Good retail design must attract and keep customers, support a brand or store image, showcase the product and work as a functional shopping environment. This book features 44 of the best recent examples ...
LEDs illuminate new design options across all product categories.
By Megan Krause
The hospitality lighting sector is making great strides in technology and design, which is partly due to new regulations. As a result, product designers are using LEDs to add dimension and drama to products.
One such product, which was born out of collaboration between Royal Philips Electronics and Kvadrat Soft Cells, offers LED-embedded wall panels.
Well-lit products are showing up in other categories, as well. For example, Groundplans is showing LED-embedded carpet (which you can see at Boutique Design New York Booth #2822), Neo-Metro produces a lighted resin-top sink and Vondom has launched a glow-in-the-dark line of chairs, tables and stools.
Of course, there are also options for designers who would rather add light features on their own terms, like InvisiLED Outdoor tape from WAC lighting. The product, which can be used as outdoor accent lighting, comes in a five-color system or in a color-changing palette.
Illuminated products won’t be the “it” thing forever, but it’s interesting to consider how technology can push designers to rethink fundamental elements. This just goes to show that there’s value in getting back to the basics.
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