Lighting designer

[SBMS]

I have been researching home automation and looks like loxone is a firm favourite. I’m moving on to look at lighting design. Would anyone (a) recommend getting a lighting designer and, if so, (b) have any recommendations. 
 

@jothand @Thorfun I seem to remember you used a lighting designer - any recommendations?

[Nickfromwales]

You just need a good electrician who’s got a bit of GAF, and they should be able to show you options / make suggestions. 
 

I’ve done most “lighting designs” for my clients, as a part of the electrical programme of works (FOC), and it’s not rocket science tbf. 

[Dan F]

4 hours ago, SBMS said:

I have been researching home automation and looks like loxone is a firm favourite. I’m moving on to look at lighting design. Would anyone (a) recommend getting a lighting designer and, if so, (b) have any recommendations. 
 

@jothand @Thorfun I seem to remember you used a lighting designer - any recommendations?

We used a designer.  Yes, there were fees involved, but not very high vs other professional, and was money well-spent I think.  Depends what you want to do though, only makes sense to invest in a designer if you want something more than standard and are happy to pay for the fittings. 

 

We also used Loxone. Went with DALi for all fittings, so have full control over mood creation with no limitations based on how circuit were run.  Not a must I know, but satisifies my desire for programmable flexibiliy, and have used in on a couple of occasions to:

- seperate downloads into different zones (center downlights vs wall-washers)

- disable downlights near TV in tv-viewing mood, while leaving those above table on.

[garrymartin]

I always advise people to take a look at the John Cullen webinars to get a feel for how lighting should work and what a lighting designer might be able to help with - https://www.johncullenlighting.com/events/#webinars

[Kelvin]

We got a few quotes with the cheapest being £5000. I couldn’t justify the expense (or afford it) so I read as much as I could including watching the John Cullen webinars and did it myself. It’s very easy to make the lighting design far better than what is typical but quite hard to make it a showpiece of your home which is where a lighting designer comes in. If you don’t want that then it’s perfectly doable yourself to come up with a lighting scheme that is better and more thoughtful than most other houses you’ll visit. 

[joth]

12 hours ago, SBMS said:

I have been researching home automation and looks like loxone is a firm favourite. I’m moving on to look at lighting design. Would anyone (a) recommend getting a lighting designer and, if so, (b) have any recommendations. 
 

@jothand @Thorfun I seem to remember you used a lighting designer - any recommendations?

 

My answer is very similar to @Dan F

I'd already decided on Loxone, was originally desiging the lighting myself but my electrician thought I wasn't putting enough fittings in (from the usual one spot per 1.5m2 grid of approach lights school of thought) so I got a designer to review and then improve the design. The main benefit there is she modelled the lighting to determine if it was sufficient, the alternative would be over provision and dim.

Also having loxone I wanted layers of lighting in main spaces, either for reflected atmospheric lighting or direct working lighting, and the designer helped a lot in details to make that work well - e.g. placement for fittings to give and optimal shaped "scallop" of light projected on walls, and suggesting details like small markers inside window reveals. She also had discounts on a few manufacture products she passed through, which against MRP probably paid the fees on its own.

I'm really happy we went professional designer route, but it isn't for everybody

 

 

[Thorfun]

I'm going to be lazy and post this link https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/search/?&q=lighting designer&author=Thorfun&search_and_or=and which is a search of my posts for "lighting designer" 😉 

 

results include a post where I give the Instagram account of the designer we used.

[SBMS]

8 hours ago, Thorfun said:

I'm going to be lazy and post this link https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/search/?&q=lighting designer&author=Thorfun&search_and_or=and which is a search of my posts for "lighting designer" 😉 

 

results include a post where I give the Instagram account of the designer we used.

Thanks @Thorfun - got it. 
 

Do you mind sharing a ballpark of what a lighting designer costs?

[Thorfun]

About £2k 4yrs ago. No idea what she charges now