Potential Coffee Shop Lighting Effect #5: Nap/Relaxation Area

The program for our "coffee shop" includes a required nap/relaxation area. Originally I was somewhat put off by this requirement (I mean who orders an espresso and then decides to go take a nap?... actually I probably could thanks how sleep deprived school leaves me), but after seeing the lighting scheme in this Brazilian lounge, I am understanding just how significantly light can affect, alter, and improve a space.

The images are of Club Nox in Recife, Brazil, described on http://architecture.gapuak.net/2009/05/08/ as:

"A box of 'corten' steel wraps a prism of glass that lights itself at night in different colors, almost as if it was letting escape some of the light that glows inside. . . In the glass prism, edges, plain, smooth and transperent surfaces that changes [sic] by the color of the light."

And of the lounge, specifically, which is pictured below: 

"Going upstairs you will abandon this almost virtual universe and return to reality, but in a softer way, almost Zen. The lounge terrace is a white, clean space with sofas, 'tamates," wood and a lot of greenery. Embraced by the glass prism that also illuminates with its color to light inside, the lounge is a resting area, a lace to chat and eat, with softer music that slowly brings people to the real world."

I love the soft lighting in this space. Despite using colors like purple and orange, the lighting is still subtle and soothing. The juxtaposition of the gauzy curtains to the left and slick glass wall on the right is emphasized by the light as it is absorbed on one side and reflected off the other. The track lighting above the glass wall is recessed and unobtrusive. Light spilling out from beneath the sofas helps keep the space balanced as its glow mimics the brighter, glossy side of the room.

Originally I envisioned my coffee shop's napping room to be completely dark. But after seeing these images, I want to light the space in a tranquil and soothing way. I think including lights in the space is essential, as this is a public place for short naps and relaxation - I do not want patrons saddling up for an 8-hour snooze at my coffee shop!

Potential Coffee Shop Lighting Effect #4: Layered Lighting, Cool Lounge

I stumbled across the following image on www.archdaly.com and really love the lighting featured throughout the space. Light from recessed ceiling cans and concealed tracks outlining the walls bounce off glossy surfaces and are simultaneously diffused through layers of material. 

The light put off by the lamps is bright without being overwhelming. Its intensity is subdued as it spills down the walls and through the translucent partition in the background. I love how the smaller recessed lights above the partition reflect off of its surface - the light increases the opacity of the material and adds some privacy to that separate space.

(image above from www.archdaly.com).

The glossy black ceiling allows the lighting to really pop and be seen. The amount of light throughout the space keeps the black ceiling from feeling heavy or ominous.

I think this lighting scheme could work quite well in the pool lounge and dining area on the first floor of my coffee shop. The ambiance is cool and relaxed but still vibrant and interesting. The light is warm but not overly cozy, and I expect the first floor of my coffee shop to be much busier and more bustling as the others as folks come and go, play pool, and catch up with friends over coffee and food. I could see this particular scheme in the dining area with the pool table and high top tables and barstools.

Potential Coffee Shop Lighting Effect #3: Mix & Match, Get Sparkle

While the photograph below depicts lighting in a residential setting, I think I could take a few hints from it when making design decisions for my coffee shop. I like the combination of natural and electric lighting. The skylight creates a pop of visual interest on the ceiling and provides a significant amount of crisp, clean daylight. I like the combination of different lighting fixtures throughout the space. While they vary in height, size, and location, they're comparable in color and intensity. 

(image from www.cococozy.com)

I think these different fixtures are still cohesive and all work together. They add pops of sparkle throughout the space without being overwhelming. The all-white room could have been boring and bland, but the added light really adds appealing texture. The fixtures above the built-ins highlight things displayed on the shelves in a relatively casual and relaxed way while other objects are more shaded, yet still easily seen thanks to the space's ambient lighting. Nothing seems forced - I like the sense of effortlessness. 

I am especially attracted to the differing sizes and shapes and plan on selecting varying fixtures for my shop.

Potential Coffee Shop Lighting Effect #2: Concealed Lighting

I've recently become attracted to the idea of concealed lighting. Specifically when it is used to highlight the architectural elements of a space. I think it was during our lighting tour of the VMFA that my interest in concealed lighting was piqued, and now am thinking about using the technique in several of my design projects, including our behemoth coffee shop.

A dropped ceiling panel with light spilling out from above it, or a built-out wall with lighting flooding through its relief, are both neat ways to highlight the architecture of a space. I think this technique (which is just as much an architectural decision as it is a lighting choice) can really add an element of visual interest to a room without cluttering it with stuff.

I can see this idea of concealed lighting working well in several spaces in my coffee shop, such as in the quiet study areas and even the restrooms. Most of the images I've gathered above utilize a really warm, diffused light that would be quite successful in a coffee shop setting. I think the colors and materials of the pictured spaces have a lot to do with maintaining that warmth:

(image from www.beinteriordecorator.com)

Wouldn't it be cool if the coffee bar was lit from below like this casework? The light makes the case look like its floating and also highlights the beautiful woodgrain of the flooring:

(image from www.civilprojectsonline.com)

And keeping the ambient light in this bathroom relatively minimal allows the lighting under the cabinets and counter to really take center stage here. I think this contemporary lighting scheme would jive well with VCU students, who would theoretically comprise the majority of my coffee shop's customer base:

((image from www.civilprojectsonline.com)

I much prefer the warmer tones of the concealed lighting in the pictures above to the cool, stark white in the image below. While such light would definitely keep sleepy students alert while sipping their coffee and cramming for tests, I am hoping to create a more comfortable environment, achieved through warmer, more diffused lighting. I have simply included the image below to showcase how concealed lights can highlight both the ceiling and walls of a space:

(image from www.dezeen.com)

Potential Coffee Shop Lighting Effect #1: Task Lighting

My lighting professor recently gave us an assignment that overlaps and complements a project we're working on for another class. We have been designing "coffee shops" (and I use that term very loosely as these "shops" are behemoth 3-story structures that include ping pong and pool tables, napping quarters, and roof-top decks), and were instructed to look for interior lighting effects that could be incorporated into our design.

The photograph below comes from an interior design blog a peruse occasionally, www.cococozy.com, and while I am not in love with the red coral chandelier above the breakfast nook table, I do like the effect produced by the various lights in this space.

(image above from http://www.cococozy.com/)

The recessed cans in the ceiling provide a good amount of ambient light, while the different pendants (chrome versus coral) break up the room into its different functions (food preparation versus dining) while still maintaining a sense of cohesion. I could see this scheme working well in my coffee shop - specifically in the coffee bar and dining areas. The light from the pendants is directional and could guide coffee shop patrons from space to space. They also add pops of sparkle to the space. The recessed cans are unobtrusive and practical.

I love the light and airy feel of the kitchen in the picture and would like to achieve that same lightness in my coffee shop. I think this could keep patrons alert while still maintaining a comfy and quiet atmosphere. If I can architecturally break up the spaces in my coffee shop successfully, I believe I can incorporate pockets of calm airiness like what is pictured above in the quiet dining spaces.

Retail Lighting: Carytown's Eurotrash

I love shopping in Richmond's Carytown district. This "mile of style" boasts hundreds of locally owned shops, boutiques, restaurants, and specialty stores (Carytown website). One of my favorite boutiques in Carytown is Eurotrash, which offers European styles and unique clothing lines to Richmond shoppers. 

On a recent trip to Eurotrash, I spent quite a deal of time in the store, both perusing the boutique's latest arrival of fall fashions, as well as taking note of the space's unique lighting design solutions. The friendly staff was more than happy to allow me to snap some pictures of the space.

Because Eurotrash's large storefront window (its only accessible fenestration) is North-facing, the boutique never receives direct sunlight. Instead, it receives consistent, diffused daylight throughout the day, which is supplemented by several types of artificial light sources.

Track lighting just above the front window's display area provides additional illumination of the merchandise. Its reflection in the window also adds visual interest to the display, drawing shoppers into the store from the sidewalk:

You can see from this picture of the store's rear display and dressing areas that Eurotrash features no recessed lighting. Instead, a circular track system, frosted glass medallion fixtures, and chandeliers above the dressing rooms (blocked in the view below) provide ample light and visual interest throughout the space. Additionally, the use of white paint (ceiling and walls) and reflective surfaces further bounce light throughout the store.

2 large mirrors (like the one pictured below) serve double duty as they both allow shoppers to admire themselves in the store's clothing as well as reflect light coming in from the storefront window throughout the rest of the space.

The lighting is fun, contemporary, and well balanced. I love how the chandeliers have been hung so they can just be seen above the dressing rooms' low walls:

In this close-up of a chandelier above the dressing rooms, you can tell the light put off by the lamps (bulbs) is quite soft and diffused. This helps eliminate harsh shadows that can be unflattering when trying on clothing:

Same can be said for the frosted glass medallion sconces. Diffused light is the name of the game at Eurotrash. The designer of the space clearly took into consideration what kind of light is needed to make shoppers look good and more likely to purchase merchandise!

Another shot of the track lighting systems, storefront window, and large mirrors reflecting light around the room:

I have always admired the layout of Eurotrash's store and how bright, clean, and airy the space feels. I now understand that the store's lighting solutions play a large role in why I feel that way, and why I end up spending so much money there!

My Hideous Kitchen Lighting

I live in a darling apartment in Richmond's historic Fan District. Two of my favorite things about my place are the large windows and high ceilings in every room. Windows on the building's East and West facades receive the most sunlight throughout the day, as my apartment is situated closely between two other buildings on its North and South sides. Unfortunately my bedroom windows look out to the brick wall of the condos next door, but that's okay since I'm only at home to sleep (thanks for that, grad school).

The picture below was taken in my kitchen around 1:30 pm on a day in mid-September. Daylight is flooding the space and no electrical lights are needed (you'll see why this is a good thing in a moment). The window in the background is East-facing. You can see the empty planter on the sil beneath the North-facing window in the foreground. We've attempted to grow herbs in it several times, but the building next door blocks the direct sunlight needed to keep our basil and parsley plants alive :(

See how lovely it is during the day? Bright and cheery:

And here, dear friends, is what I consider the most beautiful (read: horrific) light fixture on the planet: our large, finicky, and hideously ugly fluorescent overhead light. The plastic lattice-work, the yellow-tinged light cover, the shape, the sickening glow it casts throughout the kitchen - it's all bad. Bad bad bad. Plus, you can never count on it actually turning on, which we've complained about to our property management company several times. But of course, whenever someone is sent over to inspect it, the work turns on flawlessly. 

This is what said hideous light looks like turned on during the day. My kitchen walls go from off-white to straight up yellow:

We have under-cabinet task lighting that puts off a ton of light. This is really quite helpful at night, when the hideous overhead fixture simply casts its yucky yellow glow instead of actually illuminating the kitchen.

Most of our food preparation happens here. I seldom need to turn the under-cabinet light on during daytime hours:

And here is the hideous light in all its glory. This shot was taken at approximately 9:30 pm.

Thankfully, this incandescent pendant light puts off a crisper, more even light. Notice how the walls around the pendant actually look white - this leads me to believe that the Color Rendering Index of the lamps (or light bulbs to the layman) is higher than that of the fluorescent tubes in the yucky yellow light.

When I eventually buy a place of my own, I know that, after my experience in this kitchen, I will absolutely have an invested interest in the lighting of my kitchen!