Trends in retail and supermarket store design have been ever changing. With all that change, there is an obvious shift in the lighting conversation. We all know the conversations about lumen outputs, color temperature, wattage and energy savings…

So what's the big topic these days? Dimmability.

Designers are consciously specifying their lighting to be compliant with California's Title 24 Building Efficiency Program with the assumption that the rest of the country will soon follow. As many of you may know, Title 24 requires light to be dimmable. While these regulations may be part of the reason to drive this conversation, we think that the shift in store functionality also plays a big part.

The current trend of supermarkets is becoming more than just a place of function to pick up your essentials. Many are trending towards becoming destinations and experiential locations. As owners enhance stores with cafes, gourmet boutiques, test kitchens and even tap rooms.

Retailers are heading in a similar direction. Many of them are creating areas in their stores to be multifunctional. In addition to the expected daytime business use, these spaces are doubling to host evening cocktail parties, employee events and campaign promotions.

To achieve these mixed spaces, designers are getting more creative architecturally – using vaulted ceilings, atriums and other techniques usually found in hospitality environments.The use of quality dimmable accent lighting via trackheads and recessed multiples is becoming more and more important to mix functionality and hospitality-like atmospheres. 

Take a look at a recent (fully dimmable!) Xd Trackhead installation we did with Nike. The clean and open design provides customers a great layout to shop as well as a versatile space to use any which way they desire! They even built in a basketball court and other areas to give customers an interactive experience, rather than just a place to shop!