A Bright Idea

This month's Lighting Channel feature on VSMD.com offers up one bright idea: incorporating decorative lighting into store design. Pendants, wall sconces, colored glass, etc. all help to define a space. As Martin Robert, president of retail design firm Grid2, offers, a decorative lighting element "casts a warmer glow, provides a pop of color and really makes a statement about your brand."

Decorative lighting also infuses a little "comfort" into a design. In today's turbulent times, that's never a bad thing. By bringing in little decor accents, you can bring a little bit of home into your location. Without the harsh light and stark decor, you're giving people an opportunity to feel more at ease, encouraging them to stay longer. And we all know that the longer they stay, the more likely it is that they'll make a purchase.