is opened or closed. This can also be achieved using a remote control, or a complete lighting control system, for different scenarios. Colour-tunable, switching between all the colour temperatures using one fitting is a growing trend, along with Bluetooth and wi-fi smart technology. Alternatively, integrated lighting panels could be installed within cabinets with glass doors, with matching lit upstands to illuminate worktops. Another popular option is to complete the look by installing pendant lights above island units. There are also many different under-cabinet lights,


96 kbbreview kbb Birmingham Special Edition March 2018


In the past, lighting fitted to furniture was an afterthought, and purely based around functionality, with an accidental element of design flair attached to it


plinth lights, illuminated shelving units or over-cabinet lights to choose from. So sitting down with the client in the initial stages of the design is important, to show them what can be achieved. This is also the stage at which consultation with a lighting expert should be sought, and a kitchen plan supplied to the lighting designers, if required, to make the most of the available space. Information on layouts, wiring, switching and smart


controls can be factored into the final project design, along with budget information.


The lighting element of any project should be considered at the beginning of the sales process and, as lighting technology is moving fast, to keep abreast with developments it’s advisable to refer to a specialist lighting company for advice. And don’t forget that bringing any kitchen bedroom or bathroom project to life with a good, well thought-out lighting scheme also brings with it additional revenue for the retailer.


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