Textured Chandelier
Project Description
Original light sculptures are often the result of a combination of complicated shapes and unique interaction with light. This was the basis of Sestak Lighting Design’s concept for a customer’s home design project that called for an eye-catching piece to illuminate a stairwell and hanging artwork. To craft the distinctive chandelier, Michael Sestak, Lighting Designer, needed an innovative material and a bit of creative thinking. So, he decided to think “inside the box” – inside CYRO Industries’ Creative Box, that is. An eclectic mix of valueadded ACRYLITE® acrylic sheet products, the Creative Box led Sestak to ACRYLITE® Trend Textured acrylic sheet, a patterned, light-transmitting product. This designer material coupled with artistic expression resulted in a shimmering addition to customer Jeanne Reaves’ home. As Sestak set out to create a stand-out light sculpture, he sketched a distinctive concept of curved and patterned wing-like pieces, ringed together around an array of light bulbs and spotlights. While appealing on paper, the chandelier’s fabrication would be quite diffi cult without a value-added, fabrication-friendly material. “I’m always looking for materials that can capture light and show texture and pattern,” remarks Sestak, and this resulted in the selection of ACRYLITE Trend Textured sheet in the Swing pattern, whose diamond-checkered surface creates dazzling light effects. To obtain the same look with glass, the material would need to be sandblasted, adding an extra, costly step to the project. Material selection was also dependent on the product’s ability to be fabricated in the uncommon shapes and curves embodied by the winglike pieces. While the cost of fabricating glass in shapes and angles is prohibitive, acrylic can be formed easily and cost-effectively. “Once I got away from straight lines and angles and began working more with sculptures that were curved, shaped or featured holes, I was tossed out of the glass fi eld with respect to cost of fabrication,” notes Sestak. “The design possibilities with ACRYLITE sheet are unlimited.” Pretty, yet Practical Situating the light-transmitting acrylic pieces around spotlights serves to illuminate the artwork on the wall for added function. These spotlights can be dimmed independent of the chandelier bulbs due to a two-circuit design. [More information ...]
Acrylic’s light weight also adds practicality to the design, facilitating fabrication and installation. This was a key benefi t since the sculpture was shipped to the home in individual pieces and assembled on site. “ACRYLITE sheet is a fraction the weight of glass,” notes Sestak. This provided design flexibility and the ability to use more product where desired. For ease of maintenance, Sestak outfitted the sculpture with a motorized light lift situated in the attic. The entire unit can be lowered with the push of a button for cleaning and re-lamping. All of these factors make for a practical chandelier that is a true attention-getter. “I like the fact that there are so many different patterns and the way the light hits the sculpture and projects out,” says Reaves about her newly installed chandelier. “People just gasp when they see it.”
Further Information
Company
Sestak Lighting Design
Market Segment/Occupation
Lamps & Luminaires
Country
USA
