As the year-end approaches, it’s time to reflect on the dynamic landscape of lighting trends that dominate commercial spaces throughout the year. In 2023, thoughtful lighting design that incorporates layered lighting focusing on the efficiency and productivity of occupants has given rise to innovative lighting solutions. Ambient lighting remains one of the key focuses, which is made easier to incorporate in any commercial and hospitality space with the popularity of flexible and adaptable designs. Besides, enhancing functionality while keeping the overall aesthetics is the goal. That’s why smart lighting control systems like Casambi and DALI come into play and have been well adopted by lighting designers. Let’s shed light on those noteworthy trends that have not only shaped the physical surroundings but have also set the stage for an enlightened and dynamic future in commercial lighting.
Layered Lighting
Many lighting experts anticipated the increasing use of layered lighting within interior spaces throughout 2023 due to its benefits of enhancing functionality for daily activities and setting different ambiences. As it turned out, this concept has been particularly prominent in workplaces and other commercial spaces where different areas with specific functions can benefit from tailored illumination.
Layered lighting involves using three lighting layers to provide illumination to a space. Those three layers include ambient, task and accent lighting. A lighting designer would orchestrate these layers cleverly to create dimensions and textures throughout the space.
Ambient lighting:
Ambient lighting refers to the overall, general illumination in a space that provides a comfortable level of brightness without causing harsh shadows. It serves as the foundational layer of lighting, creating a uniform and well-lit environment. Ambient lighting is often achieved through fixtures like overhead or recessed lights, wall sconces, or linear fixtures; it aims to ensure visibility and a welcoming atmosphere in a room. Unlike task lighting, which targets specific areas for focused activities, ambient lighting is about creating an overall sense of brightness and ambiance in a given space.
Task lighting:
While ambient lighting acts as a foundational base to provide general brightness for the entire space, task lighting highlights particular areas and provides ample illumination to perform specific tasks without shadows or glares that could strain the eyes. For example, task lighting luminaires are commonly installed above a workstation in an office or to light up a kitchen island. Some fixtures widely used for task lighting include linear lights, desk lights, and spotlights. Having both ambient and task lighting incorporated in an interior space makes it functional and accessible. This sets the stage for the final layer: accent lighting.
Accent lighting:
Accent lighting fixtures are more than just decorative pieces; they add visual interest to and highlight the architectural features of a room. Out of the three, this level of lighting allows designers to add a more customized and personalized touch. For instance, spotlights are commonly used to direct focus onto wall art. Or, pendant lights can be used to accentuate a centrepiece on a table. Other frequently used fixtures for accent lighting are wall sconces or in-grade fixtures.
Combining the three layers of lighting gives a space an accessible, functional and visually comforting environment, which is why this has become so popular and one of the principles in lighting design.
Human-centric Lighting
There has been more focus on lighting design that prioritizes the well-being and productivity of occupants, creating a visually healthier environment and overall experience by mimicking natural light patterns and adjusting colour temperatures throughout the day. This is also known as circadian lighting. At its core, circadian lighting design aims to align with the internal biological clocks by ensuring sufficient exposure to daylight. When there’s the absence of natural light, artificial light is used to adjust the intensity, spectrum and colour in coordination with the natural lighting cycle. This concept is still as new to lighting design as there is no official guidance to apply it. However, it’s been drawing more attention from lighting professionals thanks to the sound benefits. For those who are already using this, circadian lighting can be achieved through features like dimming, colour tuning, and setting correlated colour temperature (CCT).
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Simplicity designs
Minimal light designs and finishes have been the common theme this year. A lot of new launches from many lighting manufacturers feature simplicity in design that allows other architectural features to take center stage. In commercial and hospitality projects, especially, the minimal fixtures blend in nicely with the interior while providing ample lighting for any space. They act as an illuminating canvas for users to decorate the space and direct focus to whichever items deserve the spotlight. Additionally, in high-traffic public areas, minimal lights also mean having a non-obstructive design, allowing safety for pedestrians.
Energy efficiency
While the focus on energy efficiency in lighting design is not groundbreaking, it remains a prevailing theme in 2023. The current trend revolves around making lighting systems more energy-efficient, offering a sustainable solution for various business environments. This is presented in the rise of smart lighting controls, dimmer dials, sensor technology, and the wide adoption of LEDs. These innovations seamlessly fit into an array of fixtures, including downlights, in-ground luminaires, landscape fixtures, and recessed and suspended lights, which helps reduce energy cost, heating issues and increase the lifespan of the light source.
Smart lighting controls
In the world of modern lighting design, smart lighting systems, equipped with intuitive controls and advanced technology, offer users the ability to customize various aspects of their lighting environment. This customization extends beyond simple remote on/off switches; it allows occupants to adjust factors such as brightness, colour temperature, and even the distribution of light in a given space, enhancing convenience, security and energy efficiency. This level of control not only caters to individual aesthetic preferences but also acknowledges the impact of lighting on mood, circadian rhythm, and overall comfort. Some of the popular names in smart lighting control include Casambi and Dali.
In conclusion, the evolving landscape of lighting trends in 2023 reflects a dynamic shift towards enhancing both efficiency and productivity in commercial spaces. Notable trends include the widespread adoption of layered lighting, incorporating ambient, task, and accent lighting to create functional and visually comforting environments. Human-centric lighting, or circadian lighting, is gaining traction, prioritizing occupants’ well-being and productivity by mimicking natural light patterns. Simplicity in design is a prevailing theme, with minimalistic fixtures allowing architectural features to shine. Energy efficiency remains a constant focus, with smart lighting controls, dimmer dials, and LED technology leading the way. The integration of smart lighting systems offers customizable and advanced controls, catering to individual preferences and acknowledging the impact of lighting on mood and overall comfort. These trends collectively pave the way for an enlightened and dynamic future in commercial lighting.
2023 Lighting – A Year in Review
As the year-end approaches, it’s time to reflect on the dynamic landscape of lighting trends that dominate commercial spaces throughout the year. In 2023, thoughtful lighting design that incorporates layered lighting focusing on the efficiency and productivity of occupants has given rise to innovative lighting solutions. Ambient lighting remains one of the key focuses, which is made easier to incorporate in any commercial and hospitality space with the popularity of flexible and adaptable designs. Besides, enhancing functionality while keeping the overall aesthetics is the goal. That’s why smart lighting control systems like Casambi and DALI come into play and have been well adopted by lighting designers. Let’s shed light on those noteworthy trends that have not only shaped the physical surroundings but have also set the stage for an enlightened and dynamic future in commercial lighting.
Layered Lighting
Many lighting experts anticipated the increasing use of layered lighting within interior spaces throughout 2023 due to its benefits of enhancing functionality for daily activities and setting different ambiences. As it turned out, this concept has been particularly prominent in workplaces and other commercial spaces where different areas with specific functions can benefit from tailored illumination.
Layered lighting involves using three lighting layers to provide illumination to a space. Those three layers include ambient, task and accent lighting. A lighting designer would orchestrate these layers cleverly to create dimensions and textures throughout the space.
Ambient lighting refers to the overall, general illumination in a space that provides a comfortable level of brightness without causing harsh shadows. It serves as the foundational layer of lighting, creating a uniform and well-lit environment. Ambient lighting is often achieved through fixtures like overhead or recessed lights, wall sconces, or linear fixtures; it aims to ensure visibility and a welcoming atmosphere in a room. Unlike task lighting, which targets specific areas for focused activities, ambient lighting is about creating an overall sense of brightness and ambiance in a given space.
While ambient lighting acts as a foundational base to provide general brightness for the entire space, task lighting highlights particular areas and provides ample illumination to perform specific tasks without shadows or glares that could strain the eyes. For example, task lighting luminaires are commonly installed above a workstation in an office or to light up a kitchen island. Some fixtures widely used for task lighting include linear lights, desk lights, and spotlights. Having both ambient and task lighting incorporated in an interior space makes it functional and accessible. This sets the stage for the final layer: accent lighting.
Accent lighting fixtures are more than just decorative pieces; they add visual interest to and highlight the architectural features of a room. Out of the three, this level of lighting allows designers to add a more customized and personalized touch. For instance, spotlights are commonly used to direct focus onto wall art. Or, pendant lights can be used to accentuate a centrepiece on a table. Other frequently used fixtures for accent lighting are wall sconces or in-grade fixtures.
Combining the three layers of lighting gives a space an accessible, functional and visually comforting environment, which is why this has become so popular and one of the principles in lighting design.
Human-centric Lighting
There has been more focus on lighting design that prioritizes the well-being and productivity of occupants, creating a visually healthier environment and overall experience by mimicking natural light patterns and adjusting colour temperatures throughout the day. This is also known as circadian lighting. At its core, circadian lighting design aims to align with the internal biological clocks by ensuring sufficient exposure to daylight. When there’s the absence of natural light, artificial light is used to adjust the intensity, spectrum and colour in coordination with the natural lighting cycle. This concept is still as new to lighting design as there is no official guidance to apply it. However, it’s been drawing more attention from lighting professionals thanks to the sound benefits. For those who are already using this, circadian lighting can be achieved through features like dimming, colour tuning, and setting correlated colour temperature (CCT).
Simplicity designs
Minimal light designs and finishes have been the common theme this year. A lot of new launches from many lighting manufacturers feature simplicity in design that allows other architectural features to take center stage. In commercial and hospitality projects, especially, the minimal fixtures blend in nicely with the interior while providing ample lighting for any space. They act as an illuminating canvas for users to decorate the space and direct focus to whichever items deserve the spotlight. Additionally, in high-traffic public areas, minimal lights also mean having a non-obstructive design, allowing safety for pedestrians.
Energy efficiency
While the focus on energy efficiency in lighting design is not groundbreaking, it remains a prevailing theme in 2023. The current trend revolves around making lighting systems more energy-efficient, offering a sustainable solution for various business environments. This is presented in the rise of smart lighting controls, dimmer dials, sensor technology, and the wide adoption of LEDs. These innovations seamlessly fit into an array of fixtures, including downlights, in-ground luminaires, landscape fixtures, and recessed and suspended lights, which helps reduce energy cost, heating issues and increase the lifespan of the light source.
Smart lighting controls
In the world of modern lighting design, smart lighting systems, equipped with intuitive controls and advanced technology, offer users the ability to customize various aspects of their lighting environment. This customization extends beyond simple remote on/off switches; it allows occupants to adjust factors such as brightness, colour temperature, and even the distribution of light in a given space, enhancing convenience, security and energy efficiency. This level of control not only caters to individual aesthetic preferences but also acknowledges the impact of lighting on mood, circadian rhythm, and overall comfort. Some of the popular names in smart lighting control include Casambi and Dali.
In conclusion, the evolving landscape of lighting trends in 2023 reflects a dynamic shift towards enhancing both efficiency and productivity in commercial spaces. Notable trends include the widespread adoption of layered lighting, incorporating ambient, task, and accent lighting to create functional and visually comforting environments. Human-centric lighting, or circadian lighting, is gaining traction, prioritizing occupants’ well-being and productivity by mimicking natural light patterns. Simplicity in design is a prevailing theme, with minimalistic fixtures allowing architectural features to shine. Energy efficiency remains a constant focus, with smart lighting controls, dimmer dials, and LED technology leading the way. The integration of smart lighting systems offers customizable and advanced controls, catering to individual preferences and acknowledging the impact of lighting on mood and overall comfort. These trends collectively pave the way for an enlightened and dynamic future in commercial lighting.