Hyderabad, India, 2026-03-16 -  Tevar – The Progressive Indian Kitchen & Bar is a contemporary dining space in Hyderabad, India, that combines food, music, and performance within a layered architectural environment. The lighting design for the project was developed by Love of Light, working closely with the interior design team to shape an atmosphere that responds to the restaurant’s dramatic spatial language, while maintaining warmth and intimacy.

The interior is defined by deep tones, curved forms, and a rhythmic arrangement of architectural elements. Rather than evenly illuminating the space, the lighting strategy introduces hierarchy and contrast, allowing materials, textures, and volumes to reveal themselves gradually. The approach focuses on layered illumination, combining ambient light, focal accents, and controlled brightness to guide the visual experience throughout the restaurant.

A central element of the project is a large chandelier installation composed of 89 lantern-like fixtures suspended across the ceiling. Each fixture was custom designed for the space and developed through several months of prototyping and testing. The lanterns are fabricated using recycled aluminium and hand-blown glass sourced within a 100-kilometre radius of the site. Their clustered arrangement creates a floating canopy of warm light that defines the main dining volume, while maintaining visual lightness within the large interior.

Along the surrounding walls, a series of custom-designed jharokha modules - inspired by traditional projecting window niches found in Indian architecture - form an architectural rhythm that frames the dining areas. Linear lighting profiles integrated within these modules gently graze the surfaces, revealing depth and texture while maintaining a controlled and comfortable brightness level. The lighting system operates at 2700 kelvin, with a CRI of 95 to ensure accurate colour rendering for both the materials of the interior and the presentation of food.

Lighting controls play an important role in the project. A fully integrated dimming system adjusts light levels throughout the day in response to natural light conditions and different operational moods of the restaurant. The system allows subtle transitions between lunch, evening dining, and live performance moments, while also improving overall energy efficiency.

In addition to the central chandelier and wall lighting, other areas of the restaurant are treated with more restrained layers of illumination. The bar uses integrated backlighting to highlight bottles and materials, while counters and service surfaces are softly illuminated from below to maintain visual comfort. Acoustic ceiling forms and performance zones are accented with carefully positioned fixtures that emphasize architectural geometry without introducing glare.

The lighting infrastructure was designed with long-term sustainability in mind. Custom profiles, drivers, and wiring systems were developed as modular components that can be serviced or replaced individually without requiring full fixture replacement. This approach reduces material waste and allows the system to remain adaptable over time. From the selection of locally sourced materials to the design of maintainable lighting components, environmental considerations informed the project from its early development stages.

The result is a lighting environment that supports the spatial identity of Tevar while remaining integrated with the architecture. By combining custom lighting elements, controlled illumination, and responsive lighting controls, the project demonstrates how lighting can shape atmosphere, guide perception, and support the experiential qualities of hospitality spaces.