LED gets luxe

How a utility-based product is becoming a style statement, a mood creator, and an essential part of a home's identity

- SREYA DEB

A SIMPLE TUBELIGHT or bulb no longer makes the cut for the Indian consumer— they need the lighting to elevate the decor and aesthetic of the room, and complement the walls, flooring and furniture as well. From a utility-based product, lighting is now becoming a style statement, a mood creator, and an essential part of a home’s identity.

Consumers now prefer lighting to be an aspect of the aesthetic, and not simply an installation for the sake of utility. With this shift also comes a change in the kinds of lights being preferred, given that there is a large array of varieties available as well.

“Lighting has become a central element in interior design, not just a functional add-on,” says Raja Mukherjee, senior vice president and business unit head (lighting), Panasonic Electric Works India (PEWIN), Panasonic Life Solutions India. Customers now allocate 10-15% of their interior budget to lighting, compared to 3-5% a decade ago. “It’s seen as a mood-setter and a style statement, especially in living and entertainment areas.”

A shift in taste

Designer light studios share that this ‘upgrade’ in lighting preferences is widespread and comes as a pleasant surprise from the Indian customer base given that such decor items were largely preferred from global brands, rather than from Indian companies.

Oorjaa, a Bengaluru-based lighting studio, recently launched a joint collection with Godrej Labs called Nexus, which features sustainably designed and handmade lights. “We’ve seen a huge rise in clients who are moving away from mass-produced products. They are actively seeking pieces with a story, which is precisely what we offer with our materials like banana fibre, faux concrete, lantana, and upcycled cork,” says Jenny Pinto, founder of Oorjaa.