Hi & Low
Solutions for high and low ceilings.
By Linda Cahan -- Gifts and Dec, 6/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
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Linda Cahan |
Everyone always talks about the hot zone — the area that sells the most in a gift and accessories store. Between 4′ and 6′ from the floor is eye level for most. Few people have to bend and only a few more have to stretch to comfortably shop within the hot zone. But, what happens above that zone? What if you have really high ceilings or, worse yet, low ones? How do you make your store work with less than ideal ceiling heights?
High Ceilings
A high ceiling is anything over 10′. Years ago, I worked in visual merchandising at Macy's in Connecticut. The ceilings ranged from 9′ to over 30′ high. The scale of all the visual elements changed depending on the ceiling height.
Lights: If you have high ceilings the ideal placement of spot or flood lights is 3′ up and out from the top and front of the wall fixture or shelf. If you have 12″ deep shelves that go up to 6′ high they will get the best lighting if the light fixture is 4′ out from the wall and 9′ up from the floor. If your ceilings are 10′ it will still work, but if they are higher you'll need to lower the track or lights so they are more effective.
Displays: One common mistake many merchants make is to create a high display that "floats" on the wall above the merchandise below. This draws the customers' eyes away from the hot zone and distracts them from the merchandise within hands reach. Ideally, a display should be no more than 6″ above the top of the fixture or top shelf.
Colors: There is a theory that if you paint a ceiling black it will disappear. While that's true, black ceilings don't reflect light so you'll need to triple your existing amount of lights just to achieve the same light level you had with a white ceiling.
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THANKS TO THE HIGH ceilings at St. Maine, Portland, OR, large scale art works blend beautifully along with other decorative accessories. As U.S. homes started to grow in size, the art and furnishings had to grow as well, so they “owned” the room. St. Maine specializes in accessories that can work in all sizes of homes, but especially those with high ceilings. |
| THE OWNERS OF ST. Maine both have strong design backgrounds. The use of lamps up high, along with matching pieces of vertical art, makes great use of the high ceilings without drawing the eyes away from the products below. The symmetry of the top display/merchandise is easy to read allowing people to look up and then focus on the smaller items below. |
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AT THE LITTLE RED Wagon in Westhampton Beach, NY, the average height ceiling soars with the blue painted sky and soft clouds. The painted sky brings the outside in as well as making the ceiling a work of art. |
Low Ceilings
Low ceilings, 8′ or less, are not welcoming to tall people. An 8′ ceiling height will bring track lights (if they are mounted flush to the ceiling) down a foot.
Fixtures: If you are building wall fixtures, build them up to the ceiling. Small spaces between fixture tops and the ceiling reinforce how low the ceilings are.
Lights: If at all possible, have the lights inset and mounted into the ceiling rather than installing track lights or deep fluorescents.
Displays: Boutique your merchandise or create displays on the top shelf of your wall fixtures or shelves. Going higher than your top shelf will draw unwanted attention to the low ceiling.
Colors: Light blue or sky blue expands space. Ceilings feel higher and much less "heavy" than when they are painted any other color. Light blue also cools the space and a store with a low ceiling may often feel warmer as the warm air stays closer to the selling floor.
Low or high, they're both a challenge. But now you may have a few ideas to work with to make your store's walls and ceilings more comfortable and attractive.
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THIS MEN’S STORE IN Palm Springs, CA, is painted with the desert sunset. With LED lights being improved daily, halogens may be old technology within a year or so. LED’s will throw an equally bright light but with much less heat and one-tenth the electrical cost. |
| AT THE HEN’S TOOTH, Sisters, OR, this display uses the ceiling height to its advantage. The bright orange loop-de-loop creates a powerful focal area as well as saying “Fall.” I like how the line of the trim falls gracefully to the table leading the eye to where it belongs. Excellent color spotting takes place with the addition of rust colored merchandise on the table and floor. |
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AGAIN, AT ST. MAINE the fixtures are designed to bring the eye down to the shelves rather than up to the high ceiling. By installing the lights in the fixtures the customers focus on the top shelf first and then visually work their way down. The “X” pattern above also draws the eye down below through the strong angles. |
We would love your feedback!
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