As Bristol's best loved shop celebrates their centenary year, Lighting Designs have been supporting them in raising the bar of bespoke retailing in the city. Lighting, as we all know, is an important part of any interior design project and none more so than in retail.The Bristol Guild is a remarkable labyrinthine shop on Park Street, covering four floors and selling many matchless products you just won't find anywhere else. Each room has a theme and as part of Lighting Designs on going relationship with Bristol Guild we focused recently on giving a face lift to the main entrance and the toiletries, toys and jewellery departments. Each with their own theme but with essentially the same consistent objectives:
Brighten up the appearance, bringing out the remarkable colour distinction of each department, whilst at the same time converting to more energy efficient and sustainable products.
In continuation of the work Lighting Designs have previously done, it was important to reach a level of consistency throughout the premises where possible without compromising the distinction between the departments. Carefully selecting products is always important and our suppliers of choice, including Reggiani and Philips, provide the luminaires and lamps for the task.
A Grand Entrance
First impressions are always important. The main entrance was considered too dark and not transparent enough for customers to preview the products from outside.
By installing new track spot lights with metal halide lamps the relevant areas are now brightly lit giving a much more open approach. The lighting now gives a higher colour rendering and is flexible for shop staff to change the areas of focus.
Inside Looking Out
It is one thing getting customers into your shop but as any merchandiser will tell you, making sure your products are displayed to the best of their ability is the next trick.
The sustainable metal halide lamps in the track fittings do just as good a job highlighting the key areas with a crisp, white light.
Taking Each Area On Its Own Merits
For any retailer with as varied a product range as The Bristol Guild, you soon learn that each area needs to be treated separately. What works for one thing may fail in another.
Consistency is still the key however, and while the track lighting brightens up areas well, the halogen downlights compliment the focus on the intrinsic details of smaller products.
Toys Toys Toys!
What child isn't going to be enthralled by walking into a room filled with colour and fun? And that is exactly the atmosphere Bristol Guild have created.
Again, the high colour rendering from the lamps brings out the colour and detail to enhance the magic of this department. The tracks allow for the focus to change depending on the displays and the season.
A Thing Of Beauty
Of course nothing can show you how beautiful an item of jewelry will look when it is being worn. It is convincing someone to try it that is the trick.
The halogen down lights in the jewellery cabinets highlight every intricate detail and sparkle. Providing a 40% energy saving also makes the new Phlilps E-Saver 2 pin reflector an extremely in demand product.
Sparkle and Save
This close up of a jewellery cabinet shows how compromising on energy saving can be a thing of the past.
Philips E-Saver 2pin reflectors work off a low voltage power supply and produce the same light output with a much lower wattage. These 30 watt lamps will give any traditional 50watt a run for their money. They last longer too, keeping maintenance to a minimum.
