All Episodes

August 20, 2025 43 mins

 "If someone would say we have $1 million for finishes but no lighting designer, or $600,000 with a lighting designer - I choose that second one every day of the week." - Karen Herold 
 
Interior designer Karen Herold of Studio K joins hosts Lisa and Avi for an in-depth discussion about the critical relationship between interior design and lighting. With 25 years in hospitality design, Herold shares insights from her work with notable restaurateurs and her philosophy that "lighting makes or breaks every project." The conversation explores how lighting creates emotional environments, the challenge of selling lighting design services to clients, and innovative approaches like rechargeable table lamps changing traditional restaurant lighting strategies. Herold emphasizes the collaborative nature of successful projects, stating "if you don't light it correctly, you might as well not design it" - echoing Steve Wynn's design philosophy that has guided her career from Vegas casinos to mountain resorts. 

In This Episode:  

  • (00:00) From fashion to hospitality design 
  • (05:25) Why lighting makes or breaks every project 
  • (11:27) Restaurant design challenge: layering light between tables and the ceiling 
  • (13:09) Selling lighting design services to skeptical clients 
  • (16:12) Rechargeable lamps are changing restaurant lighting strategies completely 
  • (24:18) Building client trust through clear boundaries and expertise 
  • (26:28) Bridging the knowledge gap with better visual tools 
  • (34:15) Training junior designers and continuing education importance 
  • (39:42) Beyond restaurant: lighting that reduces the need for expensive finishes 
  • Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.  
  • Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes! 

 

About the show:  
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.  

Resources: 
Karen Herold www.studiokcreative.com 
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/ 
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w 
Lisa Reed  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/  
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com 
Avraham Mor  https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/ 
Morlights 

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.