Choosing the Right Elevator Accessories to Level Up Your Image
It’s not surprising that the interior of an elevator is an often-overlooked aspect of corporate identity. More than just a transportation tool, the elevator is where customers register their first impressions between walking through the front doors and entering your office. By leveling up your elevator with these simple accessories, you can significantly enhance the look and feel of your brand to ensure a perfect first impression, every time.
Choosing the Right Elevator Accessories to LEVEL UP Your Image
Protection Pads
Mirrors
Handrails
Light Diffusers
Voice Output
Doors and Frames
Read on to find out how these accessories can be used to create a smoother elevator ride for every passenger.
Make Your Passengers Feel Safe: Handrails
To ensure everyone feels comfortable inside a moving elevator, including passengers with accessibility needs or other medical conditions, the presence of handrails can provide extra safety at all times. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers requires all elevator handrails to be installed 32” above the floor in order to securely support passengers should they begin to lose their balance.
Handrails also provide an additional layer of protection for your elevator by creating a boundary between the walls and hard objects such as backpacks, baggage, or trolleys.
In terms of design, handrails can be installed straight or returned. Returned handrails curve back toward the wall and lessen the chances of catching loose objects such as bag loops, jackets, and more. Available in a variety of sizes and finishes, handrails can also be backlit for a more elegant touch.
Keep Your Elevators Shiny and Scratch-Free: Protection Pads
The surrounding walls inside an elevator are the first things passengers will notice when they walk into the cabin, and there’s nothing that says “clean” more than a shiny and scratch-free interior. Rather than buffing out scratches and dents as they occur (and they do happen), plan ahead by putting up wall protection pads, especially when the elevator’s being used to transport large items and luggage. Some pads even come with sound-proofing features to minimize noise.
To hang the pads, simply attach the hooks to the top band of the elevator cab, located above the panel. After use, you can simply remove them to once again show off your perfectly scratch-free walls.
Take it one step further with customized wall protection pads: print your company name or logo and create a branded aesthetic even when your walls are covered.
Build the Right Ambiance: Light Diffusers
Every interior decorator takes lighting into heavy consideration, especially when creating an enclosed space. Harsh lighting in an elevator can turn even the most carefully designed cabins into an unpleasant environment. By installing diffusers on your lights, you can flood the cabin with warmth and ambiance to create the welcoming atmosphere that your passengers deserve.
Also known as light covers, diffusers can soften harsh or overly bright lights to reduce the unpleasant glare produced by fluorescent lights. Additionally, with a diffuser, your lights can cover a larger area and reduce electricity consumption for a greener and more cost-efficient elevator setup.
When choosing your ceiling light panels, make sure that they meet the requirements as determined by National Fire Codes. For instance, light fittings in elevators must be covered with non-flammable materials. Materials such as acrylic panels and plastic louvers will not meet the code requirements due to their burn rates.
Another thing to keep in mind while choosing a bulb is the light’s color temperature. How bright do you prefer your whites to be? What do you envision the lights on your elevator ceiling to look like? If so, what kind of special effects are you searching for?
For instance, to get a halo effect on the ceiling, consider installing a perimeter/cove, pot light ceiling, floating ceiling, downlights, or a suspended ceiling fixture in the cabin.
Create a More Spacious and Enjoyable Ride: Mirrors
On top of allowing passengers to fix their hair and ties, placing mirrors inside the elevator cabin can contribute to a number of other benefits.
Thanks to their optical illusions, mirrors can significantly relieve claustrophobic feelings and ensure a more comfortable ride for everyone. Additionally, by providing a clear view from every angle, they add an extra level of accessibility for those who need to see and handle parts of their wheelchairs.
Finally, when paired with other design elements such as plastic lamination or stainless steel panels, the shine on mirrors can add luxuriousness inside elevator cabins for an aesthetically-pleasing ride
Add Style to Your Lobby and Floors: Doors and Frames
Most of this article has discussed the importance of using elevator accessories to enhance cabin interiors. However, one of the first things that a passenger will notice is the design of your elevator exteriors from the lobby or from a specific floor.
To revamp the look and feel of your elevators from the outside, try recladding doors and door frames for a cost-efficient and instant upgrade. This involves adding a new covering over your current doors and frames, and can range in pattern, colours, finishes, and material. Among the most popular kinds of finishes are decorative sheet metals, bespoke etched designs and graphics, and brand-name door skins.
In addition to durability, elevator door skins can also be easily removed for a thorough cleaning to keep the exteriors looking fresh and new. With an array of door wraps and skins available today, businesses that frequently invite customers to visit their workplaces can use elevator exteriors to consolidate their brand image using company palettes and visuals.
Use Technology to Increase Accessibility: Voice Output
Along with braille labels, voice output features are an essential part of elevator accessibility that allow passengers to recognize when and where they’re exiting the elevator. By implementing a voice output that announces floor numbers and door actions, you can ensure that every passenger will have no barriers to using the elevator safely and accurately.
Ready to Take Your Elevator to the Next Level?
Whether you’re looking to revamp, renovate, or completely modernize your elevators, choosing the right accessories requires thorough planning. No matter your tastes or timeline, K-Elevator’s experts are trained to help speed up the process and ensure you’re making the right decisions for your business.
Above all, our experts emphasize the importance of aesthetics coupled with practicality and durability, giving you an elevator setup that speaks to your vision and enhances your image. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can uplift your elevator journey.
