Ideoli cofounders George and Chris agree that nothing compares to traveling around the globe. It’s a chance to connect one-on-one with our partners and clients and it gives them the opportunity to get inspired and invigorated by the culture, people and cuisine of the country they are visiting. Shanghai is China’s largest city that seamlessly blends east and west cultures. The city’s storied history—which dates back over 6,000 years—is celebrated through long-standing traditions and indelible architecture. The Huangpu River helped develop Shanghai’s reputation as a major world port thousands of years ago. From the Ming and Qing Dynasties to its economic development pre-WWII to its years of closed-off communist rule, Shanghai has reinvented itself time and again. Today, it is one of the top economic centers of the world. The Old City of Shanghai offers visitors a glimpse of what once was while 1920s and 30s European Art Decoarchitecture is evident throughout the streets of The Bund. Early in the morning, you’ll spot elderly residents practicing Tai chi en masse in the city’s parks and the People’s Square, and in the evening, groups dancing together outdoors are a familiar sight. Working hard is a given among millennials, but so is playing hard. Young Shanghai residents revel in the city’s vibrant nightlife that includes bars and nightclubs, especially those on Julu, Xintiandi and Hengshan Road. A favorite pastime of George and Chris is to sample Shanghai’s food and drink, whether it’s spicy delicacies from a local street vendor, a four-course meal prepared by a three-Michelin-star chef or a regional beer or cocktail. The perfect way for Ideoli’s cofounders to get invigorated by China is through Shanghai’s cultural cuisine. Here is a list of their top 5 things to eat and drink there: 1. Scallion Pancakes Be prepared to start your day by spending time in line at a street vendor for this Shanghai breakfast staple, but also be prepared to be wowed. Flaky, buttery, crispy fried pancakes are stuffed to perfection with scallion and pork. 2. Noodles There is no shortage of noodles in Shanghai, where they are served fried, in soups, and topped with everything from scallion oil to shrimp or eel. From street vendors, enjoy scallion oil noodles (cong you ban mian) that are thin, hand-pulled and dressed with scallion oil and soy sauce and toppings. At finer restaurants, these noodles are often served at the end of a multi-course meal. 3. Dumplings Found in a variety of delectable forms, dumplings are another street food favorite. Xiao long bao, dumplings with a hot liquid center and sheng jian bao, dumplings stuffed with pork that are fried on the bottom, are both quite popular. At dim sum restaurants, you’ll find pot stickers and steamed dumplings on the menu. 4. Roast Duck With its crispy skin and tender meat, duck in Shanghai is roasted in an open fire (Cantonese style). Prepared the same way as Beijing roast duck, the meat is served with a sweet sauce, scallions and steamed pancakes. 5. Sinkiang Black Beer Similar in taste to an American dark lager, Sinkiang Black Beer (also known as Xinjiang Black Beer) originated in northwest China. Strong-flavored, it has the scent of nuts yet also a hint of brown sugar. Complements the cuisine of Xinjiang, China’s western most province, that is found throughout Shanghai By traveling the world, George and Chris are constantly inspired and invigorated by the culture and cuisine of the cities they visit. From sampling the local food and drink to connecting with Ideoli’s partners and clients, it offers them unlimited opportunities to strengthen and build relationships.
Ideoli’s cofounders George and Chris spend a great deal of their time travelling around the world to connect with our partners and clients—and they don’t mind it a bit. How else would they be able to do what they enjoy most: get inspired and invigorated by the country and the people around them? Guadalajara is Mexico’s second largest city and the capital of the state of Jalisco. The home of sombreros, rodeos, mariachi music and tequila, it’s one of George and Chris’ favorite stops as they travel the globe. First settled by the Spanish in 1532, the city has a rich history and diverse culture. Its colonial past is evident in the Centro Histórico (Historic Centre), which is surrounded by fountains, gazebos, churches and markets. Its many historic monuments and statues remind all of those who fought proudly for Mexico’s independence. Distinct regions, from the lively neighborhood of Zona Rosa to the art-filled town of Tlaquepaque to the working-class district of Tonalá, add to Guadalajara’s vibrancy. The city offers visitors everything they need in a destination, boasting world-class museums, gorgeous colonial architecture and mouth-watering cuisine. Which brings us to what George and Chris love most about traveling…exploring different cultures through food and drinks. For Ideoli’s globe-trotting cofounder’s, there is no better place than Guadalajara to get invigorated by Mexico’s cultural cuisine. For them, a visit to one of their favorite cities is not complete without experiencing these five favorites: 1. Pozole Rojo A popular meal choice when going out to dinner in Guadalajara, Pozole Rojo, is one of George’s favorite. The base, either a broth, stew or soup, features pork, lettuce and radish. A typical dish found all over Mexico, in Guadalajara, this meal is combined with the flavors of traditional la cocina tapatía (the cuisine of Jalisco). 2. Torta Ahogada Invented in Guadalajara in the early 1900s, the Torta Ahogada is a sandwich stuffed with pork and soaked in salsa. Made from the very hot chile de arbol vinegar, cumin, black pepper and other spices, the salsa is spicy but it’s complemented by the addition of a mild, tomato-based sauce. The pork filling is marinated in garlic and citrus, cooked slowly, and then fried up until crisp. From fancy restaurants to neighborhood bars, this long-standing favorite local sandwich can be found throughout the city. 3. Carne en su jugo This dish literally translates to “meat in its juices.” It is a favorite of the people of Guadalajara and a favorite of George and Chris. Small pieces of flank steak are cooked in their juices, then mixed with whole beans and crispy, crumbled bacon. Corn tortillas, onion and coriander are the sides of choice that accompany this traditional meal. 4. Bionico For Chris’ sweet tooth, Bionico is a must have when he’s in Guadalajara. This healthy, classic, parfait-like treat features sliced fruits (apples, cantaloupe, strawberries and bananas) and yogurt, topped off with a choice of granola, raisins, coconut, sprinkles or cherries. It’s a great way to stay cool when visiting Mexico in the summer. 5. Tequila No trip to Guadalajara is complete without one (or several) shots of tequila. In the birthplace of tequila itself it would be a sin against the culture not to and Chris and George are only happy to oblige. Lime and salt please! They also enjoy sharing a cazuela, a local cocktail of citrus fruit, tequila and soda that’s served communal style in a clay pot. Before you sip, though, don’t forget to utter the traditional toast: “Arriba. Abajo. Al centro. Adentro.” (Up. Down. Center. Inside.) Traveling the globe allows George and Chris to get inspired and be invigorated by the culture and traditions of the places they visit. They never tire of sampling the local food and drink and relish the unlimited opportunities to socialize with their partners and strengthen and build relationships
The process of invigorating a space begins on the drawing board of a designer at Ideoli. In collaboration with production engineers and installation managers, we source raw materials and select the production facility after a personal visit from a member of our design team. Prototypes are produce and carefully examined by the designer, as well as production and installation managers, ensuring they are flawless. Production then begins in a modern, clean, efficient factory with quality control protocols in place. Ideoli implements quality control procedures throughout the manufacturing process. Statistical Process Control (SPC), a system of production metrics giving early warnings to avoid flaws is in place. The doctrine of Six Sigma is integrated with Statistical Process Control in all production facilities. The intended result of Six Sigma is that quality assurance will gain customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, repeat business, improved safety, reduced liability risk and improved market position. Ideoli has a philosophy of quality control that is pervasive in every aspect of manufacturing undertaken for custom designs and installations. A quality installation begins with an intricate knowledge of sourcing raw materials in an environmentally responsible manner and safely shipping them to the manufacturing facility. Every factory, on every continent, has the same quality metrics in place to deliver a flawless product. The entire staff of the factory, working in a clean, neat environment, is focused on quality, ensuring that a product, reflective of the quality philosophy, is produced. Quality control metrics, with hands-on oversight by Ideoli, brings everyone together. The entire workforce of the plant working toward meeting quality goals lifts morale, produces diligence, letting ingenuity shine. Randomly selected pieces at various stages of the build, from the raw materials to the shipping cartons, are screened for any flaws. Issues caught early can be quickly addressed, saving time and money-essential elements of delivering a custom project. Auxiliary items, shipping supplies and packing materials are all required to meet the same quality standards as the product itself. The customized products arrive at the installation in the same pristine condition as when they were packed at the factory. Packing a product for shipment is not a small detail; it is a continuation of the quality process. Every facet of an installation arrives at the job site unblemished. Ideoli takes immense pride in having all jobs completed to surpass expectations. When quality is controlled from the selection of raw materials to the final bolt, Ideoli can deliver a custom-designed space without flaws or durability issues. Quality control is not an expense; it is a cost saver. Quality control ensures that everything that is manufactured is produced in an efficient, environmentally responsible way without waste. Quality benefits everyone involved in any project, from the factory employees to the satisfied customer. Invigorating your space can be accomplished only with strict quality control metrics instituted by Ideoli. Quality Control from start to finish is essential for an on-time, on-budget installation
Everyone intuitively knows that lighting affects mood. You feel better on a bright day filled with sunshine. You are more likely to feel a lack of energy on a cloudy gloomy day. School rooms and office spaces have traditionally been lit by bright flourescent lights to mimic a bright sunny day increasing attentiveness. Turn on a 1950’s love story movie and the phrase romantic lighting is sure to come up. Your sleep pattern is dictated by the natural pattern of day and night, referred to as body clock and scientifically as circadian rhythm. The intrinsic knowledge that lighting affects human behavior has now been confirmed in the age of technology by scientific research and studied by the designers of Ideoli Group. The subject of workplace lighting was considered by Dr. Mirjam Muench and his associates for an article on productivity. They tested a work place with daylight (without giving the subjects window views) against a workplace with artificial light. The conclusion of their research showed that those in the artificial lighting became less alert, had mood changes with less visual comfort by the day’s end. Whereas, the subjects who worked in natural light were more alert as evening approached, had less mood swings during the day without discernable eye strain. Professor John S. Dyson of Cornell, whose area of expertise includes eating behaviors tested his theory that lighting affects how much you eat. Two groups were giving the same menu in the same eating space with different lighting. One group was subjected to bright lights, the other to more subdued lighting. Those that ate in the subdued lighting made healthier food choices, ate fewer calories and enjoyed their food more than their counterparts in the brightly lit dining area. These considerations are essential in a space design at Ideoli. Supermarkets have long known the value of lighting in appealing to consumers. The meat always looks redder in the butcher case, the lettuce always looks greener in the produce case. Not because of the brightness of the light, it is the warmth of the light. Artificial lighting has a measurement known as CCT, Correlated Color Temperature, a scientific way to measure the light spectrum produced that are affecting the colors that are perceived. An example that everyone can relate to is the term on a light bulb box, Cool White, which is describing the CCT of the light output of that bulb. A Cool White light bulb in your bathroom will display a different you in the morning than a bulb at the lower end of the CCT spectrum. When considering the use of a space, lighting is an essential element. Your bedroom should have a softer light with a lower CCT to allow your circadian clock to wind down. A home office used during day light hours, brighter with a higher CCT number to keep you attentive. There really is different lighting for different areas of your home. In your business the right lighting choices will improve your bottom line. When it’s time for Ideoli to invigorate your work space, hospitality, retail or office, lighting is an essential element of the design. The professional space designers at Ideoli are well versed in the importance and significance of the lighting needed to bring every space to its full potential. Knowing, the brightness, warmth, and impact of each lighting choice is a crucial part of any redesign. Lighting for your customers and staff are calculated to meet all the requirements of your environment. Lighting is not an afterthought for the designers of Ideoli, it is an integrated component that enhances the entire project. Is it time to invigorate your space? Let Ideoli show you the light.
LED lighting offers exciting opportunities to improve commercial environments in a variety of ways. From overall cost savings to energy savings to greater design flexibility, LEDs have a wide range of benefits over other types of lights like incandescent and fluorescent. Yet many myths exist regarding LEDs, and we’re here to debunk those so you know what to expect from this type of versatile lighting technology Myth #1: They’re too expensive. Although the initial purchase price of LEDs can be more expensive than other light sources, the cost is often much more attractive upon closer examination. First of all, some energy utilities offer rebates for customers that switch to LED lighting. You can check this site to see if your state offers any incentives for specific lighting applications. Next, as LEDs gain more market penetration and technologies improve, the prices will continue to come down. Lastly, the total lifetime cost tends to significantly favor LEDs. This technology is generally more energy efficient than other types, thereby reducing electricity costs. Plus, a single bulb can last over 10 years, whereas an incandescent light source might only last a year or so. As a result, you save on replacement costs, including the maintenance fees for having to replace hard-to access bulbs and fixtures in commercial spaces. Myth #2: Changing to LED will not affect electric bills. As indicated above, LEDs help you save money on your electric bill, both because of rebates from utilities as well as from using less kilowatt hours of energy. In fact, operating at a lower wattage enables LEDs to save you around 75-80% on energy costs compared to traditional incandescent light sources. Myth #3: They’re not bright enough. This myth is fueled in part because light bulbs are often rated in watts. A 12W LED might operate at the same brightness as a 60W incandescent, but someone might see the higher number associated with incandescents and assume that means it’s brighter. However, watts are really a measurement of the rate of power usage. Since LEDs are more efficient, they operate at lower wattage. Instead, buyers should really be looking at lumens as a measure of brightness. Both 100W incandescent light bulbs and a 16W LED bulb could have the same output of 1,600 lumens. Meanwhile, a 60W LED bulb is bright enough to blind you. Myth #4: All LEDs are the same. Businesses often make lighting purchases based on price, thinking that lighting is a commodity. However, lights from different brands can vary in the quality of their performance, and they can have different warranties. Especially for a category on the cutting edge like LEDs, it’s important to consider the broader spectrum of quality, considering that some brands invest more than others in research, manufacturing and testing to ensure their products last longer, maintain luminosity, display the intended color, and have other factors that serve as differentiators. Myth #5: LEDs last forever. While the LED myths we’re debunking should inspire optimism in using these bulbs, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. With that in mind, know that LEDs do not last forever, though it might seem like they do compared to other bulbs. They can last up to around 50,000 hours, meaning an LED bulb used for 10 hours per day, every day, would last nearly 14 years. That being said, it does not mean that the quality of light will be the same after this period of time. Myth #6: They’re heatless To properly set expectations, it’s also important to note that LEDs are not heatless, but they might seem like it in comparison to other bulbs. Most of the energy from incandescents escapes as heat rather than light, which is why they feel so much hotter than LEDs and are less efficient. Yet LEDs still produce some warmth, and the diodes and internal components of an LED light are very hot. Good LED product manufacturers dissipate this heat better than others. Ideoli’s foundation as a company is rooted in LED technology. The founders, George Stroumboulis and Chris Hartswick, have been part of LED lighting startups prior to Ideoli and have been involved with the design, development, manufacturing and sale of some of the industry’s leading LED products. As you can see with these debunked myths, LEDs offer clear advantages over other types of light bulbs. By knowing the facts, it’s easier to choose the lighting source that best suits the needs of your business. Ideoli is well positioned to help you make those lighting choices.
When it comes to industry-leading products, it’s not just what’s on the inside that matters, but also what’s on the outside. Fair or not, consumers do “judge a book by its cover,” so it’s important for brands in all types of sectors to develop great packaging from both a functionality and design perspective. Having great packaging makes a direct impact on your sales. In fact, a study by Nielsen found that “choosing the right design direction [for packaging] can increase forecasted product sales by 5.5%.” In some sectors, packaging can be a particularly important way to attract customers. Although Ideoli does not operate in the grocery space, we learn a lot from the sector, as grocery items’ packaging can make a very large impact. “Packaging on a supermarket shelf typically has less than three seconds to grab a consumer’s attention. Additionally, more than 70 per cent of purchasing decisions are made at the shelf,” notes Velda Croot, who served as a business development director at brand design firm JDO, as quoted in an article in The Drum. So choosing the right packaging differentiates your brand from others and creates a strong first impression before the customer even sees or tries the finished product. “Packaging is absolutely fundamental, and I would say the most important element in the customer purchasing journey, and that’s whether you’re a leading brand or a challenger brand…if it doesn’t do its job on shelf then you’re wasting your time,” adds Simon Preece head of client partnerships at brand design firm Elmwood, as quoted in the aforementioned article in The Drum. Product packaging is an integral part of the overall customer experience and directly appeals to consumers’ emotions. Think of the design aesthetics in tech stores like Apple and how the packaging matches that sleek, ultra-modern feel. Or look at how certain jewelry stores have iconic packaging that connects customers to feelings of luxury and exclusivity. In other words, packaging plays an important role in developing your brand and advertising your products. And for those familiar with your brand, it can help consumers quickly recognize your offerings.
Despite being a startup, we have been able to stretch out across the globe to areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Athens, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and more. Operating across multiple time zones can be tricky, however, as we need to we stay connected with associates, advisors, partners and clients without always being in the same location. However, by using the latest technology and staying true to our foundational principles including forging long-term relationships, we are able to stay connected as Ideoli expands international. To stay connected when running a multi-national company, consider these five areas: 1. Constant Communication If you’re not in the same location as someone, it can be easy to let communication decline over time. However, it’s crucial to go against this tendency and instead, find ways to maintain constant communication. Today’s digitally-enabled world makes it easier than ever to communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime. This communication does not have to be lengthy, but we find that even just texting clients to say hi or getting a quick project status update over the phone with project managers is important to make sure that the business is moving forward successfully on all fronts. 2. Digital Face Time Seeing is believing, so sometimes communication needs to take the form of digital face time. Whether it’s using video chat platforms like Google Hangouts, FaceTime or Skype, or just sending a photo or video of things like product prototypes, digital face time can help close the physical divide between people working in different locations. 3. Physical Face Time While digital face time helps us stay connected, it’s also important to not discount real face-to-face meetings. At Ideoli, we plan business trips with the goal of maximizing in-person interactions so that we can more fully-connect with those important to our work. Sometimes that means planning multi-purpose trips, such as traveling to a client’s site to oversee an installation, followed by meeting with a local supplier and potential interviews for new partners. 4. Project Management Tools To keep everything organized and to maintain a solid communication flow even when associates are far away from each other, we rely on project management tools as our lifeline to the business. Doing so helps us ensure that everyone is on the same page. While we want to maintain constant communication, we also don’t want to start falling into unnecessary communication due to associates duplicating work or missing deadlines because not everyone has the right information. And when traveling, tools like Asana, Zoho and Salesforce make it easy to stay up-to-date, rather than having to dig through emails to find out what’s going on. 5. Targeted Time Zone Shifts Lastly, Ideoli finds that having constant coverage across international time zones helps us stay connected, have a consistent flow of communication around the world and allows for a truly integrated organization. Rather than trying to serve all our clients globally only during U.S. business hours, we have associates and partners in multiple time zones that can help us provide client coverage around the clock. That way, the company as a whole does not miss out on important opportunities or issues due to time differences Running a successful multi-national company requires staying connected, and Ideoli is always on the front lines of using technology to make this possible.
The rise of e-commerce has been a challenge for brick-and-mortar retailers, and many face strained budgets. As a result, retailers are turning to the practice of value engineering, which involves analyzing the value of each of the elements within a retail space—ranging from the type of flooring to the lighting—to see whether the elements provide enough functionality to make the cost worth it. While value engineering is a smart practice to optimize budgets, retailers should understand that there are pros and cons. Being aware of the downsides can help them avoid these pitfalls and ensure that their spaces look great and provide quality functionality without breaking the bank. Value engineering includes the following pros and cons for retailers: Pro: Increased Cost Savings By analyzing whether elements provide enough benefit to justify the cost, then retailers can eliminate unnecessary expenses. For example, if a store needs to put in new flooring, it might find that laminate wood looks just as nice as hardwood, while having a much lower price and easier maintenance. Con: Overlooked Expenses On the other hand, value engineering can cause stores to overlook certain expenses. An incandescent light bulb might provide the same luminosity as an LED bulb for less cost, which would indicate that the incandescent is a better value. However, it’s important to consider the larger picture of costs, such as the maintenance fees for replacing hard-to-access bulbs, as incandescents might only last a year, while LEDs can last over a decade. Pro: Enhanced Functionality Since value engineering is all about maximizing the right ratio between functionality and cost, that means that sometimes instead of focusing on minimizing cost, retailers can choose elements that have such high functionality that it justifies the cost, and thus provides great value. For example, multi-purpose furniture like adjustable desks that can be used in an office or to display merchandise provide a lot of functionality and perhaps more value than other desks. Con: Risk of Diminished Customer and Employee Experience While some elements may not seem to provide much value on the surface, it’s important to consider how all elements affect customer and employee experience. If a brand opens a new store that uses the lowest-cost materials without regard for where they were sourced from, then that could push away customers and employees who prefer retailers that use and promote sustainable materials. Pro: An Eye for Optimization Value engineering optimizes the design and buildout of retail environments, so by getting into that mindset, retailers can look to optimize other areas of the company, ranging from how they staff their business to how they spend budget on advertising campaigns. The pros tend to outweigh the cons for using value engineering in the retail industry, and by recognizing the downsides and working with trusted partners like Ideoli, retailers get even more value out of value engineering.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what happens if the beholder’s eyes are not even given a fair chance? Poor-quality mirrors and lighting can put a damper on your true appearance, so it’s important for retail stores, hotels, restaurants, offices and other commercial environments to not disregard this area. Ideoli’s LED backlit mirrors make a big difference on how you look. Check out our video on our Vimeo channel to see the impact they can have. Designers and owners of commercial spaces often overlook the importance and influence that mirrors in areas such as dressing rooms and bathrooms have on their clients and visitors. To cut costs and keep budgets low, many designers and owners simply slap a mirror on the wall and a standard downlight above it, and call it a day. But these poor conditions have negative consequences. When a customer goes into a poorly lit dressing room to try on a special outfit, for instance, the lighting could cast unflattering shadows, making them less inclined to buy the clothes. Or if the mirror quality is poor, the customer might not be able to see how good the clothes actually look. So instead, commercial environments should turn to Ideoli’s customized LED backlit mirrors,which are perfect for a wide variety of businesses such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, gyms and offices. By integrating highly efficient LED lighting into the mirrors in hundreds of different variations, our mirrors properly illuminate the subject, helping them appreciate their true appearance. Depending on your space requirements and preference, we can customize the size, lighting configuration, light quality and several other items, which together allow for clean, consistent and complimentary lighting for your customers and employees. Ideoli not only manufactures great-looking products; our products themselves can help people look better.
As a startup, Ideoli has been in full-hustle mode for the past couple years, building an international network of partners and clients, while developing innovative products within our four pillars of products: lighting fixtures, furniture, showcase pieces and sourced products. With so many exciting projects going on, we decided to organize a Reveal Show in June to help partners and clients see of what we’ve been up to, what we’ve been manufacturing and where we’ve been doing it, so that together we can invigorate more spaces. Just as we transform blank spaces into engaging environments for clients, Ideoli transformed an empty studio in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan into a vibrant, interactive showroom for the Reveal Show. The setup included samples of our offerings, ranging from truly custom lighting fixtures, to commercially and ergonomically friendly workstations, to chic yet functional restaurant furniture, to high-end retail mirrors with the latest integrated LED technology. We also had renderings of some of the most innovative and prestigious projects we have invigorated, and we displayed photos and videos from our work from around the world. And since we love to make work fun too, we transformed the space into an entertaining environment. When guests walked in, they got to practice their best red-carpet poses for our photographer/videographer. From there, they could head to the bar to grab some espresso, beer or wine to fuel creative thinking, or even some coconut water to stay hydrated. We brought in some great snacks, sandwiches and local New York pizza for guests to enjoy as they interacted with our team and our amazing product offerings. We even had a basketball hoop for a free-throw shooting contest, during which guests competed to win several prizes. Throughout the course of the Reveal Show, we hosted distribution partners, clients, designers, architects, prospects, advisers, former colleagues and friends, to bring everyone into the fold and establish momentum for bringing the products on display into further production runs for clients. Not only was it a great opportunity to display the physical products we’ve been creating, but it also provided guests with an opportunity to meet more of our team and interact with others within the industry, so that they could expand their networks as well. This networking came to a high point during our swanky happy hour to close out the Reveal Show; our wide variety of great partners got a chance to get to know one another better in a fun, yet professional, atmosphere. As a result of the show’s success, Ideoli is planning to establish permanent showrooms for its key partners in strategic markets within North America and Europe, and we look forward to helping more clients make their visions for their spaces a reality.
Ideoli has been all over the world working with partners and clients to design and procure best-in-class products, but until now, we haven’t had the pleasure to cross the border into Canada for a client installation. So we were really excited to make the trip to Vancouver to help our client, an international athletic apparel retailer, install LED backlit mirrors as the focal point of fitting rooms in their renovated flagship store, which will enhance customers’ shopping experience Vancouver is a bustling seaport in British Columbia and is among Canada’s densest, most ethnically-diverse cities. It also ranks as one of the healthiest cities in the world, so it makes sense for the world’s leader in yoga apparel to be based here, helping others get the gear they need to live an active lifestyle. Check out the video on our Vimeo channel to see the highlights from our trip to this amazing city and the work that we did for our client. As part of our commitment to helping clients invigorate their spaces from conception to reality, Ideoli often directly oversees product installations so we can ensure the finished product matches everyone’s expectations. For this particular client, we installed LED backlit mirrors with custom lighting specs so that customers can fully see the details of the activewear they try on in the ever-so-private fitting rooms. Whether customers are trying on clothes they need to run a marathon or want to find something comfortable to wear while running errands, it’s important that they can clearly see all the design elements and the overall fit of the products while they’re in the store so that they can fully be satisfied with their purchases . Otherwise, they might realize when they get home that they need to return an item because it does not look the way they assumed it did in the store. Plus, well-lit mirrors like our LED backlit ones help customers feel good about what they’re trying on and encourage them to make purchases. To save money, many retailers use poor-quality mirrors with harsh lighting that casts unwanted shadows and diminishes the overall look, whereas ours deliver desirable reflections. So by working with our client to install these LED backlit mirrors, we can help customers see how great they really look and ensure they know what they’re really purchasing. Doing so enhances customer experience and helps the store keep inventory flowing off the shelves. Ideoli’s lighting expertise helps clients turn seemingly small details like fitting room mirrors into differentiators for retail stores.
Lighting is far more intricate than just flipping a switch to illuminate a space. In reality, it is a broad and varied category that includes factors such as light source, shape, color and more, that when formed in the right combination can take spaces to the next level. For commercial environments including retail, restaurant, hospitality, theater, fitness centers and office spaces, it’s important to choose the right lighting to maximize customer and employee experience. A study by researchers from the University of Mississippi and the University of Texas found that lights of different wavelengths affect “blood pressure, pulse, respiration rates, brain activity, and biorhythms.” So if commercial spaces want to elicit certain feelings, they should consider the following five creative uses for lighting that go beyond turning a room from dark to bright: 1. Contrast lighting Adjusting the color and brightness of lighting can create dramatic contrasts that help make a space more appealing. Just as a high contrast photo can help differentiate various features, such as the sky from a body of water, contrast lighting in a restaurant, for example, can help distinguish the dining area from the bar area. We’re experts at helping you find the right level of contrast to make your space pop. 2. Showcase lighting In addition to illuminating certain sections of your space with contrast lighting, you can really draw customers in with showcase lighting. Like a spotlight on a stage, showcase lighting highlights specific areas, such as when a retail store wants to show off its top products in the center of the space. Adding showcase lighting to a central display brings the area to life and thereby helps increase traffic, and ultimately drive sales. 3. Mood-based flood lighting Flood lighting can be used to illuminate large areas, and we know how to select and position floodlights to evoke certain moods. For example, a hotel could use mood-based flood lighting to illuminate a front entrance and make it seem inviting, while a cafe could use a floodlight for a performance area in a way that looks more artful. 4. Accent lighting For those items that you want to highlight but which aren’t in a central place for show caselighting, you can still turn to accent lighting to really set these objects off. For example, you can use accent lighting like wall sconces to better frame pictures on the wall. Doing so helps ensure that customers don’t miss items that might not be as immediately visible spatially, but when they do pass by these objects, the accent lighting helps draw them in. 5. Shelf lighting Shelving in and of itself can be creative, but if you really want to take it to the next level, add lighting to the shelves, such as an LED trim along each shelf to help highlight the items on display. Shelf lighting can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from shoe stores that want to add light beneath each sneaker, to bakeries that want to show off each pastry on display. By looking at lighting from these creative lenses, you can truly invigorate your space in a way that helps others appreciate all the work you’ve put into the design. Ideoli has its roots in lighting, so you can be confident working with us to help you cover all the details of selecting and setting up the perfect lighting. Facebook-f Linkedin-in Tumblr Envelope