As many good things do, it began
over a beer...
About Lighting Design Studio
Our story began in 2006, when founders Luke Locke-Wheaton and Bruce Weil first met while working as lighting designers at the renowned iGuzzini. A shared passion for design quickly sparked a friendship - and the seeds of something bigger.
After time spent travelling, Bruce realised he wanted the independence to shape his own future. Luke, meanwhile, continued building his experience in the UK, butwas equally drawn to the freedom and creativity of working for himself.
In 2010, two friends sat down over a pint. Ideas flowed, decisions were made, and a vision took shape. From that conversation, Lighting Design Studio was born - rooted in friendship, curiosity, and committed to designing light that brings spaces to life and makes people feel their very best.
Lighting Design Studio grew steadily, built on the trust of clients who valued not just beautiful lighting, but thoughtful, people-centred design. Each project became a chance to show how light could do more than
illuminate - being a part of everyday life.
As the studio evolved, so too did our values. Collaboration, creativity, and curiosity have always been at
our core – guiding how we work with clients, architects, designers, and contractors alike. We believe that the best solutions come from sharing ideas openly, and designing with both practicality and imagination in mind.
Today, Lighting Design Studio is proud to bring over 15 years of experience to restaurants, homes, gardens, workplaces, and public spaces across the globe – turning everyday spaces into places that truly shine.
Lighting Designers with an International Reputation
Over the past 15 years our studio has established a reputation for creating luxury lighting schemes that are creative, intelligent, elegant, dynamic, and energy-saving. Our studio is friendly, approachable and absolutely committed to providing the best customer experience.
Founding directors Luke and Bruce are both respected and renowned industry experts.
They regularly speak at leading design events, lecture at several universities and sit on the communications
committee at The Society of Light and Lighting – part of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers
(CIBSE).
Living Light
Lighting can transform a space from ordinary to extraordinary
We create comfort, flexibility, and beauty through the art of light.”
More than that:
Great lighting is about how it makes you feel.
Light fundamentally affects well-being. It impacts our circadian rhythms (our body clock) and crucial things
such as stress, sleep and even happiness (serotonin)
Living light is more than beauty and functionality, it about how light makes you feel.
Our Lighting Solutions
Functional lighting design
Lighting influences how people feel in a space.
Great lighting strikes the perfect balance between comfort and functionality. It highlights the beauty of the
space, fosters the right mood, and ensures people can navigate and interact with their environment
effortlessly.
Whether it’s a cosy restaurant, a vibrant retail store, or a professional office, the right lighting design turns
spaces into places people love to be.
It’s also about the wider environment
“Living Light” means more to us than light for humans to live by – to us it also encompasses mindfulness
towards the planet.
Wherever possible, we aim to recycle light fittings and make energy-efficient choices, with carbon
neutrality always an ideal goal.
This also means energy bill savings for home and business owner clients.
Our Process, Stage-By-Stage
Concept – RIBA Stage 2
This is where the dream takes shape to form practical ideas.
At this stage, we will detail the position of lights on architectural plans, provide images and sketches of
fittings and effects, and even create 3D visuals if you’d really like to get an idea of the end result before
you commit to a specification.
It is also where we will discuss colour temperature, colour rendering and the things that come together to
create the full effect.
Plans – RIBA Stage 3
Once the concept has been confirmed, we may need to run lighting calculations and we’ll provide lighting
layouts and detailed specifications of light fittings, equipment, consumables, circuits etc.
We’ll provide some indicative costs for the required lighting equipment.
Sketches and shopping lists, in simplest terms.
Details – RIBA Stage 4
This is the actual implementation plan – including detailed drawings, loading schedules, control
schematics, and setting-out drawings, if required.
This plan shows exactly where to position each light, how to install it, and how to integrate lighting into
cabinets, shelving and architecture, for example.
Management – RIBA Stage 5
This is where it all actually happens, and where things can go wrong if you don’t appoint lighting
professionals to help with this part.
We’ll make sure your professionally-designed lighting system is correctly installed, configured and tested.
Finally, we assist with programming the controls and teach the end user (i.e. the employee in the
workspace, or residents of a home) how to use the system with minimal fuss.
We Listen
Your goals and your outcomes, not ours. One of our highest priorities is to listen to you through the whole
planning, design and building process.
Take a look at some of the incredible projects we’ve helped our clients to accomplish .
Our customers
We serve three major groups, and we understand our clients all want something different from us.
This is your project and we’re here to offer our expertise as lighting specialists and help see your project in its best light – but we’re happy to follow your vision, goals and outcomes, not ours.
We’ll make recommendations if we think something will work better, but one of our highest priorities is to listen to you through the whole planning, design and building process.
Unless of course you want us to take the lead, we are happy to do that as well.
We know what it is like to be busy – and we know you do not have time to waste. We are experts at providing the solution you are looking for, even if sometimes you aren’t sure what you’re looking for yourselves.
Let our experience and expertise help make the job easier. We do the hard work, so you don’t have to.
Homeowners and property developers
Business owners
and project managers
Architects and designers
Lighting Design Studio did a great job not only with the lighting but working very closely with both the client and the team to understand what was required within the property. Their expertise in lighting were invaluable! The house looks wonderful, it is lit discretely but with the right amount of emphasis on architectural features and artwork. Thanks Bruce and Luke for a great job.
Harriet Forde –
British Institute of Interior Design President 2019/20 Harriet Forde Design
Lighting Design Studio did a great job not only with the lighting but working very closely with both the client and the team to understand what was required within the property. Their expertise in lighting were invaluable! The house looks wonderful, it is lit discretely but with the right amount of emphasis on architectural features and artwork. Thanks Bruce and Luke for a great job.
Harriet Forde –
British Institute of Interior Design President 2019/20 Harriet Forde Design
Lighting Design Studio did a great job not only with the lighting but working very closely with both the client and the team to understand what was required within the property. Their expertise in lighting were invaluable! The house looks wonderful, it is lit discretely but with the right amount of emphasis on architectural features and artwork. Thanks Bruce and Luke for a great job.
Harriet Forde –
British Institute of Interior Design President 2019/20 Harriet Forde Design
Learn About Light
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In this post The Lighting Design Studio offers an explanation of Part L lighting regulations, and sets out the requirements your lighting needs to meet. (Updated Feb 2022) So...
Colour temperature is an important subject when it comes to lighting design, especially when working internationally. Colour is perceived differently in different cultures. For example, Chinese and Japanese have...
We love what we do and we believe this really shows in our work. Talk to us about your lighting design project and see this for yourself.
