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Hey, and welcome back to another episode of What's Up with Winn Electric.
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I am Saul Lewis, your host of What's Up with Winn Electric with Fallen Green
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Winn Electric. And today we're joined with Tara Kohler.
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First off, let's start off with a little bit about you. Could you tell us a
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little bit about what got you into the design industry?
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Sure. I've owned Winn Winn Kohler since 2013. We're a full service design firm here.
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I went to WKU and got a bachelor's degree into year design. And that's where
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it kind of started as far as my love for interior design.
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It really started at a young age. And from there, it just led to the interest in it.
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And then realizing how much more involved it was in the construction aspect
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of things is what I really fell in love with and kind of prompted me to continue in that path.
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Did you think you always wanted to get into design or was that something that
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just kind of went along as you got through school?
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I started school and I was a theater major. And then I was a meteorology major.
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And then I took some time off to figure out what I really wanted to do.
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Again, I've always loved anything art related. And I was like,
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you know what, I'm going to just go for it and started that program, fell in love with it.
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And then, yeah, from that point on, I knew that's what I wanted to do.
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Maybe you can tell us a little bit about your expertise in lighting design in particular.
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Yeah, I mean, we obviously learn a little about a lot of different things in
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school, one being lighting. But really, I don't feel like we got into the nitty
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gritty of things until I started actually being hands on and doing it with my work.
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And within that, you just kind of realize how important it is.
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We do everything from pick the fixtures to do the walkers with the electrician
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and kind of know where every outlet is, where every lighting is going to go,
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what height, the type of, you know, Kelvin the bulb is going to be.
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So we really get into that, all those intricate layers of it.
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But I didn't really learn that per se until I got to be more hands-on.
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And so experience-based. Right.
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I just heard you mention even helping to pick out where exactly your plugs and
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switches are going to go.
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So when you go into a job, even if somebody asks you to just get involved with
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lighting, you're actually looking at the whole entire job.
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The whole entire electrical aspect of things. I mean, we ask questions like,
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do you plan on having holiday lights to know if we need to put outlets in your soffit?
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We know what you're going to be using that exact room for so that we make sure
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the lighting is programmed so that it's good for watching movies versus, you know, cooking.
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Obviously, they're two different rooms, but the lighting is going to be different per space. Yeah.
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I mean, I don't think from my side, I've been, you and I have worked together
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on a number of jobs that, you know, sometimes when somebody comes to you for help.
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It takes a lot of questions to get to the point to where you actually know how
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to figure out what will work for them in that particular space.
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Right. And it's very different with every client because everyone kind of lives
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in their space differently.
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Someone may be, you know, really big chef in the kitchen and someone else,
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it may be very important to have a game.
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So how we approach a job is very specific to each client.
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I know, you know, when I when I go to job sites myself, again,
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from my side of it, I'm actually pretty quick to tell people that I am not a designer because,
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you know, you and I just had a conversation before we went on air here about
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how little I truly understand the different colors. Right.
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And so I tell people a lot of times if they start asking me about that aspect
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of stuff, I'm like, you might want to contact. Right. Yeah. Yeah.
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I mean, it definitely has a huge impact on the project overall,
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not just, you know, the colors that are going to be in the room,
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but it's really I can't emphasize enough how important it is to know like what
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that space is being used for.
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Obviously, there's kind of a base layer of overall lighting,
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but the details of things is really based on on that. Yeah, well,
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so that actually leads me into my next question.
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What are some of your favorite lighting design projects and inspiration for those?
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That's a tough one. We really, we try to stay away from too many specific trends
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because we want our clients to have a really classic foam that's never going to be out of style.
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So I tell people all the time to stick within, you know, if they want a certain
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light to be a little bit funky, maybe offset it with a traditional line.
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Line, like if it has a funky texture, then the line seems to be traditional.
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Or if it has a funky shape, maybe the texture is traditional. So...
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As far as my favorite, I mean, there's too many to name. We have so many different
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noses with different aspects to them that it would be hard.
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Well, you probably wouldn't want to hurt somebody's feelings by pointing out.
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I think we'll keep those to ourselves.
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If you had any tips or quick ideas that you might could throw out to customers
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or just anyone listening that might be helpful for them incorporating lighting design.
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Trends into their own spaces i know you just said that you try not
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to get too much sure onto specific trends but
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if somebody doesn't want to try to update something a little
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more you know maybe you could give them
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a little insight on a few little things i would say some things that are kind
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of overlooked that pack a big punch are like under cabinet lighting it's an
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easy addition and it gives a really high design look toe kick lighting is another
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one people underestimate you We do that a lot with like nightlight and hallways,
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even stair light,
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you know, something that has kind of an overall glow throughout the house at night.
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I feel like, too, you don't have to flip on a switch, the high end look,
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but it's also super functional.
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I would say another kind of trend, if you will, is, you know, bookcase lights.
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Emphasize what's on your bookcase and picture light
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that you may want to put over a really nice piece of
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art that you've acquired however those two
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things are trendy but you can do them with more classic light
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those are trendy things to do but the
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lights you use could be a black light right right
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yeah one of the things you mentioned there
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was under counter light which thankfully
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fully is growing in popularity but i
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know when i started in lighting you know 17 years ago there
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was very few homes that really had under counter lighting and
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if it was if there was a home that had under counter lighting it was like a
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big deal it seemed like and that's not that long ago well i'm 50 now so saying
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17 years ago doesn't seem that long yeah i would definitely say that something
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that was only incorporated into higher echelon houses but with the internet
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and pinterest and pictures circulating,
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I think people are more aware of certain things now.
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And so we are definitely getting asked to do that more often.
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But it's definitely one of the check marks on our list for a nice house always.
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Can you tell me a little bit about your views on different color temperatures
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and different areas and different spaces? Sure.
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It's a very particular thing. It's very specific to individuals.
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Individuals however myself i like the
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entire house to be at 3 000k i know
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even in closets well they could be brighter but to me i still like the warmth
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so i'll be the same and maybe the water tree up really yeah i know everybody
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everybody has their own even in laundry room i know i'm a white girl i know oh.
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I know. I know. Now, in even some areas, I would go, for me personally,
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to $27,000. I don't in my home, but I stick around that $3,000.
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But much cooler than that, I feel, starts to get very commercial.
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Commercial well sure i mean i just
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i guess you know again personal opinion for me
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i do tend to like the 4k in
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which of course to those who may not know 4 000k is a white color if they see
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in a commercial setting i tend to like that in garages or sure sure you blogger
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room you know And I think 4K is definitely proven to be better for task lighting.
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No, I don't disagree. And I think, too, our eyes all perceive light differently.
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That is a total personal preference. Have I had clients that have requested,
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I mean, I'll take them to an electric sometimes and show them the different colors.
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And if they are more attracted to that in spaces where they want to be able
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to see their clothes a little better, but in the main living spaces,
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I will very much recommend put a $3,000 in there.
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We've actually seen at the store a little bit more push to the wider color temperature
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in residential settings.
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I fight it hard for. i will argue
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i will let some things go with clients but that
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is one thing i will tell them it will it just it distorts
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how the paint is perceived white was
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to distort how your fabric look
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your tile your countertop and generally
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speaking i just i don't want to feel like i'm in a doctor's office when i am
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posting up to watch a show that's one of the things that i specifically will
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tell people is if you have okay you know it was really big i don't know how
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it is now but it was really big a few years ago this would be more question for you i guess but.
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To do like a warm color accent wall. You may do your three walls in gray and
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do one in like a burnt orange or something.
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And I'm like, if you're doing a 4K in that, everything's going to look gray. Yeah, it's true.
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And we do less and less of the light statement walls anymore.
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I'm like, we're going to do it. Let's do the whole room.
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But it still will alter how your app perceives color.
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I mean, light is literally, you know, color is the perception of how you see
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that with certain light.
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So, yeah, it's a personal preference.
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I personally don't like to mix color temperatures in a house unless it is in
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designated areas where gas is very important and it is behind a door.
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In an open common area, I want to all see the same.
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I've heard designers say, and it may have even come from you,
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that lighting is the jewelry of the home. Totally.
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Yeah. Well, good quote. I've 100% said that. And it's so true.
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It's really a power player in any new construction remodel in your home in general
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and an easy way to upgrade a house. But it can also make or break a house.
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But it is one of the things that, like, obviously you have to have.
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But it's where form and function both meet. And there's so many different styles.
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So, yeah, it's the jewelry, the jewelry of the house. Okay, so do you have,
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in talking about that being the jewelry of the house, do you have some,
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any specific current trends?
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As far as trends go, I think there's going to be a continual uptick in mixing metals.
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So I don't, I mean, some lights in general have mixed metals on them specifically,
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but with that, if you have, you know, a gold lamp in a room,
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it doesn't mean your chandelier has to be gold.
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Again, going back to temperature, I wouldn't want to see like chrome and gold personally together.
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But mixed metals, I feel like give a really lived in look with fixtures. I like that.
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I think another kind of thing we're seeing that's really interesting is the play upscale.
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It used to be like big room, big light. And I feel like it's starting to come
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back around that like there's like smaller and more artisan dainty lights you're seeing.
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And some even were not necessarily centering to the room. So we may be offsetting
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it to center it to a certain area in the room we want to highlight.
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Also, if they like funky textures, your concrete, your plaster are a big thing
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right now. I think that's going to evolve.
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A lot of natural woven materials, really kind of elemental.
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Well, again, that's one of the nice things about hiring a designer is to help
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you along in those things.
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Do you have any final thoughts or insights you'd like to share with the audience
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about design in general? I think obviously hiring a designer is very helpful.
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And even if I'm not who you hire, I say find one that works really well with
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you and your vision because building a home or redoing a home is a very big investment.
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And I tell everyone an interior designer's insurance and those decision making
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process. process, but as far as if they were to go pick a light,
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I would say stick with your gut.
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Don't go with things that are too trendy because you think they're popular right now.
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That's how you date a house. If you pick something that you truly love,
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there will be a commonality there, like a thread woven throughout all the things
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that you love, and you won't have to worry about things matching,
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so all kind of have the same vibe or spirit about it.
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You mentioned so much. Again, I'm going to go go back and say.
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Helping someone to lay out the switches and the plugs in their home.
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You're not somebody that's just going in there to help them figure out what
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fabric they're going to put on.
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No, no, it's a lot more complex.
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I think that people realize we we really think about all aspects of living in a space.
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And to kind of reiterate, going back to like things to remember when you are
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working on electrical or lighting, I would say make sure you have plugs for lamp.
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And one of the best things that
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you can do is to have different layers of light that is
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going to not only create a high-end look but give
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you a lot of multi-purpose lighting a living room
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in my opinion should have lamp it should
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have you know some sort of recessed or overall pan lighting
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if you will and then also an overhead
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light and you know those can all be used for different things
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you in the middle of the day may want a lot of light in
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there and want the cans and the overhead headlight on and at night
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you may want to dim those down and just have your lamps on to make
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it feel a little bit more relaxing and you know cozy so i
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think that would be something really important is to to really
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incorporate all different layers of lighting i just
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want to take a minute to tell you that first off we have worked together on
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a number of different projects and i've always appreciated your insight like
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i said with school we learn a little about a lot of things so i rely We rely
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on the expert like you all in your field. Like, I don't know all the answers with lighting.
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I'll give you a call. I'll give whoever a call and ask questions like,
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hey, I'm wondering about this light.
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I can't find this, you know, specs on this. How many wattages is it?
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Et cetera, et cetera. So we rely heavily on you all too.
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Tara, thank you so much for joining us today.
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Hopefully we can do this again about some other topics along the way. Sounds great.
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Thank you. Hey, guys. Guys, thank you again for joining us for another episode of What's Up?
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Music.
