customlightingmelbourne

Day 1
London

My search for the perfect light started my London, United Kingdom.

There are some definite trends to note, feature lighting is vogue and a must have. Every cafe, restaurant and retail stores has at least one feature chandelier, pendant or installation.

Cafe’s and restaurants are sticking with Traditional lighting such as Murano Glass or Crystal Chandeliers.

Where as retail tends to be more contemporary, quirky and custom made. Melting white chandeliers, clustered glass and large LED recessed spirals that illuminate crystal strands falling from the ceiling to the floor.

Lighting shops tend to be either Traditional or Modern, rather than an eclectic mix of both. traditional lighting stores demonstrate the ‘more is more’ rule. Crystal Lighting, Lanterns and chandeliers seem overwhelming, almost as if the showroom is bursting at its seems and crying for breathing space.

Modern lighting stores are designed for the lovers of minimalism, pieces are merchandised into clusters, families and designers.

It is only my first day in london and I have seen some beautiful lighting, but I am still yet to be blown away.

Tomorrow the search continues.

My search for the perfect light – by Sean Young

Day 2

When it comes to London and modern interior design, pop culture has exploded. Vivid loud Colours, Contemporary artwork, Scandinavian furniture and of course Colour changing lighting. LED panels line the floors, wall and ceiling. Extra large ceiling recesses
illuminated with LED, Lighting reflects not only the modernist within but your mood as well.

Day 3

Industrial Revolution.

Strip back the paint, tear the plaster off the wall so all your left with is bare concrete walls exposed conduit and heavy metal ducts. Now stand back see the raw elements and observe its beauty. Look into the pours of the concrete, the depth of the metal and the freedom of the conduit… Now you get the idea. The concept that less is more is so paramount. Why stretch fabric over a wire frame when you can just have a wire frame. Why hand blow glass when a bare lamp/bulb is enough. In an age of consumerism the simplicity of this idea, to have only what is needed is somewhat refreshing.

Day 4

Art = Efficient.

Exhibiting at the Tate Gallery London, revolutionary Portuguese artist Pedro Cabrita Reis has produced ‘States of Flux’ a piece that illustrates the artwork of Saving energy.

Being Eco aware is not a choice anymore it is part of our daily lifestyles. The race is on for all lighting houses to provide not only designer lighting, but efficient lighting. Merging the finest quality materials with the latest in Energy Saving technology to produce energy-chic lighting.

Day 5

Last Full day in London, and boy was it a full day.

From the Marble Arch to London Bridge, from London Bridge to the Tate Gallery and from Tate to the Eye. With all the visual splendors that London has to offer who would have thought this illuminated art under one of the many bridges would inspire me to share its unique character.

Day 6

Budapest, Hungary

After a short flight from London I arrived in the picturesque Budapest. It was night so there was not much to see except the stunning buildings perched on the side of Buda. I decided to take a short stroll along the Danube River, the night was mild for this early spring. The restaurants were buzzing with fellow tourists and locals alike. The wonderfully historic Ottoman-esk Buildings were all alight with what I can only assume were either LED or Metal Halide. As couples walked hand in hand along the path I had to wonder, ‘is Budapest the next Paris’?.

Day 7

The concrete Genius,

Ok, I’m in my element. Budapest shares my love for all things concrete. With such trend setters as Ivanka and Litracon, Budapest seems to have hit the mark with concrete innovation.

http://ivanka.hu/

IVANKA Studio and Concrete Factory is a Budapest headquartered firm founded by Katalin Ivanka and Andras Ivanka in 2003. It’s endeavour is to create desire by envisaging distinctive designs and to execute them with the background of an organized technological drive. Their work is based on the versatile nature of CONCRETE – main material chosen for creative expression through discovering unexplored attributes

http://www.litracon.hu/

Litracon™ is an amazing, exciting architectural building material now available in Australia. It is light transmitting concrete made with 96% concrete and 4% optical glass fibres. It is already being specified on projects in Australia.

Litracon is concrete you can see light through. It’s made with 4% glass optical fibres and 96% concrete so it is light transmissive. The glass optical fibres allow light to pass through the concrete no matter how thick or thin it is. The pattern is random so you can get some amazing effects with coloured lights.

And here is some cool concrete lighting.

Day 8

Unashamedly Luxe

The thing about International Hotels is their appreciation for quality, the celebration of interior design and the love of texture and relentless opulence. When you first walk into The Marriott Budapest you notice the custom designed crystal treble clef dancing around the ceiling, its refusal to shy away from attention was neither subtle nor egotistic.

Scandinavian inspired furniture fills the foyer, cafe, bar and restaurant while strings of crystals hover over the bar illuminated discreetly from led strips. All creating an ambience almost as if the foundations of this impressive building had absorbed the energy and spirit from river banks of the Danube River.