Here is a simple, but nicely executed, star field panel set above a row of back-washers at KW Hairdressing in Heaton, Bolton.

After some discussion with Starscape, installer DH decided to put fibre optic stars in a high-gloss black Foamalux panel.

The Foamalux is a fire-rated foamed pvc product which is relatively light and very easy to work with – it will cut with a Stanley knife, for instance.

It’s available in a range of colours and finishes, so there’s no need to paint, although a stiffening frame of black-painted timber has been used, both for rigidity and to give the panel a bit more depth.

You can see a similar Foamalux panel in Customer Project 6, although in that case a much higher star density was used.

In the Hair Salon the halogen light source has been located in the ceiling space adjacent to the panel – see the access hatch to allow for bulb change etc. Fortunately, there was just enough space in the ceiling void (15 cm) to accommodate the compact light source.

Locating the light source next to the panel meant that the fibre runs were short and the overall cost of the project very modest.