STOÃ Furniture Store, Naples, Italy

Interior designs take on a whole new life when accentuated with architectural effect lighting. Just ask luxury furniture store STOÃ in Naples who has created attractive looking product display areas using effects from Martin MAC luminaries.

STOÃ furniture store, specializing in Frau leather and contemporary designed furnishings, wanted an interior illumination enhancement that was unique and eye-catching yet tasteful and stylish, something to match the distinctive look of the furnishings themselves.

Lighting Designer Gino Passarella was commissioned to create the makeover for the Naples STOÃ outlet, one of Naples’ top specialty furniture stores, with a possible lighting enhancement in the making for other STOÃ stores as well. He chose Martin MAC 250 profile spots, MAC 300 wash lights and MAC 600 wash lights for the job.

"Initially I was hesitant in using Martin intelligent lights for this application, as I thought that they were over-dimensioned for the job," comments Gino. "I normally use them in entertainment environments, where they are a perfect solution. But then the STOÃ shop-owner insisted on something real exclusive and that no-compromise was acceptable in getting the most exciting lighting. Well, if it’s a matter of creating excitement, effect lighting is the best solution. I placed two MAC 600s in the shop window strictly for purposes of attraction. It is really a nice looking effect for the people out in the street. I have noticed it myself. They are very attracted by the glowing colorful light and are then willing to come inside!"

Passarella makes a few intelligent lights feel like many. Six MAC 250s are used to project textured pattern across the walls and furniture display areas. On the ceiling above individual furnishing departments, for example in the kitchen display area, texture is given to the ceiling above countertops with a projection of yellow pattern while gobos glide across the furnishings themselves. Gino uses the MAC 250’s 3-facet prism to add unique effects to the gobo projections, and because space was somewhat limited, he gets everything he can out of the pan and tilt functions.

Still, the major idea was to highlight the products themselves, setting the focus on the furnishings so that they get noticed. Although MAC 300 color changers are used in the bedroom display area to add color shade to the entire area, it is the beds themselves that are the focus of attention as bed coverings routinely change color creating a different mood with each color change.

A Martin ProScenium, a multimedia DMX-512 lighting control package, controls the automated lighting. Lighting installer was Acoustic Works of Italy.

Martin’s Sales and Marketing Director Pio Nahum, who also heads Martin Italy, had this to say about the STOÃ installation. "STOÃ is a very good example of how intelligent lighting is becoming more accepted and useful in commercial applications. It is still an exclusive solution, and rather expensive. Therefore it is specified in very exclusive shops where "image" and quality perception is important or where you want to create an exciting experience for shoppers. This market may be limited, but I believe we are seeing only a tip of the iceberg. This is a new trend and an emerging demand on the part of retailers, which we can exploit, and nurture. It all depends on our ability to make potential customers aware of our technology and of designing products that are specifically conceived for this new market".