Lighting Designer vs Lighting Supplier
A supplier's layout is drawn to sell lights. A designer's layout is drawn to make the room look right. If the look of the space matters to you, that difference is worth paying for.
Why a supplier layout costs nothing
Many suppliers in Dubai will draw you a lighting layout at no charge. You might be lucky and get a decent design.
But there is no free lunch. The supplier makes that money back through the price of the lights, and usually more.
What we usually find in them
When a client brings us a supplier's layout, two things stand out.
Too many lights. More lights mean a bigger order. The room ends up over-lit and flat, and you pay for lights you did not need.
Stock that needs to move. The layout is built around what the supplier has on the shelf, not what suits the room. Often a better light was available for the same money.
What a designer's layout does instead
A designer starts with the room. How should it feel? What is it used for? What should catch your eye? The lights come last.
The drawings describe what each light must do, not which brand to buy, so you can get prices from any supplier. You also get what a quantity sheet leaves out: your own rooms shown lit before you approve them, light levels checked, glare controlled, and every light aimed on site.
"But you supply lights too"
Yes, we do. It is a separate service.
When we design, our drawings state what each light must do, so any supplier can quote against them. Buying the lights from us is your choice.
Which one do you need?
If a space just needs to be bright, a supplier's layout may be enough. If the look matters, like a villa, a restaurant or a boutique, get the design first. Then shop for the lights.
Quick answers
Does a supplier's lighting layout really cost nothing?
It costs nothing up front. It is paid for by the lights you then buy from that supplier.
Can I use a designer's drawings to buy lights from any supplier?
Yes, if the lights are described by what they must do rather than by brand. Ours are.
