Episode
Episode 22: Studio K's Karen Herold: Why Bad Lighting Kills Good Design
- Podcast
- Lighting Matters
- Published
- Aug 20, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 2595
- Processing state
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Summary
"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…