Tag Archives: lighting specialist

Employee Spotlight

MEET MARIA | TROY LIGHTING SPECIALIST

Leave a comment

What is your past work experience/education? Tell us a little bit about how you ended up in this field and what experiences brought you to the world of design.
I have an industrial design degree from Wayne State University.
I come from a building background. I worked at a high-end
home builder for almost 10 years. After that, I had my own
interior design business for about 7 years. Then, a prominent
local design firm asked me to manage their new lighting showroom. Eight years later, I’m at CAI.

Where were you raised?
I spent half of my childhood in Georgia and the rest of my life
has been in Michigan.

Where do you draw inspiration from? 
Nature and my kids.

In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what are some of your favorite product lines and why? 
I love Hammerton, Accord, Alora and Lodes. Learning about
Hammerton’s artisanal quality and that it’s made in the USA is
important to know. The Accord wood lighting is so unique,
beautiful and unexpected. Alora has great designs similar to
other popular lines but there are design aspects that make them
unique and easy to sell. Lodes is just simply beautiful. It doesn’t
need any wacky designs to be “cool”. I love the edited offering
they have that is not overwhelming.

What is your favorite color?
Purple.

What do you like to do in your spare time? (Hobbies, Talents, Travel, Family, etc.)
I started watercolor painting & love it! I like cooking, gardening
and hiking. I am also a troop leader with our local boy scouts.

How would you characterize your design style?
I like new traditional with MCM thrown in.

What is your favorite food?
Mexican.

What is your favorite TV series?
Sopranos.

Maria can be reached in the Troy showroom at mariak@caidesigns.net or by phone at (248) 822-1300×2370

Employee Spotlight

MEET AMY | DENVER LIGHTING SPECIALIST

Leave a comment

What is your past work experience/education? Tell us a little bit about how you ended up in this field and what experiences brought you to the world of design.
After 10 years in finance, I went back to design school and pivoted to design-build residential construction.

Where were you raised?
Denver, Colorado

Where do you draw inspiration from? 
Connection: to people, their stories, their background and history

What is your most rewarding project and why?
Winning Parade of Homes’ Best in Design for a custom build.

In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what are some of your favorite product lines and why?
Bomma Lighting, Foscarini, Hammerton and Hubbardton – I so appreciate the artistry to what they are creating in the field.

What is your favorite color?
Green – always growing

What do you like to do in your spare time? (Hobbies, Talents, Travel, Family, etc.)
My husband and I love to travel; we cycle too.

How would you characterize your design style?
How would you characterize your design style? I am drawn to items that are handmade with traditional lines. I am in awe of the craftmanship of bench made furniture, the artistry of textiles and the endless creativity and engineering found in lighting.

Do you have a favorite quote?
Stay curious

What is your favorite food?
Mexican – and anything with guacamole

What is your favorite TV series?
Yellowstone

Amy can be reached in the Denver showroom at amyz@caidesigns.net or by phone at (303) 282-8100 x6976.

Employee Spotlight

Meet Kelly | Scottsdale Lighting Specialist

Leave a comment

What is your past work experience/education?
I started my passion for interior design at the early age of thirteen. I always had a fascination for furniture placement and lighting. I attended I.D.I. for my certification in interior design and in 2009 I started working for Olivia’s Interior Design & Accents in Newport Beach, CA as a retail sales associate. As I started learning more about the trade and clientele, I moved up to interior design assistant and lead lighting sales associate.

Where were you raised?
I was raised in Irvine, California.

What is your most rewarding project and why?
The most rewarding project I have worked on was a home in Newport Beach where we custom built indoor and outdoor furniture. We worked hand-in-hand with a high end client of ours that had multiple patents for Ford Motor Company. It was very rewarding to see the finished project and to have delivered exactly what our clients were wanting.

In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what are some of your favorite product lines and why?
Some of my favorite product lines thus far are Visual Comfort, Hudson Valley, Terzani, Lodes, and Hubbardton Forge. These are some of my favorite lines because I love the detailed work they put into their finishes and the quality of their glass. I love how some of these lines are custom to order and uncommon to see.

What is your favorite color?
Cyan.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
My hobbies include movies, baseball, football, and outdoor activities of all kinds.

If you could travel back in time, where/when would you go and why?
I would go back to the 70’s era in the United States. I love everything about that time including the music, clothing, and interior design.

How would you characterize your design style?
My design style is definitely modern and contemporary. I love items that have straight lines and very sleek looks.

Do you have a favorite quote?
“Enjoy the little things in life for someday you will realize they were the big things”.

What is your favorite food?
Lamb with a bed of rice and veggies.

What is your favorite TV Series?
Too many to count. My favorites right now are The Handmaid’s Tale, Stranger Things, Law & Order, and Suits.

Anything else you would like to share?
I have a passion for traveling and love to be out and about as often as I can.

Kelly can be reached in the Scottsdale showroom at kellyh@caidesigns.net or by phone at (480) 565-3775 x6937.

Employee Spotlight

Meet Heather | Denver Lighting Specialist

Leave a comment

Gary Sinise Foundation

What is your past work experience / education?
I started my lighting career about 6 years ago with Savoy Houses’ distribution showrooms. I spent a few years taking homeowner and designer appointments out of 6 different showrooms in North Texas and Greater Atlanta. I moved on to getting my American Lighting Association Certification and transitioned from outside direct to builder/designer sales. I would read electrical plans, assist with whole home selections, bid for large projects/subdivisions, and be on location for install. Because of my field experience, I have become very familiar with the technical side of decorative lighting, lighting code, and the residential building process in general. I was very fortunate to be able to attend the lighting market for the past 6 years in Dallas. I am proud to be able to use my experience to be an asset for C.A.I.’s designers.

Where were you raised?
Southlake, Texas.

Where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from the diversity of lighting I come across in everyday life. I find that everywhere I go I am looking up at the lighting. I am especially excited for my honeymoon to Europe next year. I have always been drawn to the contemporary styles of European lighting designers.

What is your most rewarding project and why?
I am most proud of my work with the Gary Sinise Foundation. Being able to contribute to a smart home for a wounded veteran proved to be a very fulfilling experience. My father is a veteran, so I found this project very personal. I worked very closely with this Veteran and his family to make sure the lighting in his home met all of his needs, while keeping to a very small budget from the foundation. The end result left me in tears!

In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what is/are some of your favorite product lines and why?
Hubbardton Forge and Visual Comfort have always had consistently amazing originality and quality. But more recently I have developed appreciation for more independent suppliers like Heirloom Lighting, who manufactures only in the USA, or Terzani, an Italian lighting company.

What is your favorite color?
Pearl Pink.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
What brought me to Colorado is its beauty. I spend my free time skiing, hiking, exploring. I also play piano and guitar and love to sing.

How would you characterize your design style?
I have always been drawn to very contemporary design. With LED integration, lights don’t have to be designed around a light bulb anymore. I am amazed with the innovation we are seeing now that we aren’t constricted to such a bulky light source.

What is your favorite TV Series?
The Office.

Heather can be reached in the Denver showroom at heatherh@caidesigns.net or by phone at (303) 282-8100 x6972.