Why We Use More LED Downlights Than Uplights

led downlights and uplights have their own particular benefits, and savvy retailers select the most appropriate type for various aspects of the overall lighting design such as drawing attention to featured products or creating special effects. Downlights can be used in all lighting functions—general, task and accent—whereas uplights have fewer applications.
 

Light emitting diode (LED) lighting offers its own particular benefits and should be an integral part of any updating, refurbishing or redesigning of your retail outlet and selected for both up and down lights.
 

Downlights and Uplights Can be Incorporated into Lighting Designs
 

Retail lighting needs to be layered:
 

• Ambient lighting is the general, vertical downlighting used throughout the store, and should supply uniform light.
   
• Task lighting can use downlights to illuminate small work areas such as cashier locations and fitting rooms, and should be strong enough to be effective without spilling into other areas or causing unnecessary glare.
   
• Accent lighting can be produced by downlights and uplights and add drama, draw attention to, and highlight, featured products, and used in perimeter, display, showcase and window display lighting.

Downlights and uplights and the use of spotlights and colored lights can be effective for highlighting displays, creating a mood, enabling the examination of products and enhancing the shopping experience for customers.
 

How to Make the Best Use of Downlights
 

The advantages of downlights are:

• They can be used in all areas of your lighting design including ambient lighting which benefits by having shadows minimized.
• Focused downlights are particularly favored for accent lighting to draw attention to specific items or displays.
• The path of the light as well as the spill can be controlled in downlights and glare reduced.

Downlights as accent lights make dramatic use of the contrast between the merchandise and its surroundings.
 

They can be recessed, drop, clear glass, frosted glass, wall lamps or ceiling lamps.
 

The disadvantages are:

• They are not a good choice for makeup counters and fitting rooms unless side lights are added.
• They may be appropriate for all types of store lighting but must be carefully chosen and suitable for ambient, task, or accent lighting, all of which have different requirements.

How to Make the Best Use of Uplights
 

The advantages of uplights are:

• They are a good choice for accent and perimeter lighting.
• They are favored for creating dramatic, special effects.
• Eerie shadows are created when lighting originates from below.
• They are effective for mood lighting with colored uplights adding drama.
• They eliminate glare.

The disadvantages are:

• They don’t have the wide application that downlights have.
• They are not as effective if the ceiling is dark.
• They are not a good choice if they expose blemishes on walls or ceilings.
• They are not as suitable for use if ceilings are low.

Replace Old Fashioned Lighting With LED Lamps and Fixtures
 

Using LED products to replace outdated lamps and fixtures can produce a host of benefits for retailers:

• Access to a wide variety of lamps and fixtures with unlimited design possibilities
• Energy savings
• Low maintenance costs
• Controllable, high-quality, and directional lighting
• Durable, long-life lamps that produce very little heat
• Environmentally responsible

Although downlights have a wider application, both led downlights and uplights should be included in an effective retail lighting design to draw customers into and through the store, highlight specialty products, and make the examination and purchasing of merchandise easy and satisfying for customers. Over time, the savings for retailers using LED lighting is extremely impressive. You can’t lose.