Spotlight: Lighting Up The Independent Hotel Show

Every bespoke project brings something different to the workshop. A new creative challenge, an unfamiliar set of constraints, or an opportunity to explore ideas we might never have considered ourselves.

Reflecting on our recent collaboration with interior designer Merav Bustan for the Independent Hotel Show, the most interesting takeaways were as much about the creative process as the final product.

In just eight weeks we brought an ambitious lighting concept to life for the show’s Hotel Business Stage, creating a bespoke installation remarkably faithful to the original vision, and realising a few things about our design practice along the way.

A Shared Vision Is More Important Than A Fixed Brief

Our involvement began when the show's Event Director, David Todd, introduced our founder, Emer Gillespie, to Berlin-based Merav Bustan Design.

Merav shared her beautiful stage concept, featuring rich burgundy and pink tones, but the lighting was still something of a blank canvas. 

In preparation for their first creative session, Emer put together an inspiration deck showcasing our materials, existing designs and previous bespoke projects. The idea was to give Merav a feel for our design language, materials and capabilities, providing a starting point from which she could develop her own lighting concept.

When asked about Spark & Bell’s material-led approach, Emer had this to say about her choices: "Hospitality has historically been quite a resource-heavy area of design. I wanted to take the opportunity to lead with our more sustainable materials and show what was possible."

Inspired by the shapes and textures Emer shared, Merav responded with a lighting concept featuring our “Rian” shades, made from 100% recycled PET, arranged at playful angles, creating a sense of movement and interest at both ends of the stage.

“It is a great example of how a sustainable material can become something genuinely elegant, playful and design-led,” Merav later reflected in her interview with the Independent Hotel Show.

Taking A Feasibility First Approach 

Now working from agreed concepts, our main challenge was to preserve Merav's playful, off-kilter aesthetic while developing a structure that could safely support the shades, accommodate the wiring and fit precisely within the stage architecture…. In just a few short weeks.

Rather than start with detailed technical drawings, Emer and Product Developer, Greg McElroy, headed to the design room with a table full of familiar components, focusing on feasibility of the key elements of the design.

Only after several days of hands-on experimentation, exploring different configurations, and testing out ideas did we move into detailed CAD drawings. So by the time we presented our final design to Merav for approval, we already knew it was achievable.

“There was no room for trial and error. We needed to work through the practical challenges early, so that by the time we arrived on site, we could be confident everything would come together as planned.”

— Greg McElroy, Product Designer, Spark & Bell

From Workshop to Show Floor

All that preparation paid off. The finished piece featured three fixed brass columns supporting 16 "Rian" shades, carefully positioned at alternating angles to create a sense of light in motion.

The installation felt permanent to the space, yet every component could be disassembled and reused, ensuring its life could extend well beyond the show.

Looking back, this project was a wonderful reminder of what can be achieved when creative collaboration and practical thinking work hand in hand. It challenged us, taught us a few new tricks, and left us with fresh ideas to take into the next project.

A huge thank you to Merav Bustan, David Todd, the Independent Hotel Show organisers, and everyone involved in bringing this creative vision to life.