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)
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