I always tell my retail clients that color is free and it is one of the most important identifiers for a brand. Until now however color was static, retailers would print a poster, or hang a sign and that color became permanent. Now however with the advent of LED lighting the concept of color is changing.
In the C.Wonder storefront above the entry surround utilizes backlit acrylic panels with a filigree pattern that is silhouetted against the ever-changing spectrum of color. This concept works for C.Wonder that fashions itself as a lifestyle purveyor of fashion with an eclectic interior design, and uses strong green and purple colors in the store as accents.
But, back to the color is free thought, it’s the medium of how the color is conveyed that costs money, whether a poster, sign or LCD screen. So how one uses these elements, and leverages their inherent branding capabilities will determine its success. LED’s are certainly more expensive than conventional lighting, but they are energy-efficient, small and therefore extremely flexible leading to a plethora fun and dynamic retail applications. In today’s Wall Street Journal, and article on How LEDs are Changing Design highlights some amazing applications from lighting to sculpture.
Bottom Line: Owners and facility operators like LED lighting for its energy savings and low maintenance. Designers are learning how to exploit the medium for full effect so we can look forward to more polychromatic displays of full spectrum and ever-changing color to be coming to a store near you soon.
Design & the Bottom Line 