Whether it is a commercial or private art gallery, there are several design issues that must be taken into consideration as it will usually affect the eventual outcome of the displays and items on show. This is because unlike other common spaces, you need to be more aware of the surroundings so that the items on display do not get damaged because of hidden factors like lighting and air humidity.
Display Items
– The first factor that will ultimately affect all other issues is what you are displaying in the art gallery. This must be considered in terms of whether you are displaying paintings and drawings or the more 3-dimensional art pieces like sculptures and installation art works.
Lighting Effects
– The issue of lighting is one which is very tricky. You do not want the type of lighting which can damage a painting. As such, you need to consider using reliable lighting modules like LED Track lights which can be mounted onto the ceiling and then projecting the illumination from a distance onto the painting. However, if you are planning to showcase sculptures which are more 3-dimensional, then downlights might suffice. It would be most appropriate to use lights that project warm white shades as it does not alter the view of the audience in terms of coloring and blending.
Type of Flooring
– The type of flooring that must be considered for art galleries is those that do not reflect too much light. In most cases, a lot of art galleries usually adopt hard-wood floors as they absorb light quicker and do not reflect too much light. This is because floor that are too bright or glaring could bounce the light back into the space, causing a lot of imbalance which could be damaging in the long-run.
Air humidity
– The surrounding temperature of the art gallery must be seriously considered. In this context, air-conditioning would be most suitable although it must not be too extreme. In terms of air humidity, it must not be too high as it encourages the growth of mold on the canvas or paper which can detriment the condition of the painting. Furthermore, when the temperature is too high, it can cause other effects like cracks and even changing the tone of the art work. This can be avoided by using an air humidifier which will regulate the air and its contents. Meanwhile, temperature can be controlled by the air-conditioning system which should not be more than 21 degrees Celsius.