LytePod

Lytei

Diving into the honest, creative, challenging, and fun human part of how design really happens - all with a little love for light along the way. Featuring creative minds who walk into their own story - from designers to manufacturers, innovators, and professors - unpack their vision, ideas, accomplishments, and habits that make it happen!

  1. Luxury Living: Why Most Homes Get Lighting Wrong - Richard Millson

    02/12/2025

    Luxury Living: Why Most Homes Get Lighting Wrong - Richard Millson

    What happens when the people who control your home's technology realize most homes are getting lighting fundamentally wrong? In this episode of LytePOD, host Sam Koerbel sits down with Richard Millson, a master integrator with nearly 30 years of experience creating seamless smart home experiences for luxury residences. Together, they unpack why most homes — even $30 million estates — fail at lighting design, and how the advent of LED technology has forced integrators to become lighting experts whether they wanted to or not. Richard reveals the uncomfortable truth: most residential projects don't have professional lighting designers involved. The architect, electrician, or builder handles it, not out of malice, but because they genuinely believe "four cans and a fan" is fine. Meanwhile, integrators are left to control whatever shows up on site — fixtures that don't dim properly, don't match in color temperature, or literally leave million-dollar artwork half in shadow. This conversation goes deep into how technology is reshaping the entire lighting industry — from fixtures with built-in intelligence to wireless control systems that let you redesign your lighting after your house is built. Richard shares why his company now specifies fixtures themselves (it's not about the money) and how showing clients what's actually possible with modern lighting creates those "I didn't know my house could look like this" moments. 💡 Key insights: • Why LED changed everything — and made lighting exponentially more complex • How intelligence is moving from wall switches to the fixtures themselves • The difference between selling technology and creating experiences • Why integrators and designers need each other more than ever • How to create intuitive control systems that guests can use without training • The future of residential lighting and where the industry is heading Whether you're a designer wondering why integrators suddenly care about your fixture selections, an integrator trying to navigate the lighting landscape, or a homeowner who's ever wondered "what does this switch do?" — this episode reveals what it really takes to get lighting right in luxury homes. Where Richard works: https://millson.net/ Join the fun - learn more about Lightapalooza (our sponsor) - https://lightapalooza.com/ Listen now to discover why lighting might be the most misunderstood — and most impactful — element in your home. (00:00:00) The Problem: Most Homes Get Lighting Wrong(00:01:27) Richard! (00:03:37) The LED Revolution Changed Everything(00:05:50) From Control to Design: Why Integrators Must Evolve(00:07:40) The Art of Collaboration Without Competition(00:16:07) Educating Clients: The Power of Demonstration(00:23:26) Creating Intuitive User Experiences(00:29:35) The Future: Flexibility and Addressability(00:34:24) Industry Evolution and Consolidation(00:38:01) Lighting as the Gateway to Early Project Involvement

    41 min
  2. Immersive: What Developers Really Want? It's Not Lower Prices - Jamil Lacourt (L&L Holding Company)

    11/11/2025

    Immersive: What Developers Really Want? It's Not Lower Prices - Jamil Lacourt (L&L Holding Company)

    What do billion-dollar developers really think about design — and where does lighting fit in? In this episode, LytePOD host Sam Koerbel sits down with the COO of a luxury real-estate developer in New York City responsible for billions of dollars in projects. Together they unpack the owner’s perspective on budgets, design ambition, and risk — and what happens when lighting becomes the most misunderstood line item on the spreadsheet. This candid, behind-the-scenes conversation reveals how developers make decisions, where designers lose trust, and what it takes to bridge the gap between creativity and construction reality. 💬 Topics covered:• How developers evaluate risk, cost, and design value• Why lighting often gets “value-engineered” — and how to prevent it• The balance between aesthetics and ROI in high-end projects• What guardrails and responsibilities do developers have• How a developer can guarantee success on a project (spoiler alert: belief, conviction, and a team that adapts as the market changes) Where Jamil works: https://www.ll-holding.com/ Where we recorded this: https://terminalwarehouse.nyc/ 🎧 Listen now to learn what truly drives billion-dollar development decisions — and how lighting can become the differentiator, not the casualty. (00:00:00) Setting the Stage: What Developers Value (00:05:15) Jamil's Path: From Construction to COO (00:11:45) Balancing Cost, Time, and Quality (00:19:30) Building A Business Plan For New Development (00:27:15) The Anatomy of a Construction Budget (00:36:00) Managing Consultants and Contractors (00:45:30) Choosing the Right Design Partners (00:54:00) The Lighting Conversation (01:05:40) Q&A, Sam Answers to Jamil's Questions (01:40:30) Reflections and Gratitude

    1 h y 46 min

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Diving into the honest, creative, challenging, and fun human part of how design really happens - all with a little love for light along the way. Featuring creative minds who walk into their own story - from designers to manufacturers, innovators, and professors - unpack their vision, ideas, accomplishments, and habits that make it happen!

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