Well-planned exterior signage design draws on light, motion, and colour to create visual impact and attract people to a place of business.
Colour temperature and rendition
The proper choice of colour temperature (CCT) and colour rendition (CRI) is as significant as light levels. Depending on the product offering, mixing CCTs is not a terrible idea. CRI values should differ depending on what is being displayed. CRI specifications for textiles, baked goods, meats, or fresh produce are important, as the right values will enhance how the consumer perceives those products. It is also valuable to note CCT and CRI can have a profound effect on the finishes within the space. Interior designers can be mortified when they think the wrong paint or floor covering was used, only to find out the lighting specifications were skewing the visual perception of the materials.
Designers create hotel and restaurant environments to make guests feel pampered, comfortable, and relaxed. Setting the right mood encourages people to gather, linger, and enjoy a meal, a drink, or other amenities. Brightness needs to be controlled, colour temperatures need to be warm and consistent, and CRI values should be 80 or higher. In conjunction with decorative fixtures, recessed downlights are used in many hospitality spaces, creating elegant and inviting interior landscapes. Lighting truly is an integral part of a successful design and will undoubtedly affect the consumer experience. Well-designed lighting enhances it, and poor lighting can easily detract from it. Most people can recall a time they walked into a room and felt uncomfortable, but could not really put their finger on why. Often, the culprit is the lights. A good atmosphere is almost always ruined by bad lighting.
While these best practices relate to lighting and its influence on how people act in different indoor environments, it is equally important to consider how the consumer’s mindset is shaped by lighting and signage on the building exterior.
Outdoor signage and facade lighting
As mentioned previously, people are drawn to light, motion, and colour. Well-planned exterior signage and lighting design draws on these elements to create visual impact and attract people to a place of business.
From an image perspective, a poorly illuminated sign or a dark and dreary building facade does nothing to inspire consumer confidence. When it feels as if the business owner does not care enough to invest in quality products for their own space, people are less tempted to shop in that store, stay at that hotel, or eat in that restaurant.
Planning exterior signage and other visual branding elements is a complex task. Integrating the building’s architectural features is central to superior design. The positioning and sizing of lettering or logos is critical, and the proper mix of colour and light is essential.
