Our top tips on restaurant lighting...
A third (29 per cent) of British people have admitted walking out of a restaurant because of bad lighting, according to an Npower survey [Source: Big Hospitality]
The Npower survey went on to state that 17% of the 1500 interviewed said that the room was too bright, with 12% saying it was too dark. This shows that light has a significant effect on the dining experience and consequently footfall and bottom line profits.
There are a number of research papers citing that diners often leave their venues earlier than planned because it was too brightly lit, and not in line with the ambience they were seeking. That probably equates to a lot of lost orders for deserts and coffees!
Here are our guidelines on successful restaurant lighting:
Plan well
Lighting is as integral to design as the seating and style of your establishment. If you don’t think ahead and have a good idea of what you want for your layout you risk not being able to add it in at the right time. Imagine not having the correct infrastructure in place to position lighting where it is most needed simply because the walls and ceiling are freshly plastered and decorated! By having a clear plan and ensuring you have enough plug sockets and cables in the right places you are allowing yourself maximum flexibility.
Understand what your lighting should achieve
When you’re planning your space, consider its proportions and the effect you want to achieve. As a rule, a daytime café is more brightly lit than an intimate evening dining experience. What do you want to achieve? Who are your diners? What do they expect?
Use light for the user experience
Light is used for three main tasks – ambient, accent and special effects. Lighting ambience is set by the general level of lighting. You might need different levels depending on the area of the restaurant – for example, the bar area needs to be bright enough to be safe and functional as well as fit in with the overall design. Accent lighting can be identified by sharper areas of focus such as stairways, restroom signage, bar optics, alcoves, architectural features or highlighting entrance and exit doors. Decorative lighting may be employed as part of your design, to enhance your brand or introduce strong bursts of colour. You can use dynamic light with movement or bursts but be careful to keep it to a minimum or it stops being inventive and just plain annoying. This is the part of your lighting that represents the lowest percentage in terms of coverage but probably needs the most attention in terms of restraint.
Test it out
Once you think you have it right, try a simple test with a few willing volunteers. Only ask those who will speak their minds as well, not just those who want to encourage you unreservedly! Ask them what they see first when they enter. See if they can navigate their way round successfully. Was anything hard to find? Then, the ultimate test is sitting down to dine with you. We know of many diners who haven’t been able to sit comfortably under low pendant lights that cast an unwelcome cold light on their face and catch their eye too much to be anything less than the Spanish Inquisition! Adjust and trial different lighting options until you are confident that the lighting is doing its job.
Ask your guinea pigs to assess the level of lighting on what they are being served – can they tell what it is very clearly? Does it engage them or put them off? Can they read the menu clearly? Can they see when making a payment?
Pick your colours
We would recommend experimenting with different white tones for the general ambient lighting, anywhere along the spectrum from cool blue white tones to glowing, warm yellows. We have other articles in our library on the selection process and what might influence your choice (“How white are your whites”). After that, chose your highlight colours to contrast and maybe add any specific brand or accent colours in a carefully applied way. In terms of coloured lighting, less is always more.
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