Your Interview Vaida Atkočaitytė-Dališanskienė

Introduce yourself (name, company, position, country) and tell us how you got into lighting design (including education/qualifications).

My name is Vaida Atkočaitytė-Dališanskienė, and I am a lighting and interior designer based in Vilnius, Lithuania. I work as a freelancer on residential, office, and public interiors, with a strong focus on lighting design. Alongside my projects, I design unique lighting pieces that not only illuminate a space but also enhance its character and mood. I also lecture at the Klaipėda Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts, where I teach interior design students about lighting and its impact on spaces and experiences.

My passion for lighting began in high school, when I created a desk lamp from paper clips for my final art exam (2008), and it grew during an Erasmus exchange in Belgium (2011). There, a lecture by a leading Belgian lighting designer introduced me to the transformative power of light through the innovative projects developed by his team. That experience became a turning point, and a few years later I had the privilege of interning at his office in Brussels, which further deepened my passion for lighting.

In terms of education, I earned Bachelor’s degrees in Interior Design (2012) and Architecture (2014), as well as a Master’s in Visual Design (2023), all from the Vilnius Academy of Arts. My master’s thesis explored how artificial light influences space and objects, which led to the creation of my MOOD and MINI MOOD luminaires. These designs received several LIT Lighting Design Awards 2024, including the title of Emerging Product Designer of the Year 2024.

Tell us about your work – is there a specific type of project you like to work on or an area you specialise in and why?

Most of my projects are residential interiors and their lighting, an area I’m especially passionate about. Homes are multifunctional spaces, shared by people of different ages and needs, making each project unique. I enjoy creating layered lighting schemes that adapt to different scenarios, balancing functionality with atmosphere. Lighting can highlight, conceal, create mood, and influence well-being.

I’m also passionate about luminaire design. In many of my projects, I create custom lighting elements that become focal points in the interior, adding both uniqueness and a cozy, personal touch. Winning the Emerging Lighting Designer of the Year 2024 encouraged me to focus more on this area. This blend of functional lighting and artistic expression is what excites me most in my work.

What project are you most proud of and why?

I am most proud of my MOOD and MINI MOOD luminaires. These projects not only earned me a prestigious award and introduced me to inspiring people, but also encouraged me to keep growing in this field.

What makes them especially meaningful is the personal context in which they were created. I had just become a mother of twins — it was a magical and transformative time for me, both as a woman and as a designer. While taking a break from larger projects, I focused on my master’s thesis and experimented with light and color, gradually developing these dynamic luminaires. I envisioned them as functional art pieces that enrich interiors through color and emotion.

That’s why I’m proud not only as a designer, but also as a woman and a mother — of how much a woman’s body and mind can do and create during such an emotionally sensitive time. These luminaires represent a perfect blend of personal meaning, creative freedom, and professional achievement.

What is the biggest challenge that you have overcome in your career?

The biggest challenge has been taking the self-taught path into lighting design, as I didn’t study it formally. Learning through experience has taken more time and often led to self-doubt. That’s why receiving awards and support from mentor — such as the Silhouette Awards 2025 — has meant so much. They’ve helped build my confidence and validate my growth.

Another challenge is the lack of a strong architecture lighting design community in Lithuania. Collaboration between lighting designers, architects, and interior designers is still quite limited. In many cases, lighting is managed through showroom consultants, who often focus more on product selection than on holistic lighting design. While their role is valuable, this approach can sometimes overlook the full creative and technical potential of lighting. I believe that closer collaboration between all professionals — from architects to dedicated lighting designers — is key to achieving the best and most thoughtful results in any project.

How does light inspire you?

Light inspires me because it’s unpredictable and intangible — you only see it when it touches something. It’s a magical tool that transforms space, mood, and emotion. The final result of lighting depends on so many factors — not just the bulb’s technical parameters, but also the textures, colors, and shapes in the surrounding environment. The same lamp, with the same settings, can create a completely different experience in two rooms. And even then, each person perceives it differently, based on their own perspective.

To me, light is like a magic wand — it can highlight, hide, soften, or energize. Light plays a vital role in architecture, interior design, photography — even the most delicious food can look unappetizing under poor lighting. That’s why light inspires me — it’s invisible, yet it shapes how we feel and perceive the world.

What is your message for other Women In Lighting?

If you don’t know how to reach your goal, just start with small steps. Having a goal is already a great beginning — everything else comes in its own time.

Let’s support each other — in design, in business, and even on the tough days. Sometimes, knowing that another person believes in you makes all the difference.

I would love to bring together women in Lithuania working in lighting design, creating a supportive community where we can share knowledge, inspire one another, and grow together. Together, we can bring light to the world — not just through our work, but through how we support one another.