We are not lighting sellers, say the owners of LIGHT WORKS

Behind the industrial facade of the former textile factory in Prague’s Nusle, the LIGHT WORKS showroom has its base. A store where laypeople, architects, and designers come to seek advice on lighting.

The LIGHT WORKS project is backed by Sára Maletičová and Pavel Boháč, a well-coordinated duo who have gathered valuable experience in the field at Sára's father's company, Eugena Maletiče. His company, Delta Light, is considered the leader in architectural lighting in our country, and as Sára says, "Advice and experiences from an expert who has been in this field since the 1990s are invaluable. He was and still is the driving force behind our company as our mentor."

Since its establishment five years ago, LIGHT WORKS has earned a strong reputation not only in the field of design lighting. As the owners agree, "We are not lighting sellers; we are much closer to a consultancy studio, where the sale itself is merely the last step in the entire process. We start by discussing what purpose a particular light is intended for, what space it is meant for, and what their design expectations are. It is then our responsibility to assess whether the model of lighting that the customer likes will meet their expectations in terms of light quality."

"We offer original design always of the highest quality," says Pavel Boháč. This is also why LIGHT WORKS represents the Catalan manufacturer Marset, the Danish Lightyears, and the Italian chandeliers Zafferano in the Czech market, all outstanding in both materials and techniques used. "Alongside design lighting, the foundation of all our projects is lighting from the Belgian manufacturer Delta Light and the German Bega." adds Boháč.

LIGHT WORKS has already completed numerous projects, including residential projects in Prague's Palác Dlážděná, the V-Tower project, or the rooftop penthouse in the Sacre Coeur project in Smíchov. They have also designed solutions for the office spaces of the software brand Avast and the lighting for the Potrefená Husa restaurant chain. "It happens that for a customer who comes to us for one light, we end up furnishing their entire apartment,” Sára Maletičová smiles.

At the end of last year, LIGHT WORKS celebrated a complete renovation of their showroom. Under the guidance of designer Petr Hák and the FADW studio, an open loft space was created in perfect symbiosis with the industrial design of the building, presenting lights in an unconventional format as a light library. "It is very important that individual products do not compete with each other in space so that the lighting effect of each fixture can stand out." Sára Maletičová notes. Each light is stored in its own box, allowing the customer to immediately see the atmosphere it creates.

Q&A

What are the biggest challenges you face in the industry?

PB: The most basic challenge is the low awareness that a very complex field of lighting even exists and how much light influences us. The eyesight can adapt to a wide range of both good and bad lighting, and only at some threshold does it alert us. For example, people may not realize that poor lighting can cause them to feel tired much earlier.

SM: Clients often do not realize the importance of lighting fixtures. Even when they are renovating their property to a high standard, they do not realize what a significant role lighting plays in the interior. Without a second thought, they invest a million crowns into two bathrooms and another for the kitchen. However, when it comes to lights that can cost around half a million or more for the entire interior, it seems expensive to them.

Who is your typical customer?

PB: A middle-aged person who has experience with well-done interiors and may have lived abroad for some part of their life. They come and say, "I know what I want. I expect this result and I'm aware that it will cost something." Such people contact us not only through their architect or designer but also directly.

SM: The second group consists of clients, often younger, with a passion for design and architecture, seeking quality. However, it happens that our products are too expensive for them. In such cases, they at least furnish the essential living space from us, or we design lighting for them using cheaper, yet comparably quality brands. In both cases, we know that once their financial limits allow, they will come back to us. This compromise is an investment in the future for us.

Do you follow trends or are you more timeless?

SM: You will find a bit of both with us. The key products in our portfolio are inherently more timeless. In architectural lighting, trends mainly reflect technological advancements. Regarding lighting design, the trend is in unconventional or natural materials like ceramics or wood.

Showroom LIGHT WORKS, Vlastislavova 11, Prague 4
www.lightworks.cz