Cooledge Lighting introduces FABRILum Indirect Lighting: The complete solution for the cave effect.

Open plan spaces that take advantage of FABRILum's combination of exceptional quality general illumination and superior acoustic performance may be susceptible to the "cave effect" in situations where the mounting height of the luminaires is substantially lower than the ceiling height.

The dark space above suspended luminaires may cause occupants to perceive that the ceiling is lower than it actually is, making the room feel more compressed and less open than the architecture intended. Instead of reinforcing the spacious quality that open plan design is meant to create, that shadowed ceiling plane can subtly work against it, reducing the sense of height, airiness, and visual comfort within the space.

Research confirms what designers observe: bright ceilings appear higher than dark ceilings, irrespective of ceiling color or the brightness of other room surfaces. That dark void doesn't just look unintended. It literally diminishes the perceived height of the space itself.

The solution: FABRILum Indirect Lighting Kits

Adding indirect illumination will eliminate the cave effect to deliver the complete immersive experience your design intended. FABRILum Indirect Lighting restores perceived spaciousness by bouncing ambient light off the ceiling above, completing what the architecture set out to achieve.

FABRILum Indirect Lighting:

• Restores perceived ceiling height and spaciousness
• Delivers the immersive illumination that defines FABRILum
• Preserves the acoustic performance you specified
• Works across all eight FABRILum sizes and shapes

Each kit pairs an aluminum extrusion (for clean, easy mounting) with a clear lens (simple to dust and maintain). It integrates seamlessly with every FABRILum configuration: rectangle, circle, and bullnose.

By extending illumination to the ceiling plane, FABRILum Indirect Lighting completes the spatial effect open plan environments are meant to deliver. You preserve the acoustic performance you specified, restore perceived height, and create a more seamless immersive experience that supports how the space is intended to feel.

For more information see full specifications here.