Lighting: A tool to enhance our mood and interiors

From being a metaphor for inspirational stories to design, light, traverses the pages of holy literature and illuminates minds and homes alike

The connotation of light is different across different cultures for a light designer its meaning remains entrenched in the individual perception they carry Jiri Krisica – Head of Design, Sans Souci says “For me light is indispensable. Since I work in the lighting industry, it is amazing what I can create with light thanks to modern technologies. Also, each component is a design element, while considering how light behaves. This is why, for me light is a tool to create art, ambience and experience. I like to play with modern technologies, where I can change the light based on your mood, temperature in the room or music. I always consider how it will look during daylight and at night. You have to be careful when combining different colours. Match the colour of light and colours of glass, so they can work together.” 

For Sochi light is a tool to create magic which revs up the interiors. Avni Sejpal, Design Head at Studio Avni on the other hand points out light is a metaphor for multiple narratives or stories we have grown up listening to and its impact in a given space perhaps is testimony to its qualities she says “Light is a very powerful element. Apart from the philosophical connotations, light is also used as a literal and metaphorical symbol across culture around the world. When it comes to spaces, lighting has the potential of transforming a space.  It can reflect your personality and turn your house into a home.  Light also affects us emotionally. This is what interests me the most. Exploring this quality is very exciting. Lighting has the ability to enhance our mood, if done right. Brighter lighting can create stronger emotions, and a sense of energy, while dimmer lights can have a calming effect. The effects of light on productivity and visibility can indirectly influence the mood of a room by the emphasis it puts on certain design elements. A poorly lit room may appear dull, cramped, or unwelcoming, and a poorly lit pathway may appear unsafe or unwelcoming. Any space with harsh or flickering lighting can weigh you down and make one feel stressed.” 

Enchanted by light
The Indian affiliation with light begins with lanterns and chandeliers and goes upto the modern-day lighting products which are made available in contemporary times. Jiri Krisica points out “In India the demand for contemporary lighting is growing. Classical chandeliers, on the other hand, are part of local culture defined by luxury lifestyle passed from one generation to the next one. The trends are changing slightly for each generation. The focus has now shifted to sustainability, wellbeing and smart technologies. Keeping this in mind we offer collections inspired by nature, creating beautiful organic designs while still being luxurious.  We also play with colours in gold and silver and bring metallic effects which allows us to be luxurious yet contemporary and environmentally friendly. India also has demand for different colours. For example, our AIRY collection, which comprises handmade feathers in different shapes, has been developed in black, green or turquoise colours for India, while usually we sell it in warm colours such as crystal, amber or gold.” 

Dhara Shroff – Promoter, Tessera India believes lighting planning and placement is a pretty underrated activity, but it can make a big difference in the appearance of a home, she adds “Indians prefer their homes to be moderately lit (except entertainment spaces). Chandeliers are preferred predominantly for ambient lighting and best used in living rooms and bedrooms. Pendant lighting is generally used for task lighting. They hang from the ceiling and work best over countertops or any other working area whereas track lighting fixtures are pretty versatile, and you can move individual lamps to point in the direction of your choice.”

The Light Designer
The more projects a light designer has worked on across the whole property spectrum, from hotels to homes, the more they’ll be able to work with the light to create the look the client is aiming for.Dhara points out “A good lighting designer will ensure your project is a real success. With an eye for detail and the smallest changes to the colour, angle or size of a bespoke chandelier, spotlight set or statement lamp a designer can set or alter the quality of light it emits. Understanding how light responds to these changes takes time, so it’s important the light designer or lighting design agency has an extensive experience in bespoke lighting for a range of interior and exterior projects.
Adding to this discussion Avni opines “The key is to understanding the purpose of that room before one chooses what light to use. One should also discuss ‘colour rendering’ with an Interior designer or a lighting specialist where the accuracy of the color is important for functional spaces like task lighting for kitchen, applying make-up in the morning to aesthetic reasons such as when lighting a room with distinctive colors or artwork. All of these have very different and specific lighting requirement that can make or break a space.  Without good lighting, the impact of the other interior elements like wall covering, flooring, and furnishings, will be lost.”  

Jiri affirms achieving the right degree of lighting and ambience is not a one-man job. “It is a task for a team of experts. It starts with architects who design the building and interior designers, fitting companies and experts specialized in different solutions and materials. The lighting solution includes practical lighting and designs that complement the overall aesthetic of the space. We work closely with all experts. For us, the celling height, the size of the room and the materials used in it are key factors. We work with decorative lighting and technical lighting, selecting the light source and assisting with the installation to ensure the client is comfortable and everything functions perfectly. The pleasant part is to work on the design to make customer feel happy and be surrounded by the luxury environment he desired for.” 

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