Journal
The Journal — Read Before You Renovate
Materials, budgets, upkeep — the lessons we've learned, written down.
91 articles
The Layering Principle
Layered Lighting on a Realistic Budget: A Living Room Plan
Good lighting isn't about spending money. It's about spending decisions. Lightin...
From the Field
The Restaurant Where You Can't See a Single Fixture
Leo Brennan walked into a restaurant in Austin, Texas, and spent the first ten m...
Light by Room
Outdoor Lighting That Doesn't Annoy Your Neighbors
Bad outdoor lighting doesn't just look cheap — it's antisocial. A floodlight aim...
Fixtures Decoded
Recessed Trim Showdown: What's Actually Different at Different Price Points
Recessed trims range from eight dollars to over eighty dollars, and on a showroo...
From the Field
Houston After Dark: Five Rooms That Get Lighting Right
Lighting engineer Leo Brennan has walked through hundreds of Houston homes. In t...
The Layering Principle
The One Lighting Mistake I See in Every New Build
After walking through hundreds of newly built homes across Houston, Leo Brennan ...
The Layering Principle
Your First Lighting Plan: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
This is the one you've been building toward. After nineteen articles on layering...