Future → Built Creatively
“Lime as Light” is a project by Jiya S Jain, Diploma in Interior Design, July 2025 batch at JD Institute. Inspired by the timeless qualities of traditional lime plaster and its interaction with light, the project explores the theme of sensory minimalism, material innovation, and sustainable interior design. It aims to redefine the role of lime plaster beyond a surface finish by transforming it into an active medium for light diffusion, while responding to the increasing dependence on harsh artificial lighting in contemporary interiors.
The project is designed for users of serviced apartments, particularly modern urban residents and travelers seeking comfort, calmness, and emotional well-being within hospitality spaces. Keeping user experience, visual comfort, and spatial warmth at the core of the design process, the project focuses on functionality, sensory engagement, sustainability, and material-driven innovation. Through research into traditional lime plaster applications and the behavior of light on textured surfaces, the project identifies the need for softer, more human-centric interior environments that reduce glare and create a soothing spatial atmosphere.
Materials such as lime plaster, natural wood, stone, and soft fabrics, along with techniques including textured handcrafted finishes and integrated lighting systems, were chosen to achieve warmth, seamless illumination, and tactile richness. Visually, the project is defined by neutral tones, soft glowing surfaces, minimal forms, and layered textures, reflecting calmness, simplicity, and emotional connection within space. The final outcome, a contemporary serviced apartment interior within Oakwood Premier, Bengaluru, embodies the integration of craftsmanship and modern technology through light-infused material surfaces that enhance everyday living experiences. The design seeks to create spaces that feel immersive, calming, and emotionally restorative by allowing light to emerge organically from walls, niches, ceilings, and architectural transitions.Through this project, the designer aims to highlight how traditional materials can evolve into innovative contemporary solutions, positioning design as a tool for sustainability, emotional well-being, and experiential storytelling. Ultimately, “Lime as Light” stands as a reflection of how heritage craftsmanship can be reimagined through modern intervention, where material and light work together to create spaces that are both functional and deeply sensory.