Beautiful Art With Beautiful Lighting Schemes

‘Invariably, we work alongside lighting designers as they often devise the overall lighting concept,‘ explains Molyneaux. ‘We work hand-in-hand with them to provide advice on the very best solution available to illuminate the client’s artworks.  More and more, we are finding that for important collections, the lighting design is being built around the artwork lighting, taking consideration for existing art works and features and enhancing what is already there rather than distract from it.’

As well as private homes of the most prestigious art collectors in the world, the team have worked on Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 exhibition at The National Gallery for the Conrad Shawcross installation and high-end retail commissions include the recently opened men’s shoe department at Sefridges; the largest in the world and their ‘Denim Studio’.

‘The Denim Studio was definitely one of our most demanding commissions,’ says Triggs. ‘It was completely different from anything we had ever done previously, and involved us creating a ‘Line of Light’ to both create atmosphere and act as an intuitive navigation for customers. It is part suspended, part surface mounted, colour changing and remote controlled. Usually our products are designed to blend in with the artworks and spaces we light, specifically to enhance an interior design, or product and not detract from it. However, with The Denim Studio, we were commissioned to design a stand-out installation, so it really depends on the client.’

For more of an insight, the team talks us through two schemes, one created for Weston Park Stately Home in Shropshire and a purely private home in Knightsbridge.

1. “We were commissioned to install Picture Lighting in a show flat in Knightsbridge. The art in the show flat was sourced specifically for the show flat and was available for purchase an add-on when purchasing.  It was therefore crucial that each artwork was shown in its best light, as it would be in a gallery.

Finishing details were imperative, so TM Lighting were asked to match their picture lights accordingly to the antique brass finishes in the rest of the flat.  Each TM Picture Light was finished in an antique brass plate finish.”

2. “Weston Park in Shropshire was definitely one of our most exciting residential projects due to its grand scale and the stunning art works that were involved, including works by Gainsborough, Sir Peter Lely and John Hoppner.

The brief was to work with the curator to enhance the existing art collection in the Drawing room and Dining room. They had some existing LED picture lights, which were not capable of lighting their artworks, we responded by using our pioneering TM LED Picture Lights to cast an even, vibrant light on all the works and really bring them to life.

We wanted to bring the art works to light, and to enhance the vibrancy of the colours in the paintings. We also wanted to reduce the current energy costs, and to effectively light the paintings and add atmosphere to the rooms.

Yes definitely achieved what we set out to do, both the Drawing room and the Dining room have been transformed, and each individual artwork is now vibrant and colourful, almost as if the portraits are alive.

It went very smoothly – as planning is key we knew exactly which lights would go where and how the lighting in the room would work as a whole.  In some projects however, some minor tweaking is required to ensure the artworks are lit perfectly.

The client is very pleased and says the art works have never looked better! In fact Gareth Williams the curator at Weston Park said that TM Lighting are probably the most spoken words at Weston Park when we are in company!”

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