The Art of Lighting

Lighting is a very important aspect of any home design; it’s a functional necessity that sets the overall mood and tone. Be it an elegant lampshade or a drop-dead gorgeous chandelier, the art of lighting can wondefully dress up your home. “Since the eye travels to the brightest thing in the room, the light décor and design will always be the centre of attention,” says Rajkumar Jain, Founder, Anemos Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd. "Lighting can enhance aesthetics and atmosphere into the home and individualise it. The design of the lighting fixture should easily integrate into the architecture of your home or any space to create a flattering ambience.  Proper lighting can highlight a room’s assets like furniture, paintings etc. and make a statement. At the same time, one needs to keep in mind the lighting effect, its application and the overall experience, shares Sumit Joshi, Marketing Head, Philips Lighting India.

Avatars of Light
“Art is a manifestation of creative thought. It can be expressed through various media and articulated in innumerable forms. Decorative light fittings are a form of art, born from the artist’s imagination,” says Mrinalini Ghadiok, editor of mondo*arc india and member of STIR (an NGO that promotes lighting as an art form).  

Pic Courtesy: Artichoke by Poul Henningsen

Be it Bohemian crystals or Murano glass, handcrafted lights always enhance the ambience of a home. “Lights in the form of glass chandeliers, Moroccan lamps and vintage lanterns adds a dramatic appeal to one’s space. Light installations make a bold style statement, especially when used to dress up plain and simple settings,” says Vivek Gupta, Founder, The Big Door.

Pic Courtesy: Anemos

According to interior designer Shantanu Garg, light designs and shapes are also an expression of art. “A cluster formation by the repetition of a single piece of light with heights being flexible is an artistic way to form an installation with lighting. Even  the materials used to create the light adds to the splendour; it can vary based on the colour, fabrication, light typology and glass used, etc.,” he says. 

Artists at work

Pic Courtesy: Anemos

Ghadiok points out that some of the most innovative lighting objects are the works of the best designers from across the world. Their creations are available in collections or limited editions, which bedecks the home. Like other art forms which increase in value with age, these unique light fittings also appreciate with time. “One should look out for new products and launches. Some of the limited-edition pieces carry a signature value. Be it the PH Artichoke by Poul Henningsen, which was manufactured by Louis Poulsen for Langelinie Pavillonen, a restaurant in Copenhagen or the classic table lamp from Anglepoise, these designs are highly valued light fittings, which are now included in museum exhibits,” she says. 

Trends and technologies

Pic Courtesy: Shantanu Garg Design

Ghadiok highlights the ‘interactive visual art’ phenomenon, in which a light can be dynamic in motion and colour and can respond to human interaction. Garg points out that experimenting with jewellery designs in the art of lighting has revolutionised the industry. She also emphasises on the demand for the use of blown glass to create the desired design. “Apart from LED technology and vintage statement pieces, we have clients looking for a blend of modern and  charming pieces like a traditional brass candlestand, marble candlestands and marble murals to hold tea lights as versatile options to add to their decor, as these pieces can be used in multiple settings in innovative ways,” states Gupta. For Sumit, "It is important to consider that if a light object is to last, it needs to be beautiful as well as technologically sound. Hence, from choice of materials to the manufacturing process, from product durability to product maintenance, everything needs to be checked properly. A long-lasting product offers better environmental compatibility and it outlives fashions".

So, for all of you who admire beauty and art, look no further than the flicker of a bespoke light to make a veritable statement!