Heritage & Listed Building Lighting Specialists

Preserving the atmosphere, architecture and stories within our historic and listed buildings requires more than just careful planning – it calls for a specialist lighting approach that honours the past while embracing the future. At Connected Light, we provide heritage lighting solutions that are sympathetic to the character of each property while delivering energy-efficient, functional results.

From National Trust properties to Grade I and II listed civic buildings, our work supports conservation and usability in equal measure. Every design is crafted with respect for the architectural setting, sensitivity to materials, and full awareness of planning constraints – allowing you to illuminate these treasured spaces without compromise.

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Experience & Project Credentials

With more than 40 years of lighting expertise, the Connected Light team has worked on some of the UK’s most iconic and delicate historic environments. From country estates and ecclesiastical buildings to national museums and private homes, we’ve developed a reputation for integrating lighting systems that enhance, protect and respect.

We are proud to support institutions including the National Trust and English Heritage, bringing our technical skill and consultative approach to numerous conservation-led projects. One example is our work on the restoration of the 15th-century Knight with the Arms of Jean de Daillon tapestry at Montacute House, where we developed a non-UV, tuneable white lighting solution to protect one of the oldest and most fragile tapestries in the Trust’s care.

Unique Challenges in Heritage Environments

Lighting historic and listed buildings is a specialist task that must take into account the age, structure and protected status of each site. Many heritage properties have restrictions on structural alterations, which can make routing new cabling or installing modern fittings highly complex – or simply not permitted.

Surface finishes and delicate materials, such as plasterwork, tapestries or stone, often require extremely careful handling, and visible light fittings can disrupt the aesthetic. These constraints call for a low-impact, conservation-first lighting approach – something we’ve delivered time and again across museums, stately homes and listed interiors of all kinds.

Our Approach to Heritage Lighting Design

Every heritage lighting scheme we design begins with a deep understanding of the building’s fabric, purpose and historical value. We believe that well-considered lighting can enrich a space without overwhelming it – whether that’s through highlighting architectural features, illuminating artworks or simply creating a comfortable, ambient atmosphere that aligns with the property’s original spirit.

Our approach is highly tailored. We use compact, low-heat LED products that can be discretely integrated into architectural details – cornices, niches, cabinetry or joinery – with no visible intrusion. In National Trust and similar properties, we’ve supplied custom LED modules that remain completely out of sight while achieving highly controlled illumination on key artefacts.

Where appropriate, we specify tuneable white LED systems with high colour rendering (typically RA90–RA98) to allow lighting that can shift subtly in warmth throughout the day or across seasons. This helps to replicate the softness of daylight or candlelight, without the damaging effects of UV or heat.

We can also simulate traditional candle-based lighting scenarios by using 1800K chipsets, creating a warm and historically accurate glow for events or interpretative displays. Whether we’re lighting a 17th-century staircase or a Victorian drawing room, our priority is to enhance visual experience without distracting from or damaging the space.

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Wireless Lighting Control Systems

Modern lighting control doesn’t have to mean invasive installations. One of the most significant advances in listed and historic building lighting is the use of wireless lighting control systems, allowing advanced, intuitive management without the need for new cabling or structural disruption.

At Connected Light, we specialise in wireless systems that are ideal for protected environments, such as Grade I and Grade II listed properties, where routing new infrastructure is either restricted or impossible. These systems offer precise scene-setting, daylight compensation, timed dimming, and integration with curatorial or operational requirements – all delivered with minimal physical impact.

Because there’s no need for cutting into walls, ceilings or woodwork, wireless control protects the integrity of historic finishes. It also allows greater flexibility for evolving use – for example, enabling temporary exhibitions, private functions, or seasonal events to have dedicated lighting scenes without rewiring.

We have deployed wireless controls in both residential heritage settings and public venues, often combining this with discreet sensors and control panels hidden within furniture or joinery. These systems can be fully managed via app-based interfaces or integrated with a central building control platform.

The result is a future-ready lighting system that supports sustainability, enhances usability, and respects every inch of your building’s historical character.

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Lighting for Artworks, Artefacts & Interiors

Heritage buildings often contain priceless objects – from tapestries and oil paintings to sculpture, gilded surfaces and historic textiles – all of which require highly specialised lighting to avoid damage and ensure visual clarity. At Connected Light, we take these requirements seriously, working closely with curators, conservation officers and property managers to deliver tailored lighting for sensitive environments.

Our solutions use non-UV LED light sources that prevent degradation over time, paired with high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) values to ensure the truest possible colour fidelity. Whether you’re illuminating a 400-year-old oil painting or a delicate embroidery panel, even light distribution and controlled intensity are essential.

We also design systems with discreet beam shaping and glare reduction in mind, ensuring visitors can appreciate the full richness of each object without distraction. By embedding ultra-compact luminaires in cornicing or joinery – or recessing them into nearby architectural features – we allow for clean, uninterrupted sightlines and optimal preservation conditions.

The right lighting can reveal hidden details, textures and tones that might otherwise be missed – making every visitor experience more rewarding.

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Product Innovations for Heritage Properties

Our heritage lighting products are developed specifically for environments where authenticity, efficiency and discretion are key. Whether you’re lighting a period dining room, a restored chapel or a landscaped historic garden, we offer solutions that blend effortlessly with their surroundings.

Warm-tone LED luminaires that simulate traditional candlelight (1800K) allow us to create historically sympathetic moods while delivering all the energy-saving benefits of modern technology. In public heritage settings, we also supply minimalistic emergency lighting that complies with safety regulations without visually intruding on interiors.

For gardens, entrances and outdoor walkways, we provide exterior-grade lighting in bespoke RAL colours and finishes. These fixtures are selected for their ability to fade visually into stonework or planting – offering security and navigational support while maintaining the natural and architectural beauty of the setting.

Our compact, modular lighting systems can be installed in tight, sensitive spaces, giving full flexibility in how different areas are highlighted – from grand halls to display cabinets and intimate stairwells.

Compliance, Energy & Conservation Goals

As sustainability, accessibility and energy efficiency become increasingly important in the built environment, heritage properties must also rise to meet modern expectations – without compromising on their character. At Connected Light, we understand the challenges and regulatory considerations involved in upgrading lighting systems in protected and listed buildings.

Through our work, we help clients overcome common barriers identified in government guidance, including concerns around irreversible changes, consent complexity, and compatibility with conservation goals. We actively support projects seeking to improve energy efficiency in heritage settings through lighting – reducing energy usage, improving safety, and enabling dynamic use of space, all with minimal visual disruption.

Our solutions align closely with frameworks such as the UK Government’s review of barriers to energy efficiency in historic homes, and with emerging thinking around inclusive design and responsible retrofit, as outlined in Buro Happold’s insight article, Designing for Everyone.

We bring together the technical innovation, regulatory understanding and design expertise to future-proof lighting in heritage spaces – with respect for the past, and readiness for the future.

Why Choose Connected Light?

From castles and cathedrals to museums, manor houses and urban landmarks, our team at Connected Light brings a rare combination of technical expertise, aesthetic sensitivity and conservation awareness to every heritage lighting project.

We understand the pressures faced by curators, facilities managers, conservation officers and consultants – and we respond with thoughtful, effective solutions tailored to your building’s story, structure and use. With trusted partnerships, a track record of successful installations, and a commitment to quality and care, we’re ready to help your listed or historic property shine.

If you’re considering a heritage lighting upgrade or planning lighting for a listed building, we’d be delighted to support you. From feasibility advice through to full system specification and delivery, our team is ready to help.

Get in touch today to discuss your project – and discover how Connected Light can help illuminate history, beautifully.

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Related case studies

Upgrade at Freemasons’ Hall Enhances Heritage Experience

Upgrade at Freemasons’ Hall Enhances Heritage Experience

Casambi-controlled lighting modernises internal spaces in Grade II building.
Heritage-Sensitive Design
Yes
Smart Lighting Controls
Casambi
Bespoke Luminaires
Yes
Striking Portico Lighting Upgrade at Freemasons’ Hall

Striking Portico Lighting Upgrade at Freemasons’ Hall

Warm white LED lighting enhances limestone façade with precise control.
Scene Control
Yes
Heritage-Sensitive Design
Yes
Aesthetic Appeal
100%
Protecting the Oldest Tapestry in the National Trust’s Care

Protecting the Oldest Tapestry in the National Trust’s Care

UV-safe LED lighting enhances and protects historic National Trust tapestry.
UV Resistant LED
Yes
Tuneable White
Yes
Full Wireless Control
Yes
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As a member of BS 5266 I am so excited to see such suitable, diligent, compliant processing from Connected Light. BS 5266 pt. 1 is a Code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises.... Read More

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Connected Light have always stepped up to the challenges of providing lighting solutions to meet their clients’ needs. Their dedicated team provide sound solutions for all challenging life science and industrial environments.... Read More

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I have been a customer of Connected Light for over 15 years, they have worked on several large projects providing design and installation with great results and huge energy savings.... Read More

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