The Inspired Intermedia digital book collection
Issue link: https://inspired.uberflip.com/i/1542782
293 I'll never forget the night I drove into Sedona, Arizona. Known for sunsets that ignite its red rock formations, it was a place I had long wanted to experience. But my travel plans had me arriving after dark — and it was dark. Not the glow of streetlights or storefronts or brightly lit residences, but a deep, enveloping darkness. For a moment, it felt as though the city was closed, even though it very much wasn't. A few days in, I realized there had always been more than enough light to see by. The darkness wasn't empty — it was intentional. And above it all, the stars were remarkable. That quiet arrival stayed with me, even if I didn't fully understand why at the time. Years later, the lesson resurfaced through the guidance of one of my lighting mentors, Eleftheria Deko, who often reminds designers that "less is more." Her philosophy echoed what Sedona had taught me instinctively: Light is only effective when it has darkness to work against. Together, those influences continue to shape my approach to lighting design in the northern woods of Canada, where restraint is not just aesthetic — it's essential. Our industry has earned a reputation at times: path lights jammed into the ground, fixtures installed without hierarchy, or well-meaning homeowners overwhelmed by the promise of the latest technology from a big-box store. I know this world well. At different points in my career, I've been part of it. Experience teaches you — often the hard way — that more fixtures don't create beer lighting. They create noise. Great lighting is about restraint, intention, and understanding how darkness works alongside light. When interior and exterior lighting are designed in balance, the transition between them feels natural and cohesive. When landscape lighting is done well, it feels effortless — almost invisible. When it's done poorly, it announces itself immediately. The goal is never to overpower a space, but to reveal it quietly, thoughtfully, and in harmony with its surroundings. Shedding Light On The Subject Balancing the Chemistry Between Balancing the Chemistry Between Interior and Exterior Lighting Interior and Exterior Lighting By Brad Rose Elevate, Muskoka, ON