Jul. 28, 2025
Designing an effective lighting layout design is every bit as important as getting the wiring right. Whether you're overseeing a new build, upgrading an existing space, or tackling a challenging retrofit, the right lighting floor plan can dramatically influence the functionality and cost-efficiency of your facility.
In this guide, we'll shed light on the best practices for creating a well-lit space that boosts productivity, ensures comfort, and enhances the overall ambiance. From pinpointing the perfect fixture placement to optimizing energy consumption, let's explore how to illuminate your projects effectively.
Designing an effective lighting layout requires technical know-how, a keen eye for detail, and a solid understanding of how light impacts space. Let's talk about three crucial aspects of lighting design: fixture placement, the art of layering different types of light, and optimizing light distribution across various environments. These considerations will guide you in crafting a lighting scheme that improves the functionality and appeal of your spaces.
When planning your lighting floor plan, the placement of each fixture is clutch. For areas requiring precise tasks, such as workbenches or office desks, direct, focused lighting enhances productivity and reduces eye strain. In contrast, common areas benefit from more diffuse, ambient lighting that promotes a welcoming and safe environment. Understanding the purpose of each space ensures that your lighting design meets the functional and aesthetic needs of your facility.
A well-thought-out lighting plan layers different types of indoor lighting to achieve the ideal balance. Task lighting should be strong and focused, ambient lighting soft and widespread, and accent lighting used sparingly to highlight architectural features or important zones. This approach enhances the functionality of each area while adding depth and dimension to your spaces.
Uniform light distribution is key to avoiding dim spots and overly bright areas that can cause glare and discomfort. Consider the spread and intensity of each light source, including the height and angle of installation. Tools like photometric studies can help visualize how light will behave in a space, allowing you to make adjustments before the fixtures are permanently installed.
Creating an optimal lighting layout plan ensures each design choice maximizes aesthetic appeal and operational efficiency. Whether you're configuring a cozy residential space or a dynamic commercial environment, here are some lighting best practices that can help you achieve a perfect balance between beauty, functionality, and sustainability.
Industrial settings demand hardy, high-performance lighting solutions that ensure safety and enhance productivity. Opt for high-bay LEDs in warehouses and factories where vertical and horizontal illumination is crucial. Ensure that the lighting is uniformly distributed to eliminate shadows and reduce eye strain, which is vital for precision tasks and general safety.
Explore Industrial LightingCommercial spaces like retail stores and offices require lighting that performs efficiently and creates an inviting atmosphere for customers and employees. Implement layered lighting strategies that combine general, task, and accent lighting. Use automated lighting systems that adjust based on natural light availability and occupancy to improve energy efficiency and comfort.
Explore Commercial LED Light ApplicationsIn industrial and commercial environments, energy efficiency is essential for reducing operational costs and supporting sustainability goals. Choose energy-efficient fixtures with high lumens per watt output and integrate smart controls such as daylight sensors and timers to minimize energy waste. These practices comply with energy regulations and contribute to a substantial reduction in energy costs over time.
Designing an effective lighting layout is both an art and a science. Various tools and techniques make the task more precise.
Photometric Analysis Tools: These tools can simulate various scenarios and provide detailed insights into light distribution, intensity, and potential shadow areas, helping you make informed decisions about fixture placement and selection.
Lighting Design Software: Professional lighting design software programs allow you to create detailed scale models of your lighting plans, incorporating elements like fixture types, the layout of the space, and the impact of natural light.
Expert Consultation: Take advantage of Revolve LED's experienced lighting consultants, who can help you select appropriate fixtures and help design free lighting layouts for your projects. Their expertise in industrial and commercial lighting solutions ensures that your lighting plan is optimized for energy efficiency, comfort, and functionality.
Creating a detailed lighting plan also helps in determining how many lights you need for optimal illumination. By assessing factors such as room dimensions, ceiling height, and the specific tasks performed in each area, a lighting plan ensures that every space is adequately lit without excess, reducing energy consumption and cost.
Revolve LED provides solid-state lighting solutions for end users, contractors, businesses, municipalities, and wholesale distributors. Enjoy free shipping on orders over $199!
Ready to illuminate your next project with precision and style? Request your free customized commercial lighting layout design from Revolve LED. Explore our innovative lighting solutions tailor-made to your industrial and commercial needs. Whether you're planning a new installation or upgrading an existing system, our experts are here to help you every step of the way. Let's do this right!
Request Your Commercial Lighting LayoutBelow, we've answered some common questions about lighting layout design. Please contact us for additional information.
Layering lighting involves combining various types of lighting – task, ambient, and accent lighting – to create a functional and versatile space. Start with ambient lighting to provide the base layer of illumination, add task lighting where specific activities require focused light, and create an accent lighting layout to highlight architectural features or important areas.
To minimize glare and shadows, position light fixtures to ensure that light is directed toward the task areas, not in the user's eyes. Use diffusers on fixtures where possible, and consider the angle and placement relative to reflective surfaces. Proper spacing of light sources can also help distribute light evenly and reduce harsh shadows.
The right brightness level depends on the room's function. For workspaces, aim for higher brightness levels to enhance productivity and reduce eye strain. In more relaxed environments, softer lighting can create a calming atmosphere. Using dimmable lights and controls allows you to adjust the brightness for different activities and times of the day.
Yes, LED shop lights are more energy-efficient and have longer lifespans than traditional bulbs, meaning lower energy bills and fewer replacements.
One of the best perks of LED lights is their low maintenance needs. Routine checks and occasional cleaning are typically all that's necessary to ensure optimal performance, allowing you to focus more on the game and less on upkeep.
We spend a lot of time singing the praises of LED strip lights here at HitLights (and we know you are fans, too!) As easy, convenient, functional, and attractive as our high-quality, safe LED strips are, there are some mistakes that can be made when selecting and installing these awesome lights. To help keep you out of trouble and keep a smile on your face as you complete your LED strip light projects, we’re going to shed some light on the five most common mistakes people make when it comes to LED strip lights and give you some helpful practical tips to either fix your missteps or avoid problems altogether. Ready to stay on the straight and narrow for your next LED strip light installation? Here are five common LED lighting mistakes (and what you can do about them.)
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Link to Optilux
The saying for real estate is location, location, location. The saying for LED strip lights should be function, function, function. There isn’t just one variety of LED strip light! Thank goodness for that because having a wide variety of LED strip lights means that you can selectively choose an LED strip light to perform the exact function you need. Do you need an accent light? There’s an LED strip light for that. Want task lighting? There’s an LED for that. Need room filling light? Sure, LED strips can do that. The mistake happens when LED strip lights are picked as if there is no difference from one strip to another.
To avoid this common LED strip light pitfall, make sure you first know what you expect the LED strip light to do in any room. Some quick questions to ask yourself include:
Knowing the answer to each of the above will set the baseline of the function of your LED strip light and help you pick the LED strip just right for you.
Function tips for picking LED strip lights from HitLights:
Not sure or need some help selecting your LED strip lights? You can reach out to our Tech Support and talk through your project.
Color options are abundant when it comes to LED strip lights. When LEDs first hit the scene, the very fact that LED strip lights could—wow!—change color was one of the many qualities that made LED strip lights novel and unique.
Before we get too deep into talking about color, we need to define some terms. There’s color and there’s color temperature. Some LED strip lights offer a rainbow of colors— picking either from an RGB (red green blue) palate of preprogrammed colors or choosing from (literally) millions of colors that you program yourself.
Some LED strip lights are white lights, but white as based on a color temperature scale (think: a range of color, brightness, and tone that scales from candlelight to bright outdoor sunlight.) Both of these terms are offered to illustrate that there are a lot of choices when it comes to the color options of your LED strip lights.
Color mistakes happen when the tone either misses the mark (the mood or ambiance is wrong) or doesn’t compliment the room or—we hate to say it—looks tacky or basic instead of stylish and enhancing.
Keep you colors in the good zone with a couple of practical tips, starting with white lights. Match the color temperature throughout a room or area (for example, if you are using warm white LED strip lights, make sure all the strips and bulbs are all warm white. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: mismatched tones of white LED strips are the quickest way to a major LED lighting mistake!)
Select the white color temperature that conveys the mood of the room: ethereal to radiant, the color temperature of your white LED strip lights can heavily influence how the room feels.
When you would like a little more rainbow than white, some mistakes include displaying clashing colors or relying too heavily on primary colors and not exploring shades. If you are using LED strip lights to show off event colors or brand colors (or team colors, let’s gooo!), consider lights where you program an exact color, choosing from more than 16 million possible color variations. The HitLights Premium Luma10 RGB Multi-Color High-Density LED strip light is a great choice.
Now that you are able to avoid color and color temperature mistakes, let’s see what other bright ideas we have about common LED strip light mistakes (and what to do about them.)
One good thing about all the LED strip lights from HitLights are that they are dimmable, allowing you to choose the brightness of your lights at any given moment. However, sometimes you want more light output than other times. This is where the mistake can happen: if the maximum brightness of your strips doesn’t give you all the light you want, no amount of dimming is going to help you be satisfied with your lights. A good rule of thumb is to install LED strip lights capable of delivering the maximum light output for the light style you select. In other words, don’t underestimate the maximum light output you may ever need for a particular installation.
An easy way to max the output of any LED strip light is to look at any of the HitLights high-density light strips (more light producing diodes per feet); any of the HitLights 24volt light strips (more juice means more light output); or if you want to experience some of the brightest of the bright in our catalog, take a look at our impressive Premium Luma20 () LED Light Strip in High Density.
As you make your pick, remember that you can always dim a HitLights strip, all the way down until dark; but the brightest an LED strip light can go is like a ceiling: once you hit it, you’re at the top. Don’t make the mistake of setting your “brightness ceiling” too low.
Ugly is ugly, no getting around ugly. Do not let your LED strip light installations get ugly! What do we mean by ugly? Drooping strips, strips poking out when they’re supposed to be invisible, strips twisted into loops to turn corners (instead of using easy and convenient connectors), strips that are laid into place instead of mounted into place with proper tape (oh yes—we’ve seen it), or (big oof) LED strips push pinned to the wall as if everyone isn’t going to see that disaster of a kludge. Ugly!
We all know that part of the beauty of LED strip lights are the ease and simplicity of installation. Embrace the beauty of the convenience of LED strip lights by properly installing your lights. An easy way to avoid the mistake of an ugly installation is to make sure you have all the supplies you need to complete the installation when you start. Pick premium mounting tape whenever you can (like our genuine 3M premium mounting tape) and talk to our tech team if you need any guidance.
An insider tip we at HitLights love to share is all about time. Now, we love boasting about how quick it is to install our LED strip lights, but we also advise that you not rush it. We all know that mistakes can happen when we’re rushed—installing LED strip lights is no different. Take the time when installing to clean mounting surfaces; take the time to properly press strips; double check that contact has been made the whole length of the strip. Many of the droops, sags, and hangs can be avoided if you take your time during the original installation.
Want to avoid the ugliness but you don’t have the bandwidth right now to get it done? Don’t hesitate to call in a pro! Sometimes outside help is the better call as opposed to the job not getting done.
Do you see the start of a beautiful relationship? We do. We’re going to solidify our relationship by sharing the final LED strip light mistake that you can avoid.
We’ll cut to the chase: when you are installing more than one LED strip light, it’s wise to consider all the lights as a system. That is, once you are connecting multiple strips and expecting the strips to perform multiple functions, thought and planning is well spent on deciding:
This is where our team can be especially helpful and specifically help you not make any mistakes with your LED strip light system. We can help you assess all the ins and outs and offer you choices about things like dimming, switches, power and more. We know all the options so you can make an informed choice! Once you decide all those details, our team can make sure you get a complete order to make your project a success.
There are a lot of details to keep track of and sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. Let our experts help you get the accessories you need, steering clear of the mistake of overlooking the items that can help your LED strip light installation be all it can be.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Custom LED Lighting Solutions.
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