Up Close & Personal With Lights By Linea

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of any design. Today we meet the CEO of Lights by Linea, Lienka Kühn, and ask her the important questions related to lighting and design. Lienka shares a passion for people and lighting and freely shares her industry knowledge with us today.

Lienka, please tell us about your background and how you ended up in the lighting industry.

I grew up in the Northern Cape and came to Study Sport Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch. I completely fell in love with the Cape, and when I completed my studies, did not want to return to the Northern Cape. The first job I could find was at a lighting shop in Cape Town in 2003. The rest is history. I enjoyed the combination of technical and aesthetic characteristics that lighting has, and the fact that there was something new to learn every day. I spent a few years on the retail side of lighting, moved to a wholesale and design company in 2008, where I got to hone my skills in 3D modelling, Lighting design and lighting calculations. Eventually I ended up at Lights by Linea in 2013. I was working as a lighting consultant and designer until taking over the running of the business in 2020.

Tell us about your mandate at Lights By Linea.

Lights By Linea has been in business for 30 years, and is a vibrant energetic company where things move at a hectic pace. We are committed to our customers and projects, always aiming to deliver beautiful lighting projects with quality fittings that lasts.

What inspires you?

People. I know that is a very short answer but people inspire me. We live in a time where we are constantly reminded of what is important in life. I enjoy engaging with diverse people, and to experience how people see things from different perspectives, just makes life interesting and beautifully unpredictable.

What are some considerations when choosing lighting for an interior?

You have to figure out how much lighting you need in a space, what type of lighting, the colour temperature, and if you want the lighting to be flexible or fixed. All of these questions will lead to choosing an ideal light source for your interior space.

Planning a lighting scheme can sometimes be a nightmare. Can you tell us some of your struggles and how you overcome them?

There are so many options to choose from. That causes confusion. We normally start with the a general lighting layout, then find positions for feature and indirect lighting. Once a space is broken down and we understand what the space is going to be used for the basic layout is easy. We also advise customers to take their time when choosing feature lights. They are normally installed at the end of the project, when the customer has had time to experience the physical space, rather than just viewing it on a drawing.

What is your essential checklist for a completed lighting scheme?

My check list would include:

Have you met the client brief?
Is the specified fittings fit for purpose?
Will the delivered product meet the client’s expectation?
Is the project proposal within budget?
Can it be delivered on time?

What is your favourite form of indirect lighting?

Cove lighting done with DIM to WARM LED strip light inside a aluminium profile with a frosted diffuser. I still amazes me how indirect lighting can create an ambiance in a space. With the DIM to WARM LED strip, you have the best of both worlds. Crisp 4000k when you want the space to feel light and energetic, and 1800K which almost mimics candle light if you want to dim the light down to the lowest level for an intimate after dinner setting.

Any exciting projects or collaborations you are involved in?

We recently completed the Ernie Els project in collaboration with Stellenbosch and Cape Town-based design group, Rumour Has It, was recently awarded an International Luxury Lifestyle Awards, Winner in the Category of Best Luxury Commercial Interior Design in South Africa, for their 360 integrated design work for Ernie Els Wines, situated in the beautiful and historic Stellenbosch Winelands.

You have a vast portfolio of projects. What are you most proud of?

Every project is special for different reasons, from the private homes to corporate buildings, but I think our work on the various wine farms over many years is a feather in our cap. These include Babylonstoren, Fairview, La Motte, Rust en Vrede, Ernie Els etc.

Lighting spotlights to look forward to this year?

Definitely the new generation lamps that are very economically priced, but offers flexibility in terms of colour temperature and brightness. These lamps can be controlled via a free App on your mobile device without any additional wiring, and costly home automation control systems.

Which lighting designer inspires you?

There are so many, and for various reasons, but the stand out lighting designer for me is Michele De Lucchi. He is an Italian architect who really understands light. He has designed from the most iconic lamps by Artemide, to most technical exterior luminaires by iGuzzini. He designs lights for a specific space and need, and once they are used in the space, manufacturers include them in their product ranges going forward. He absolutely understands the intricate and intimate relationship between technical and beautiful when it comes to lighting as a science.

The perfect place in your home to indulge

The kitchen, living and dining areas in most of our modern homes are open plan. These are the areas where we spend most of our time. I would strongly recommend to invest in the lighting of these spaces. The quality of light as well as have flexibility, being able to dim the lights and set different lighting scenes to suit the activity.

I know very few of us are travelling right now but if you could where would you go?

We actually had a trip planned to Italy, prior to Covid, it was our next family destination. I love Italy, the food, the sites and being able experience the very best in style and technology in one place appeals to me.

What are your current favourite restaurants/shops?

Shopping Online!! From food to decorative items for your home. The pandemic has forced those of us previously reluctant, to adapt very quickly. Now, I can not imagine having to go the shops.

What’s your personal motto?

My motto in life is to find the shortest route to the best possible outcome.

A place you visited to unwind in Africa?

I love camping, we have so many beautiful places to visit in Africa and South Africa. I particularly love the Cederberg area. The views are spectacular and we cannot wait for our next trip in September.

Discover more at Lights By Linea.