INTERIOR LIGHTING 10-65

dark ones, and vice versa. A displayman needs a versatile array of lighting
equipment (background lights, spotlights, floodlights, color filters, etc.) to
create these contrasts. Each display should be considered a miniature
stage setting designed to draw attention to a specific area, and to make the
merchandise shown there attractive to shoppers. Contrast can be ob-
tained by brightness and color differences between objects and their
surrounds.
Brightness. The end product of illumination and reflectance is bright-
ness, which attracts attention and aids in seeing.
Reflectance. The reflectance of a wall, ceiling, or merchandise surface
indicates the proportion of incident light that will be reflected. Reflec-
tance therefore controls brightness. It is important to know the character
of the reflection as well as its value. For example, a white tablecloth, a
white china plate, and a polished silver cream pitcher may have the same
reflectance (80 per cent). The cloth, however, reflects its light diffusely
and looks equally bright seen from any angle; the china plate looks white
also, but its glazed surface adds specular reflections; the polished silver
cream pitcher looks dark except for the reflected highlights of light sources
and bright surrounding.
In order that unwanted and uncontrolled reflections in wall and ceiling
areas may be avoided, surfaces that have diffusing, or near-diffusing, char-
acteristics are recommended. These characteristics are typical of mat and
eggshell finish paints, wallpapers, woods, etc.
The use
of
color. Accurate merchandise appraisal depends in part upon
the color quality of the lighting. A fluorescent lamp may produce a day-
light quality light and an incandescent-filament lamp a reddish yellow light.
Each affects the apparent color of merchandise. Lighting that fails to
show merchandise as it will appear under the lighting where it mil be used
often is responsible for a customer's dissatisfaction and return of the goods.
Returns may be as much as one-eighth of gross sales in some stores.
In addition to affecting the apparent color of merchandise, the color
quality of illumination has an important bearing on the atmosphere and
the decoration of a store. The complexions of customers and salespeople
are affected also. This is especially important in fitting rooms for men's
and women's wearing apparel. If the lighting does not complement the
complexion, it will affect adversely the approval of the fitting. It is
recommended that light of a "warm" color be provided to enhance facial
appearance.
Design Factors in Store Lighting
Most stores need a good balance of horizontal and vertical illumination.
Luminaires having a light distribution normally used for general lighting
purposes usually will produce not more than half as much illumination on
vertical as on horizontal surfaces. (See Fig. 10-42.) While common
interior lighting layout procedures are designed to provide uniform illumi-
nation on a horizontal plane, many objects (wallpaper, draperies, tapestries,