Jo Plismy, Lighting Designer at Gong, has had the pleasure of designing lights for hotels worldwide and has built a strong reputation for herself and her company within the international decorating community. She shares her thoughts on how to achieve a beautiful hotel lighting scheme that will work on both a practical and stylish level.
“Hotels are all about customer experience and lighting can really affect our mood so it is vital to spend the time to get it right” advises Jo. “A lighting scheme for a hotel requires many different types of light, some will be used to create the overall atmosphere, others will provide a functional level of general light and additional lights may be used for specific activities such as reading or close-up tasks like shaving or applying makeup. This means a design will usually involve the full lighting spectrum of floor and wall lights, ceiling pendants or chandeliers and table lamps too.
Jo continues, “It’s important to consider your surroundings when thinking about all aspects of interior design and this includes the lighting too. Consider the amount of natural light in the room and how it changes throughout the day. Lighting is great for creating a certain atmosphere and in a hotel restaurant for example, you may wish to create a very different feel for the breakfast and lunchtime sittings as opposed to the evening service. Of course, having dimmers can help with this.”
Where size in concerned Jo suggests, “My advice is to not be afraid to go big and bold with your lighting. Contrary to popular belief, oversized lights or lamps look fabulous in smaller rooms, as well as in larger spaces. I often advise my clients to see their lighting choices as pieces of art. Bold designs, tactile textiles and sculptural shapes will provide interest to an interior design scheme, even when the light is turned off.” A good example of this can be seen in The Gallivant Hotel in East Sussex. Interior Designer, Sigrid Cragoe, specified the Benitier Silk Ceiling Lamp to make a beautiful feature in the hotel lounge area and measuring an impressive 90cm in diameter it really draws the eye.
Jo Plismy works with architects, interior designers, hotels, restaurants and decoration shops throughout the world. Passionate about timeless designs, combined with high quality materials and expert craftsmanship, Gong’s focus is style with atmosphere. Custom orders are accepted.