I recently returned from a vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It was magical. Quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been. The islands form a dotted line between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea with the most turquoise water you can imagine...at certain times of day...when the light is right. 
And then at other times the waters wore shades of cyan, gray, azure, aquamarine, blue, green, pink, lavender, and of course, blazing orange at sunset. And that was just on the surface! The underwater sea life was another highlight. We saw turtles and dolphins, we snorkeled with sharks, angelfish, butterfly fish, ballyhoo, and so many types of fish I've seen and never seen before. The reef was vibrant.

Then there's the sky. Always willing to put on a show, the skies in Turks and Caicos generously bent light for us three days in a row. Rainbows over the ocean every day? Yes, please. I swear I could see the ultraviolet light in these rainbows. How far past violet can the human eye see? (This place was so otherworldly, I think if we had stayed another day we would have seen a unicorn.)

But for me, the common thread for all the island's magic was the light. The changing light of each day changed my perspective, changed my view, altered what I saw. It is easier to notice this while on vacation, because I slow down, but this is true anytime, anywhere. Light has a huge impact on the way we experience space. The light in Turks and Caicos is different than the light in Alaska or St. Louis, Charlotte, Wichita, or San Antonio. Light is magical, folks. Take time to engage with and enjoy the light in your space right now.

​It's all about the light.
~ Lisa

Priorities. What will your project B.E.C.O.M.E.?

Envision Lighting Design helps clients address all the issues in the BECOME acronym (below) but it is the way these items are prioritized that will give each project its own unique fingerprint. Which is most important to you and your project?

Budget – Budget necessarily plays an important role in every project. Is budget your number one priority, or do other concerns take precedence? Knowing the budget up front saves design time and design costs. The ELD team is skilled at designing to a budget - especially when we know what it is!
Environment (energy, efficiency, nature, resources) – Lighting consumes energy and impacts the environment. We want to be good stewards of the limited resources available to us. We don’t waste light. This includes minimizing “throw-away” light into the sky, which is not only wasteful, but can have a negative impact on birds and other wildlife.
Community (safety, cultural value) – Lighting can help create a sense of place and a sense of safety. Light is an equity issue. Exterior lighting plays an especially important role. Lighting can also enhance, entice, surprise, and delight.
Orientation (wayfinding) – Because lighting can entice, it can also help lead people to where they need to be. Lighting can be used to help people find their way: lighting and technology can be combined to identify open parking, lighting can differentiate one place from another, and it can guide people along a path.
Maintenance – Even LEDs require maintenance. They may last longer than legacy light sources, but maintenance is inevitable. Drivers tend to fail before the actual diodes. How important are maintenance considerations on your project?
Essence (identity, brand) – Illuminated architecture defines a neighborhood and creates identity. Producing a harmonious lighting concept can impact tourism and brand recognition. This is where lighting contributes to the personality of a space.

Which aspect of B.E.C.O.M.E. is most important to you?
Your priorities will impact what your project becomes.

We are so excited about what's new in 2022, and the best part is that we will be tackling this year with YOU, our clients, partners, and friends!

In retrospect, when we slow down to think, the bright, flashing things that are typically vying for our attention in the day-to-day fade a bit, allowing our real priorities to shine. Some of last year's proudest moments were when the ELD team volunteered with some great St. Louis initiatives, including Pocketparks whose mission is to activate and beautify city streets by encouraging healthy habits, and The Little Bit Foundation which is breaking down barriers to learning. Significantly, in their first-ever Women in Lighting Awards, the international organization WIL recognized ELD Principal, Lisa J. Reed for her role as a supporter of women in our industry. Speaking of awards, the Envision Lighting Design team received FIVE IES Illumination Awards, and four of them were National Awards of Merit! We completed some stellar new projects in 2021, too. How cool was it to be involved with the Muny upgrades? Super cool, and their new behind-the-scenes lighting helps them function so much better. The newly upgraded Central West End Metrolink station was a 2021 project highlight as well. Its color-changing glass canopy adds a pop of color to the middle of the Washington University School of Medicine campus. The McKelvey Hall ribbon cutting in October was a treat, and it was fun to reconnect with most of the design team that day. Our trip to Hendersonville in November included a perfect rainbow, confirming that the project really was a pot of gold!

It's that time of year when everyone is talking self-improvement. One of the ELD team's collective goals is to increase our vocabulary this year, so we are launching the Wednesday Word of the Week! Follow us on social media to learn alongside the ELD team. We are also always looking for ways to give back to our community. This year, you'll find us putting our energy into WILD STL, CREW STL, and the USGBC Mo Gateway Chapter, where Lisa will begin serving as the Membership and Marketing Committee Chairperson. Whatever your goals are, we want to be a resource for you, so be on the lookout for more blogs, articles, and educational material from the ELD team this year.
Where do you want to connect ?
What do you want to learn?

​We are here for you in 2022 - still the biggest lighting geeks you'll ever meet!

​Envision Lighting Design was recently featured in a Redfin article. While we can't summarize everything about bathroom lighting in 2-3 sentences, we captured a few of the most important ideas.
"In addition to instantly changing the space’s design aesthetic, lighting at the mirror helps get rid of harsh shadows from overhead lighting, creating a more flattering light on your face. Opt for a warm light (2700K, 90+CRI) to accentuate the effect." – Envision Lighting Design

To expand on the above thoughts, you must put the light between your face and your mirror. There are many ways to do this, with a wall-mounted fixture over the top of the mirror being the most common. Wall sconces flanking the sides of a mirror will also work nicely, or do both top and sides! (Think "Hollywood" lights.) A modern take on this often seen in hotels is a mirror with integral lights for a clean, flush solution. For more whimsy, consider a pair of pendants flanking the mirror. Keep them close to the wall so they provide light in the same way a sconce would. With all of these options, we are looking for a soft, warm glow, not a harsh directional light.
While lighting at the mirror is one of the most important aspects of bathroom lighting, we can't neglect the rest of the room. Like mirror lighting, task lighting is also helpful in showers. A recessed, wet-location downlight is the most common solution here, but if you've spent a lot of money for special tile or plumbing fixtures, why not highlight them? Use a shower-rated recessed adjustable accent light to highlight your shower fixtures like the art that they are!
At the commode, we are always careful not to place a light directly overhead. Who wants to feel like they are under a spotlight while doing their business?? That said, adequate ambient light is necessary for cleaning (and reading or whatever else you might be doing in here) but that can be achieved with a decorative luminaire or downlight in the center of the room.

​Envision Lighting Design, LLC (ELD) welcomes Kaitlin Page to our team, as part of our strategic growth initiative. Page, previously a Senior Electrical Engineer with BSA LifeStructures, is a licensed electrical engineer in Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri. With well over 100 health care projects under her belt, she brings nearly a decade of experience designing health care, higher education, and laboratory projects. 

Page is a recent winner of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Award of Merit for her behavioral health project at the Neuro Diagnostic Institute and Advanced Treatment Center.

Envision Lighting Design's founding principal, Lisa J. Reed says, "We are thrilled Kaitlin is with us and will bring her extensive experience and expertise to our client’s projects as we continue to enlighten and enhance their spaces. Having her on our projects will make the design process that much more enjoyable for all involved.”
 
Page also currently serves as Vice Chair of the IES Museum and Art Gallery Lighting Committee and has two museum publications to her credit, as well as white papers on various aspects of germicidal lighting. She regularly speaks publicly to groups on topics related to light and health as well as museum and gallery lighting. “The lighting world is fraught with challenges, and I couldn’t think of a better team to tackle them with,” says Page.
 
Starting in the 2021 spring semester, Page will begin teaching as an adjunct lighting instructor for the Maryville University Interior Design department.  She is a Board Member of the Young Friends of Opera Theater St. Louis and serves on the Skinker DeBaliviere Commercial Districts Committee.  When we emerge from COVID restrictions, you will find her dancing, taking in live music, and traveling the world.

Please join us in enthusiastically welcoming Kaitlin Page to the team!

This week on Wednesday at noon Central Time, the IALD is hosting a webinar to address the impact of racism on our industry. This will (hopefully) be the start of a longer conversation filled with action items - what can we actually do to improve our industry by making it inclusive and welcoming to a diverse population?

When Edward Bartholomew and Nelson Jenkins asked me to join this panel, the first words out of my mouth were, "I might say the wrong thing. Don't get me wrong - I'm passionate about this topic. It's close to my heart, but I'm still learning how to be Anti-Racist." Edward graciously answered that we are all still learning and Nelson welcomed me to the panel. I have already learned during the short time we have been preparing for this webinar.

Why would I want to be on this panel? I believe that justice and equity are human rights. I also believe that designers can apply our creativity to solving issues of social injustice. As a kid, I often felt left out. We've all been there, right? I remember that feeling, and I hated it. Because of that, I have always tried to be inclusive.

As a human, I care about how others are treated.
I care about how they feel.
I care about people.
I care.

I care about my seven-year-old niece who is the princess of our family. She was born in Ethiopia and adopted at eight months old. She is spunky and smart. I want everyone to see that about her and love her as much as I do. I want her to have access to every opportunity that my nephew and my sons will have. And I absolutely don't want anyone to hurt her or judge her based on her gender or the color of her skin.

Let me ask the white people reading this...when was the last time you were in the minority? When have you gone to a meeting or a store or just driven down the street and noticed that you were the only white person around? Can you honestly say you were comfortable in that situation? Okay, now reverse that and you might begin to imagine how Black lighting designers feel. At a lighting conference about 15 years ago, I happened to notice that nearly everyone in the room was old, white, and male. A few years later, an Emerging Professional approached me and said, "This is awkward, but I feel like I can talk to you...are there any Black people in this industry?" My truthful answer had to be that there aren't many, but then I proceeded to introduce her to as many people as I could to make her feel welcome.

This conversation is long overdue.
Since the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, many in the lighting industry have condemned social injustice and racism. Many in the lighting community have even issued diversity and inclusion statements. 
Action is also overdue.
I hope everyone who has been speaking out will join this Webinar.
Help us discuss ways to move into action and make positive change in our industry!

Update: A version of this story was published in St. Louis CNR! Read that story here, and our original blog post below.

Cities everywhere are closing roadways to traffic and allowing restaurants to add outdoor dining tables because of coronavirus. Other restaurants are taking over parts of their parking lots to add a few tables. This outdoor dining option will be a lifesaver for many restaurants, allowing them to serve more guests while social distancing. Small overlooked nooks and crannies can create a perfect socially distanced table and with the right lighting, it can be stunning.
 
Outdoor dining creates daytime and nighttime lighting challenges. Umbrellas or a trellis may be needed to mitigate hot sunshine, while those “ceilings” become perfect opportunities for lighting at night. Uplighting an umbrella turns the whole thing into a glowing light source. LED lights are small sources which don’t take much power. Some can even be solar powered.
 
The Envision Lighting Design team has studied the options, and we would like to offer a few guidelines for spicing up your ad hoc alfresco dining spaces with a little lighting magic.
 
Safety First
Be sure to highlight steps, ramps, and curbs. This can be done with post-top lights, wall sconces, or ropelight tucked underneath the steps. Light can also mark pathways and help with wayfinding.
To screen diners from roadways, parking lots, or even other tables, add plants and put lights in them for increased visibility. If you don’t plan to bring your lighting system inside during inclement weather, make sure you are using lights that are rated for outdoor use.

​Warm Color Creates Fireside Ambiance
LED light comes in all different colors. Be sure to pick a warm color light (not “daylight”) to help people – and their food – look the most appealing. Be careful with saturated color! Pops of red or blue color can be fun, but use it sparingly to avoid discoloring food or creating a chaotic atmosphere.
Another thing that creates a warm fireside ambiance is…fire. Firepits can be used to help socially distance patrons while also providing light. Firepits or heat lamps can provide warmth and ambient light to extend the outdoor dining season in cool climates. Candles on tables provide light, too. You can also use candles or other lighting to track which tables are ready for new guests.
Umbrellas can provide daytime shade from hot sun, while tiki torches provide light at night; either replace umbrellas with tiki torches nightly, or if you have enough room, create a checkerboard of umbrella tables for daytime and tiki tables for night.

​Create a Focal Point
Light the vertical surfaces between tables, whether they are curtains, walls, or plants. Whatever you use as a partition between people, illuminate it. Accent your accent walls! Try hiding the light source behind a bench or plant to create a softer glow. Glare is the enemy of a pleasant ambiance.
Firepits, fireplaces, and landscape planters are natural focal points. You can also uplight trees or hang lights from their branches to downlight the spaces below them. Why not draw attention to these bits of nature if you are lucky enough to have them in your urban landscape?
​
String Light Love
We all love string lights, and they are easy to install. But try using them differently. Here are some suggestions:

• When stringing lights across your space, what are you using for posts? Broomsticks in a bucket can work, but so can other objects. Try one of the following alternatives.
  • Use beefy 4x4 posts set in concrete bases; fill buckets with concrete and remove the bucket after concrete has set.
  • If you use sand-filled buckets, skirt them with fabric to hide the ugly bucket (and the dirty sand.)
  • Old wooden ladders or other interesting objects can be weighted with plants and used to anchor string lights.
  • String lights from a building to a perimeter wall – no posts necessary.
• Instead of hanging the string lights as a swag, connect them to the architecture and hang them in straight lines.
• Are there trees in your outdoor space? Wrap them with string lights. Locate the lights above eye level for best results.

It doesn’t take much. Even just one string of lights can make a table more inviting. 

​Let Your Personality Shine!
Lights – even string lights – come in different shapes and sizes. There are standard globes, but there are also some that look like jelly jars or paper lanterns. Pick a shape that matches the personality of your eatery.
Another fun idea is to bring floor lamps outdoors. Some are even rated for outdoor use.
Speaking of lamps, anything can be a lampshade! Hang buckets, baskets, or wire birdcages over a simple shop light for a dressed-up look. Cluster a group of cord-hung lamps together to create your own chandelier.
Lighting can be expensive and complicated, but it doesn’t have to be, and using your creativity can keep costs low. Whatever you decide to do, remember that the magic of light can enhance the outdoor dining experience just like it does indoors.
 

I had a little "meetup" with friends last night. You know the kind: not actually in person, but on Zoom like a work meeting, except after work and with non-work friends. My (sweet and insightful) friend told me it looked like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I'm sure it did...

...in fact, with Zoom I could stare right back at my own image and see exactly what she was talking about in real time. It wasn't pretty, folks. For one thing, I need to work on my video-call lighting set-up. And maybe I also need to place an online order for some new makeup. But I digress.
It's probably true that I have been worrying about things more than I need to.
But you know what else is true? I have been waiting for SO MANY THINGS.

We have all been waiting...
...for our states or cities to reopen
...for test results
...to hear who won the proposal
...for furloughs to end
...for PPP loans or EIDL grants or stimulus checks
...for school to end
...for summer to start
...for our grocery deliveries
...for newly planted gardens to grow
...to be let in to that next web call

Whatever it is that you are waiting for, take a deep breath and let the weight slip off.
We're all in this together. You don't have to carry it all yourself!

While much of the world is suffering unprecedented stress due to the global pandemic, the EARTH seems to be feeling less stress than she has in a while. We have been reducing energy usage and air pollution, and it looks like the Earth is breathing easier because of it. That's a silver lining, for sure!
​
​It's also fitting, since this coming Wednesday, April 22 is the 50th Earth Day.

Several of our ELD team members celebrated our love for the planet by getting outside and planting gardens this weekend. Luckily, we were graced with gorgeous weather in the St. Louis area, so that felt like an Earth Day gift to us!

This is our eco-challenge to you: remember the connections, including your human ones. During this time of isolation, the connections are more important than ever. Start by connecting to the people you know and love - with a phone or video call - not just a text. After that, think about the electricity and the water you are using. How can you turn them off and use even a little less? This article has some good specific tips on how to save energy during the coronavirus pandemic. Next, go outside and take a deep breath. Take three deep breaths! Smell the fresh air. Now listen to the birds, the peepers, or the buzzing bees. What are the natural sounds you can hear today? It's springtime! How many colors can you see? The browns are being covered over with vibrant yellows and greens. In Missouri, the dogwoods and redbuds are blooming pink and white. Finally, go all-in...find a patch of ground, take off your shoes, and press your feet into this one-and-only planet of ours.
If the pandemic has you feeling tired and alone, take a break to connect with the beauty and mystery of our Earth.
Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. ~Rachel Carson
Connect.
Let us know how you are celebrating Earth Day this week!