ONBOARD focuses the headlights on new developments and innovations in lighting installations that will help to soothe, enhance or excite our emotions, both above and below the water lines. Words: Claire Griffiths
‘Light is incredibly evocative. Think of sunlight through stained glass, glorious sunsets, moon light through a canopy of trees and flickering firelight. People are always talking about light, its effects and how we are influenced, (and moved) by it. It’s a very human condition and has been for thousands of years! We’re just tapping into that, manipulating and controlling it to give our clients the ability to create the scenes that they want and enjoy being in, in essence painting with light!’. So says lighting expert and founder of Light Corporation, David Caddick: Lighting literally makes our mood!
For more explanations and a better understanding of the World of Light, ONBOARD trained the spotlight onto the luminary experts to hear what’s hot, what’s not, and how bright we can expect the future to be.
New light
On trend this season are tunable lighting systems that allow users to adjust colour temperature to create different moods and settings explains Carlos Vergel, US Sales Manager at Sea Vision. He says, ‘This trend is popular both in yachts and luxury homes, as it provides flexibility in lighting design, catering to various activities and times of day. Additionally, there’s growing interest in RGBW LED lighting, which adds a pure white light to the RGB mix, offering a broader palette for colour mixing and richer colour rendering.’
Sabrina Fiorina is EU Design Director at John Cullen Lighting. She recognises a trend towards integrated and concealed lighting, especially linear designs that offer a calming, diffused glow. ‘This approach’ she says, ‘ not only provides a serene ambience but also preserves the yacht’s sleek, modern lines. Organic shapes and curves are emphasised, ensuring that the lighting enhances rather than interrupts the flow of the yacht’s design.’
At Totallux BV, CEO Jan Mark Zumpolle agrees that invisible light is the latest trend, hiding the fixtures and just showcasing the light itself;-He sees lighting designers moving away from visible spots, creating a seamless and elegant lighting experience. ‘Clients now have greater control over lighting, they can create the desired mood; cooler lighting is preferred in hotter climates, while warmer lighting is ideal in colder regions.’
Zumpolle sees refits gaining popularity due to their quicker turnaround time. While new builds can take anywhere from 3 to 5 years, a refit can be completed in about a year, making it an attractive option for owners eager to get back on the water.
David Caddick of the British firm Light Corporation has been in the business for over 45 years. He says, ‘No-one is under any illusion that a ‘sustainable Superyacht’ is an oxymoron. But there is now a greater focus on their environmental impact and it is becoming more important in the schemes, and products, that we produce. All our fittings are hand built by us, and each fitting can be broken down to its individual component parts and either re-used, recycled or re-purposed in some very sustainable ways. Designers and Clients are very keen on that.’
The new buzz word is biophilic lighting that harmonises with your body and mimics light patterns and cycles found in nature. Says Caddick, ‘LED lighting is not for everybody. It can affect people’s natural body & circadian rhythms and can be detrimental to various biological and cognitive functions. So, there’s a move to be able to make it more natural; to take the blue out of the LED for instance. It’s about the way the light is delivered and the way it fills the space from its light source.’ Clients are looking for maximum controllability and remote systems such as DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) protocols or Casambi technology.
Robert Buxton is Managing Director at Lightgraphix. He says there is a trend towards a consistent lighting mood for both indoor and outdoor spaces. ‘The lighting should seamlessly integrate with the surroundings’ he says, ‘while also standing out as a notable feature. Emphasis on high-quality lighting with high CRI LEDs, minimal glare, and overall product quality.’
Loredana Plaquevent at Lorex sees a return to the classic after several years of requests for lighting effects and fantasies. She says, ‘The lighting project must be seen as a whole and in its environment. It is especially important not to buy and install lighting piecemeal because the effect of the second can compromise that of the first.’
Planning
In terms of project management, the experts have some salient advise: For a yacht, Vergel at Sea Vision advises at the start of the project to consider the function of each space, the materials, finishes and how the lighting will complement the overall design. Also think about energy efficiency and the control systems.
Fiorina says, ‘Start planning the lighting design as early as possible – even before construction begins. Yachts present unique spatial challenges, so it’s crucial to consider how lighting will interact with limited spaces, hidden details, and essential services from the outset. Early coordination with the entire project team ensures that the lighting scheme is both functional and aesthetically aligned with the overall design vision.’
‘Whereas your home is (hopefully!) fairly static,’ says Caddick, ‘a boat does a lot of rocking and rolling – so there are unique issues with lighting it, but you can still have beautiful, bespoke chandeliers and wall lights they just need to be suspended securely and integrated so that – should the boat list – the product is fit for purpose and doesn’t move!’
He adds, ‘There’s usually an element of front /back of house to everything. It’s very rare the owner is going to want to extend the luxury spaces into crew areas. Storage and galley areas will be lit for functionality and task lighting. It’s about how you want any space to look and feel. Main owner areas are always important – where you’ll want to have some sort of scene setting capability to be able to create atmospheric mood lighting for instance. Where a space can turn from a study or sitting area into a home cinema, a party for sixty people in the dining room will be lit completely differently if you were having a party for 12 or on your own with your family. You must build in a great deal of flexibility. And you must integrate time of day, time of year, where you are in the world etc. You can move very easily in these systems nowadays and create scenes very simply, also remotely – if a client has a problem on a yacht, wherever in the world they are, we can log in and make any changes for them at the touch of a button.’
Getting a good brief is vital says Caddick;- ‘I ask alot of questions early on. One of the most important is where does the client make up (female) or shave (male). Ultimately if you leave a boat and the client is upset because they can’t see themselves properly in the mirror, then you are in trouble! Lighting a particular space or place for reading a book, newspaper or device is also important to some clients. Do they paint? Draw? Do they have hobbies that rely on task lighting? All these, and many more questions, need answering before we even begin to design a lighting scheme!’
Considering future maintenance is also important advises Buxton; and using new technologies such as sustainable Replaceable Light Engine systems, makes upgrading and repairing the LEDs simple.
‘First of all, you have to study the customer’s needs,’ says Plaquevent. ‘ Then you have to know the population that will have access to it and what is the purpose of this lighting: atmosphere, reading, night vision underwater, visibility by others in the open sea, safety etc; Then you have to calculate the brightness required for each type of place, respect the mandatory standards while respecting the wishes of the customers.’
Mood Swings
Creating the moods is challenging, especially on a yacht says Caddick. ‘The client drives the ideas. I can give them dinner scenes, party scenes, children’s party scenes, cleaning mode, whatever they want , (or think they want). But it’s also whether they have fantastic artwork, sculpture, or are collectors of something unique (like glass) and they want it lit. Those sort of moods and environments are always a challenge to get right and you must have a lot of interaction with the client about what it is they want.’
He adds, ‘The exterior is often just as important as the interior of a yacht. And there needs to be a seamless transition between the two so we curate all the LED products that we design into the scheme and supply to the project to make sure they are all the same colour temperature both inside and out.’
Creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere is often the easiest says Vergel, as it can be achieved with soft, warm-toned lighting, dimmers, and strategic placement of fixtures to reduce harsh shadows.
For Fiorina, one of the most captivating moods is achieved by harmonising artificial and natural light;- ‘This interplay can create breathtaking scenes, particularly during sunrise and sunset, where the lighting can be adjusted to produce a cosy, intimate atmosphere that complements the natural beauty outside.’
Every space is unique and brings its own challenges, be that physical challenges such as low ceiling voids or specific fixing requirements. Says Buxton, ‘As we design our fittings in house, we have the flexibility to adapt fittings to most specific project needs and with a wide range of products and technical knowledge we work with the design team to ensure the right products are used in the correct areas to achieve the moods desired.’
Replicating natural daylight or creating dynamic, colour-changing environments can be more challenging suggests Vergel. These require sophisticated control systems and an understanding of how different light temperatures and intensities affect mood and perception. Achieving the right balance without overwhelming the space takes careful planning and execution.
‘Creating the right ambience at night, especially when surrounded by the deep, inky darkness of the sea, can be challenging’, explains Fiorina. ‘The key is to ensure that the lighting is balanced and not too overpowering, maintaining a subtlety that respects the tranquillity of the environment while still providing enough illumination for safety and comfort.’
Says Plaquevent, ‘Garden lighting remains, in our opinion, the most technical, because there are generally no marked limits and you have to take into account the height and width of each element and adapt the right lenses to the LEDs.’
Lighting kicks
For Vergel at Sea Vision the most enjoyable aspect of lighting design is the transformative impact it has on a space; ‘Watching a space come to life with the right lighting, and seeing how it enhances the functionality and beauty of the environment, is incredibly rewarding. It’s also gratifying to work closely with clients and other designers to realize a shared vision.’
Fiorina appreciates the technicality of developing intricate lighting details that are seamlessly integrated into the yacht’s design, particularly within custom joinery. Reviewing and selecting materials to see how they interact with light is also a highlight, as it allows her to showcase the beauty of bespoke materials and furnishings, creating spaces that are both functional and visually stunning; – ‘It is an opportunity to create something very unique.’
Says Zumpolle ‘What we enjoy most is bringing the client’s vision to life. Clients often describe their desires and expectations in words, and our job is to translate those into reality. Seeing their ideas materialize through our design is incredibly rewarding.’
‘My favourite projects are the ones where the client is passionate about lighting and wants to create something special’, says Caddick from Light Corporation. ‘We had a client who loved Arsenal and, whilst watching a game, every time Arsenal scored he wanted the cinema room to turn red! That was fun.’ Making clients happy are the most enjoyable projects. We also love the technicality of it too of course, but the real enjoyment comes with a job well done.’
Buxton at Lightgraphix gets his kicks from working with designers and yards to create amazing spaces for some of the most incredible yachts worldwide, while keeping all the company’s manufacturing operations in the UK. ‘Our design process lends itself to creativity and collaboration’, he says.
Light years ahead
Buxton believes that further advancements in LED technology will create more opportunities for product development with a stronger focus on sustainability and high-quality materials.
Caddick see lots of miniaturisation;- ‘No interior designer wants to see a light Fitting, they want to see an effect! So there’ll be more discreet and clever ways of doing that. It’s getting to be as small and powerful as it can be. We’ve gone through a period of massive growth and expansion in the LED market to a point where, currently, we have got the very best out of it.’ Now he sees improvements in the use of optics and the ability to harvest and control the light emission from the LED chip and control it into improved beam patterns and effects they produce.
Says Zumpolle, ‘The future of lighting is one of continuous innovation and development. We are focused on improving efficiency, enhancing lumen output, and exploring new possibilities, such as laser lighting in the superyacht industry. The potential for lighting technology is vast and exciting.’
Fiorina anticipates a growing demand for bespoke finishes and custom lighting features that not only meet functional needs but also serve as a statement of personal style.
Vergel foresees a greater focus on personalization and sustainability where users can change the lighting environment with a touch or voice command. He sees a strong push towards eco-friendly solutions, with energy-efficient LEDs and solar-powered options becoming more prevalent, especially in large yacht projects.
New products
The lighting industry is flush with new products and ideas and the experts are keen to lay out their wares: Vergel at Sea Vision speaks of a new underwater LED range with paralleled brightness colour control and energy efficiency; ‘These lights are designed to withstand the harsh marine environment and can be controlled remotely, allowing for a seamless integration into the yacht’s overall lighting system. Additionally, our collaboration with Foresti & Suardi has brought innovative interior lighting solutions that combine Italian craftsmanship with modern technology, offering both elegance and functionality.’
The John Cullen Lighting Arine 30/40 range is particularly exciting right now says Fiorina. The Arine is a dedicated fixed mini-trim or trimless superyacht downlight. It has a rear fixing plate and frame, which allows positioning in different ceiling thicknesses of deckhead. The diameter of the fixing plate allows a leading full 30 degree tilt by preventing incursion from other ceiling elements.
‘Our Mini Dot is a standout!’, declares Zumpolle at Totallux;- ‘ It embodies the concept of invisible light with a visible aperture of just 13mm. This compact, glare-free downlight is designed with innovative lens technology, making it practically invisible while delivering exceptional lighting.’
Buxton at Lightgraphix points to their new LD1093, a marine-grade, exteriorrated LED downlight with 360-degree adjustability, with a range of colour temperature and fixing methods options to suit any vessel’s ceiling type.
Says Caddick at Light Corporation, ‘I think people are pretty happy with were things are now! Current technology it’s given us all so many more clever components to work with though we are always pushing the boundaries across all of our standard and bespoke products as is evident from our Atlantic exterior trimless downlight range, it’s everything you’ll ever need in your deckhead ’.
Discreet, integrated, biophilic and sustainable: not bad buzz words from an industry that is always looking to improve our moods.
