Create space for the warmth of shadows
In Praise of Shadows, says, “In making for ourselves a place to live, we first spread a parasol to throw a shadow on the earth, and in the pale light of the shadow we put together a house." He goes on to cite the example of Western houses, which he says are built to create as few shadows as possible and “to expose the interior to as much light as possible". Tanizaki’s piece is essential reading on aesthetics and the psychology behind design decisions; many designers and architects swear by it.
Yet, when it comes to actual space-making, the tendency to err on the side of too much—just like the Western example he’s so disdainful of—has become one of the most egregious foibles of contemporary Indian interior design. I was in Copenhagen recently and walking around the streets of Norrebro, a district lined with old brick buildings.
By late evening, the flats in its neighbourhoods are twinkling with gentle orange light, usually dressed in white IKEA Regolit paper lampshades or Louis Poulsen designs. Seeing these warm spaces in the culture that has exported “hygge" as a design philosophy to the world, it was clear how much of that feeling was communicated through the quantum and nature of lights used.
A friend’s home had candlelight at the window, a floor lamp by the sofa and a hanging lamp above the dining table, creating a glow of welcome. In India, “hygge" is quoted by many interior designers in their project statements, but that Danish principle is about creating an environment of contentment and nurturing, achieving a lot with very little.
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