Shining cool & bright

Published in the Express Properties, a special supplement, 2006

By Francis P Barclay

GONE are the days of giant and pricey chandeliers that enjoyed an imperative place in every opulent household. Now people are looking for futuristic lighting. Interior lighting has taken a new shape in the contemporary lifestyle.
When it comes to lighting, people look beyond its primary purpose and there are sufficient outlets in Coimbatore that can provide them what they yearn for.
In olden days, the size of the chandeliers was considered to be the mark of royalty. But that trend is no more prevalent. A few more aspects are also looked into decorative lighting.
Chandeliers come in a plethora of shapes and sizes. From expensive metals to precious stones to equally sparkling glass, different materials are used to make chandeliers. Modern chandeliers are sleek and ornate with abstract designs. Although they are not found in a mass scale, chandeliers still continue to adorn modern homes. The shapes and sizes of chandeliers have adapted to the looks of the modern interiors.
Structurally, chandeliers are much heavier than other ceiling light fixtures. Some even need special attachments to the ceiling and specially reinforced ceilings.
The manager of a showroom on the Avinashi Road says: ``Most of the decorative lightings for the city come from countries like Austria and Egypt.''
Earlier, brass was used to make lighting fixtures but the metal soon turned dull. Manufacturers now prefer aluminium and its alloys.
He feels that plenary awareness on lighting is still lacking among the Coimbatoreans when compared to residents in metros.
Modern chandeliers are two to three feet tall and do not need a high ceiling to get them fixed. Customers like Raghuram come asking for lighting fixtures that are the latest and unique in style. Indeed, the trend is changing and lighting is an area where innovations could be endless. But many others have clear views about the shapes and designs of lamps they want to go in for.
Most people go in for cost-effective lighting and restrict it to open bulbs and tubes and there are good Indian brands available. It is a general notion that decorative lighting is expensive and people tend to generally spend
less on it. The showroom manager rejects this notion. He says that if they are ready to spare just one percent of what they spend on building their house, that meagre share would enrich the look of their houses in toto.
People mostly prefer embedded fixtures or the chic and futuristic lightings to huge ones. Yet when the room is filled with antiques, one is naturally tempted to go in for traditional models.
A noted city-based environmentalist says she uses concealed and embedded fixtures to light up her home. She uses energy savers too, i.e. low watt bulbs, and dimmers, to save power.
Chandeliers are quoted at from Rs 4,000, while the price of table lamps starts from Rs 500. Ceiling and wall fixtures are much cheaper.