Illuminate, transform, flatter and accentuate, good lighting does exactly that, and more. It can even give a room the appearance of a starry night, under which you can dine and dance. Shivangi Shah’s bespoke lighting design studio does all of the above. Hive Home, a Mumbai-based brand was established by Shah in 2016. Its products draws out the essence of nature’s beauty and entwines it with elements of art. The result is resplendent fluid forms, created with delicate hand-blown glass. The studio was awarded the Most Innovative Lighting Design Studio – India & Best Residential Lighting Project (India) in the 2020 Home & Garden Awards.
LuxeBook speaks to Shivangi Shah, 37, founder, Hive Home to discover the secret behind her sculptural lighting creations.
What materials do you love working with? Why did you decide to work mainly with glass?
I love to work with glass and metal. It is a spectacular material to work with, when molten. You can give it any form and play with a lot of colours. It has the potential to create dynamic oeuvre and change the aura of any space it is skillfully used in.
What is your biggest design influence?
During my masters in product design from the prestigious London School of Communication and Design, I worked in London galleries. The large-scale installations and window displays there inspired me greatly. A chance encounter with a glass blown artist there did the trick for me, and here I am looking to revolutionise lighting spaces with the mastery of glass handicrafts in India.
Celestial Dreams, Surat
What is your design process?
I find inspiration in day-to-day objects. The ideas keep floating in my head. Then, with my team, we ideate various concepts and develop a mood board inspired by the same. After several brainstorming sessions, we curate 3-D renders and sketches. Post this, I have a discussion with the technical team to discuss the feasibility of the project. At the end, we produce sample pieces and a prototype.
Are Hive Home’s products handcrafted in India?
Yes, though vocal for local has become a widespread trend in recent times, ever since our inception we’ve believed in Make in India. Keeping in line with this core value of ours, each one of our products is handcrafted in India, using the expertise of our local craftsmen.
Snow White, Private Residence
Which has been the most creatively challenging design project thus far?
One of my personal favourites and the most creatively challenging project that I have worked on is the lighting installation designed for Meluha, The Fern in Powai, Mumbai. The idea was to replicate the open skies with a starry night and emulate a dreamy feeling. The aim was to be able to give people the impression that they were dining and dancing under a sky full of stars. It was a large-scale project – 1000 sq. ft, and had 24 chandeliers plus 2400 glass globes, all automated to dim and brighten as required. The biggest challenge was to get it completely automated.
Photo Courtesy: Hive Home / Instagram
In what way is lighting important in a home?
Art gives us the means to discover the world while at the same time it enables us to create physical extensions of ourselves. Art satisfies our cognitive and aesthetic needs, and thus takes us a step closer to self-realisation. In general, it is a tool for creative expression and is undoubtedly a necessity. Our lighting can be a statement as well as a conversation starter.
In terms of home interior design, it is important to consider not only structures and colour schemes but also lighting designs. Customised lighting is more than just a luxury, it is a powerful tool with which a space can be transformed completely. Good lighting can improve your home and life, not just aesthetically, but biologically and psychologically as well.
What are you working on currently?
We have recently launched our new collection Iridescence. The word is derived from Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, and refers to a vibrant optical effect of rainbow-like colours that are seen in soap bubbles. The prism effect appears and changes colour in the light. Iridescence is also found in various flora and fauna, thereby establishing its close relationship with nature. The collection is larger than life. When placed horizontally it is 8ft x 5ft and crafted in a rainbow finish stainless steel as well as hand-blown glass. This bouquet piece reflects the ever-changing environment around us, seen as the spectators change their angle of vision.
IridescenceIridescence
What are the home lighting trends today?
In my opinion, the two noteworthy lighting trends today are Architectural Floor Lamps and Geometric Designs. The former has found a lot of demand because of the efficacy with which it lights up a dim room while also enhancing its beauty. The latter adds to the aesthetic and are extremely popular, especially in the kitchen.
Which is your favourite luxury light from another brand?
Lasvit would be my pick for sure. The way they do their research on contemporary techniques is rather impressive. The scale of their work is remarkable too.
