No matter where your team is at in the design process – whether you are bidding for a project, drawing up the design, or project partners are assembled and in action – it’s never too late, or too early, to think about lighting. Bringing in a lighting designer isn’t a luxury – it’s essential to the long-term success of your project (for more on that, check out our blog post on reasons every project needs a lighting expert). 

In our decades of experience, we always see it begin with one key question: should I hire a lighting designer?  And from there, many other questions naturally arise due to the complexity of lighting design. Today, we’re giving you our breakdown of the top questions we commonly receive, plus the ones you should keep top of mind for your next project!

• Question: Should I hire a lighting designer for my project? 
• Answer: Start by asking yourself if electric light is needed on your project. Is it important how the electric light and daylight interact? Are there specific uses intended for the project spaces? If your answer is yes to any of the above, then yes you need a lighting designer! It will payout tenfold in the results. 

• Question: How early on in a project should the lighting designer be brought in?
• Answer: As early as possible! Though what we deliver in the early development stages of any project will be limited, one – and possibly the most – important issue to address in this stage is the budget. Establishing a proper lighting budget early in the process will help us focus on executing and illuminating the client’s vision in the later phases.

• Question: What is the difference between working with a lighting designer versus an engineer or a member of the project team?
• Answer: A lighting designer is the only project team member who fully comprehends light and its layers of duplicity. It’s both an art and a science, both seen and unseen. Because of these complexities, it needs to be integrated amongst all team specialties from architecture to design and engineering. So, while other team members may try to understand light, a lighting designer lives and breathes it, so there is no better alternative.

• Question: Is working with a lighting designer expensive? 
• Answer: The answer is no… but let’s elaborate. While it is an added expense up front, working with the RIGHT lighting designer, who is knowledgeable and responsible, will ultimately save the project money by ensuring you are aware of all of the costs, from the immediate ones to the energy use and maintenance costs down the road. This long-term thinking helps every project maximize the true value and cost of lighting.

For more FAQs, insights into the value of working with a lighting designer, and behind the scenes, be sure to follow along on our social media channels, check out previous blog posts, and subscribe to our newsletter where we share the latest in lighting!