Specialty-food store Grace in the Kitchen takes its lighting as seriously as its cheese. Resting in the suburb of Kanata in Ontario, Canada, the warehouse-turned-shop is a sophisticated spot to find high-quality meats, cheeses, chocolates, bakeware, knives and all manner of kitchen gadgets for the at-home chef. Ottawa-based Parallel 45 Design Group Ltd. was hired to set the scene: a neutral space that wouldn’t overshadow the flashy merchandise itself.
The illusion of a “false ceiling” for a more intimate shopping experience was created through the strategic placement of general-illumination luminaires. The black pendants are dropped to 16 ft from the 20-ft industrial ceilings and “enclose” the space.
Two sizes of acoustic pendants are suspended above the gourmet-food counter and frontend cash registers. Each felted fixture provides evenly diffused downlight and traps sound within its hollow column. Bright red luminaires support the company’s branding and add visual interest, directing guests to seek out different areas of the store.
Multiple Henri pendants throughout the store provide general illumination and a sleek aesthetic. Delaney Leefe, intern interior designer at Parallel 45, said the pendants’ high output made them an ideal selection, as “the owner was able to set up merchandise shelves however he wished and was not beholden to the placement of the pendants above.”
Pictures by David Matthiessen