The Wharf Shed Restaurant in Geelong Water Front is fine dining at it’s best. The recently refurbished Wharf Shed Water Front Building had a tight pre-Christmas schedule in a challenging heritage building. Bluelab’s Penny Altman needed to create the perfect lighting balance conducive to fine dining. Dark restaurants tend for dim lighting to create a romantic atmosphere but menus are hard to read in the dark and the dining experience cannot be fully appreciated. All to often restaurants opt for a bright restaurant using LED Down lights to “highlight the diner”. The problem being – diner do not like to be a high light when privately dining – over illuminating diners causes discomfort. Downlights predominately have a narrow beam spread and are a source of glare, creating a great deal of discomfort for patrons and essentially deny a great experience. When we step out with friends and family to a restaurant, often we will put more effort into our presentation – Hair, Make up, a new outfit, a close shave? Downlights have an unflattering effect on our face and bodies causing downward shadows, resulting in a drained menacing look. With all the effort applying the right make up to highlight, uplift, plump only to sit under a down light or worse – a track lighting system.
The original low level beams hold the history through the second floor were the perfect opportunity to create ambience through indirect lighting. Glass pendant lighting creates the ambient glowing downward lighting to contrast. Penny explains “When I use indirect lighting, I like to use cool white to give a sense of height through the ceiling. Black Milk, the interior Designers on the project had a cool pallet, which complimented uplighting.” When Interior designers choose paints for interiors – warm colours enclose and cool colours will give a sense of expanse. Contrast downward lighting will soften the space offering a warm glow.
Indirect lighting has the added bonus of even illumination and low glare perfect for dining. Restaurants are places where diners are encouraged to linger. Good illumination with little glare will create the perfect dining ambience needed for diners to enjoy their experience entirely.
Marcelleria’s bar is bright an inviting with a Truss “T90” lime washed 3m long LED pendant. The Truss pendant offers great lighting for staff to work under as well as highlighting the beverages on offer. The Truss range is manufactured in Geelong Victoria. The Truss range boasts the high quality of manufacturing that Australia has on offer. The passage wall lighting being a part of the Truss range.
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