By Claragh Nugent - Marketing Executive

The reality of it is - light has an extraordinary effect upon the appreciation, perceptibility, and atmosphere within any interior setting. One could say that light is the one of strongest and most influential energies in our environment, that gives us the true ability to connect with a space or our surroundings. Light however, can be applied in various ways to create completely different ambiences or characters which can harp in on our emotions, effecting our mood. From my experience at Harrods this was unveiled both beautifully and ingeniously across the various departments, setting the right mood for the interior design or product on sale.

Lighting Design International have been involved in the luxurious lighting of Harrods, Knightsbridge since 2014, and continue to collaborate to this day. With Lighting Design International responsible for uniquely tailored lighting in departments such as Superbrands, Food Hall, Technology, Watches, Men’s Shoes and Champagne Bar, what I found to be most compelling was the significant difference lighting gave to each department. Each space allows the customer to truly experience their surroundings elevating the shopping experience. It is often light, that enables customer recognition for the tone or ambiance the business or design team wants to convey, or the guides the customers focus.

To explain this experience more clearly, please see an image of the fish counter below, the clever use of enhanced colour rendering and focus of lighting highlights the marine produce perfectly so that colours pop, with contrasts much brighter to the rest of their environment. This of course results in an eye-catching display for the customer, enticing them towards the appealing fresh fish.

A contrasting example in Harrods Fine Watches focusses on lighting the architecture in a clean and minimal way. Note how the lighting is totally concealed and complementary and crisp, giving a sense of grandeur or relaxation. This is exactly the feeling someone would want whilst deciding to purchase a new accessory for themselves or as a luxury gift. In my opinion the lighting is key to adding to a sense of importance or thrill, something of which we all want to feel when buying a product such as a watch.

The first project by LDI at Harrods was Ladies SuperBrands. The gallery is long and elegant, lit in a luxuriously diffused tone that creates a sense of calm, with drama from illuminated vitrines creating a sense of mystery or intrigue. There is a real sense of excitement or desire to see what is on the pathway ahead. For the customer, it would be difficult to not complete the path, given the thrill of it, looking into each shop as one passes like a visitor to a museum, enjoying the thrill of viewing the great master paintings.

Lastly, on our ideas sharing tour we visited the newly opened Champagne Bar. The lighting here emphasises the integration of details in the bar top and the materiality of the gold and silver finishes giving a truly high-end celebration feeling. The illumination and chandelier feature allows for the bubbles to be felt not only in the mouth, but in the whole space. The chandelier above the main table sparkles with the reflection of light, bringing a sense of theatre and intense luxury.

Despite the fact I have no educational background in lighting design, I can truly appreciate the correlation between lighting and in some ways marketing after visiting Harrods. Each department wants the customer to feel a certain way or focus on a certain element, enticing certain feelings such as desire, motivation, or luxury. The way in which one shops is massively influenced by their surroundings and their attitude, whether they realise it or not, and this is something the designers at Lighting Design International have captured and achieved perfectly at various departments within Harrods