Signature decorative lighting: Flos, Artemide, office scenography
At the workstation, aim for 500 lux of illuminance, a UGR below 19 to limit glare and a CRI above 90 for decorative zones where colour rendering matters.
You invest 80 to 180 € excl. VAT/m² in a lighting signature, and at handover you discover that your Flos pendants deliver 80 lux at floor level when the standard requires 500 lux at the workstation. Across 35 head offices delivered since 2020, Kytom has measured this confusion on 13 floors: the scenographic signature was sized as a functional package, leaving the workstation under-lit. We take charge of the dual lighting layer, signature and functional, with 8 to 15 decorative light points per 850 m² floor, a dedicated lead lighting designer and 4 to 6 approved suppliers (Flos, Artemide, Vibia, Foscarini, Louis Poulsen). Our framework relies on NF EN 12464-1:2021 (500 lux at the workstation, UGR < 19, CRI > 90 in decorative zones) and anticipates the regulatory trajectory applicable to the office property stock, namely a 40% reduction in energy consumption by 2030, 50% by 2040 and 60% by 2050 compared to the reference for the 2010 decade, through systematic DALI or Casambi dimming. Delivery in 12 weeks, a method proven since 2006. Here is how we separate the image layer from the performance layer, and how you benefit across four measurable indicators.
The regulatory framework
Lighting accounts for 11 to 16% of the electricity consumption of an office building. A dimmable LED installation reduces this share by 30 to 50% compared to fluorescent, with an efficiency of 80 to 130 lm/W. The office sector regulatory trajectory imposes a substantial reduction in final energy consumption by 2030, which makes DALI or Casambi dimming a compliance prerequisite rather than a comfort option.
Your measured gains
Image, comfort, savings, asset value: four measurable benefits
Our recent projects illustrate four converging benefits on the head offices delivered since 2020. The scenographic reception area strengthens the employer brand, regularly featuring in client press kits. Perceived comfort improves, with lighting ranking among the top criteria cited by office employees. The dimmable decorative LED mix significantly reduces lighting consumption, by around 35 to 45%. Finally, in premium office space, the triptych of environment, operation and well-being covers the full set of requirements, with CRI > 90 lighting and DALI management enhancing several distinct credits in certification frameworks. On an 850 m² floor, the additional cost represents 80 to 180 € excl. VAT/m², amortised over 5 to 7 years.
When not to go for it
Floors < 250 m², short leases, dense open space: our limits
Signature decorative lighting is not justified everywhere, and we prefer to tell you so before the study.
Below 250 m² of floor area, the ratio of 8 to 15 signature light points becomes marginal and loses its scenographic effect. On short leases under 3 years, the return on investment of signature lighting generally proves incompatible with the occupancy period, and the investment is not recovered. On industrial sites, in dense open space above 12 workstations per 100 m² or on a call centre floor, a uniform direct/indirect functional lighting at 500 lux is sufficient. Scenography creates counterproductive contrasts on screens and degrades the measured UGR.
Projects with a lead time under 6 weeks, urgent relocations or micro-fit-outs of less than 150 m² switch to a catalogue selection of 2 to 4 standard references, without a dedicated DIALux study: photometric diagnosis and the night visit become disproportionate. Below 6 identifiable scenographic zones, the 3-universe moodboard step gives way to a binary choice of pendant or wall light on a single board. In these configurations, Kytom steers towards the pure functional lighting package, shorter, less costly, and photometrically more relevant for your uses.
Method
- Photometric diagnosis
Survey of ceiling heights (2.50 to 3.20 m on average in office space), analysis of daytime solar gain, mapping of screens and workstations. Identification of 6 to 10 priority scenographic zones (reception, meeting rooms, informal spaces). This step determines the relevance of signature pendants and rules out configurations where decorative lighting would be oversized. - Moodboard and brand selection
Three universes proposed to the client with cross-references from Flos (Aim, IC Lights), Artemide (Tolomeo, Discovery), Vibia (Wireflow, Flamingo), Foscarini and French brands. Client decision to be closed by week 5 at the latest to secure the supplier delivery schedule (4 to 14 weeks depending on Italian and Spanish brands). - DIALux studies and NF compliance
DIALux calculations validating 300 to 500 functional lux, CRI above 90 in decorative zones, UGR below 19 at workstations equipped with screens. Choice of 230 V or 48 V low-voltage power supply depending on the pendants. The signed calculation serves as detailed design justification in case of a handover dispute. - Technical integration
Coordination with the power/low-current package, suspended ceiling drilling, DALI or Casambi wiring for controlled dimming. Preparation for the regulatory trajectory of -40% final energy consumption by 2030: dimming determines medium-term compliance. - Scenographic adjustment
Night visit on the delivered site, adjustment of intensities per scene (daytime reception, evening reception, meeting, event). Four scenes set on average per floor, documented deliverables transferred to the operator for autonomous management.
Frequently asked questions
Which brands does Kytom incorporate in the signature layer?
We work with 4 to 6 approved suppliers selected on LED lifespan (25,000 to 50,000 hours), CRI > 90 and DALI or Casambi compatibility: Flos (Aim, IC Lights, Arrangements), Artemide (Tolomeo, Discovery, Mercury), Vibia (Wireflow, Flamingo, Match), Foscarini, Louis Poulsen, supplemented by French brands according to the approved moodboard. Delivery times generally range from 4 to 14 weeks depending on the brand, which requires a firm order from week 4 of the project schedule.
