b'colourful personlightingthe wayDavid Trubridges fantastical lights are making an impact on interiors around the world.E ightyearsagoDavidTrubridgewasmuckingaroundina workshop in Perth when he thought he would try his hand at creating one of the three dimensional geometric figures which had so fascinated him as a teenager. An acclaimed designer with a well-established global reputation, he was experimenting with pieces of cut-out plywood when he came up with a spherical structurewhich came to be known as the Coral. Not entirely satisfied with his creation, David decided to see if he could turn it into a light. I had no business plan, and no idea it would take off worldwide. It was just a bit of play and a bit of fun, but I soon realised there was nothing like it out there. While most lighting performs a function, Davids designs provide something quite different. The glow from the wood triggers an emotion in people which you cant get from a piece of plastic or glass, says David. It throws patterns on the wall which simply dont exist in modern lighting, recreating the feeling you get from flickering firelight or afternoon sunlight.AboveDavid Trubridge inBy 2005, David found himself filling orders for his lights from around his Hawkes Bay studio. the world. And, from the Coral, he and his design team built up a RightThe kitset Seed light.family of lights. Lighting designs now take up around 90 percent of the business, with three-quarters of it exported. Since the first Coral OppositeThe Coral lightswas bought, David has gone on to sell almost 25,000 lights.using Resene colours. All the lights are now available in six Resene colours, the most popular being the lime green Resene Citrus and orange Resene West Side. We experimented with a number of different paints but the Resene ReseneWest Side paints were the best. I liked that they were strong, clean colours and Resene I liked the fact it is a local company with a clear commitment to the Citrus environment. All his creations are made in line with his deep commitment to the environment and sustainability. The bamboo plywood is sourced from wordsBelinda Henley China where the plants are replenished regularly. We have to pay picturesTim Whittaker more for it, but it is worth it to know that it is a greener product. 26'