Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyllene Jones.
Hi Kyllene, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in the Midwest, I wanted to be an Architect which is how I ultimately discovered lighting design. The interest was obvious when my family built a new house when I was 12. I took the time to analyze the plans. I visited the site with my family and would explore for hours. It was just a single-family house, and I was invested. I remember I gave some outspoken input on lighting fixtures and fully supported the decision to include oversized windows to let in more light. I didn’t even know lighting design was an option for a career back then, but the interest was apparent. My interest grew as did the projects for my lighting designs.
I studied Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas since I liked the balance of the technical and creative. However, it was in my Architectural History classes my freshman year where I learned about space and light theory and how ancient architects would bring natural light into buildings. Lighting was offered as a specialty of the Architectural Engineering program, and I had found my focus. During college, I was fortunate to have internships with three different lighting design firms in St. Louis and Boston. I fell in love with the field. Lighting design provided the balance of art and science that I was looking for. I like to describe that I now think in light. It could be the colors of the sunset, shadows of palm trees, the way the sun rakes across the texture on a building or how a space feels different in the morning versus the night.
When I graduated in 1999, Los Angeles and New York were the big places to go in the field. I chose LA. I’ve called LA and Lighting Design Alliance (LDA) home for 25 years now. Every day has been exciting and different. At Lighting Design Alliance, we work on hundreds of lighting design projects of various sizes rather than one – and many of them are milestone projects. In Los Angeles alone, we’ve illuminated most of the downtown skyline, the latest international terminal at LAX and the Golden Triangle in Beverly Hills. We also get to work on a lot of projects around the world – in one day, I could be designing a restaurant project here in LA, a new resort in Hawaii, a mixed-use project in Texas, and a master plan for a new project in Egypt. An added benefit is traveling to all sorts of places to see our designs come to life. We create timeless projects, set the mood, evoke feelings with our lighting designs. They will be there for years to come.
When I was young, my family traveled quite a bit. Looking back, it might have been obvious that lighting design was going to become a part of my life. I wanted to ski past dusk to see how the resort looks different even though my legs were tired. I preferred nighttime to daytime at Disneyland, and fortunately my family wanted to stay for the fireworks. Little hints I missed then stand out to me now. And now, I get to bring my daughter to projects I’ve designed. Whether it be a local restaurant, a hotel in the Caribbean, or Disney’s Aulani, she likes to explore “mom’s lights.” We’re creating magic with lighting, and it’s fun to be able to go back to projects and experience it through the eyes of others.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think in lighting design, we have the best career, but there are struggles just like in any field. Whether it’s too much work and concern for staff burnout, or the concern of too little work, there are bumps in the road. The recession in 2008 and COVID hit hard in certain markets for new construction or renovation projects — especially hospitality — so there were fewer projects. However, at Lighting Design Alliance, we are proud that we were able to maintain our staff throughout both of those downtimes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Lighting Design Alliance (LDA) specializes in architectural lighting design. Founded by my partner, Chip Israel, we are a 30-year business that started in 1992. Having a 30-year history is a long time in the world of lighting. We work on award-winning milestone projects worldwide, but our headquarters is in Long Beach. You can see our designs in the casino resorts in Las Vegas and Macau; projects for Disney in Florida, Hawaii, Tokyo and Shanghai; hotels, restaurants and retail for many recognized brands; mixed-use and multifamily projects; high-rise towers, waterfronts and parks all over the world. Here in Southern California, I’d point out our work on the latest addition to the LA Skyline in Wilshire Grand Center; staying at the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian; the latest renovation of the Victorian Lobby at Hotel Del Coronado; or dining at JOEY or Esperanza in Manhattan Beach — if you wanted to get to know us better.
At LDA, we are most proud of our attention to detail and our collaboration with long-term clients including Architects, Interior Designers, Landscape Architects, Developers and Major Brands. However, I think it is our stellar team of designers that allows us to complete so many successful projects of all sizes and scales. It is unique that so many of our core staff has been with the company for more than 20 years. We are a true team that collaborates and creates with ease. I feel so lucky to have found my “work home” so early in my career. It’s rare when a first job out of college becomes a forever job.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I found early mentors in my internships and then at LDA. However, finding creative voices, advice, and contacts extended pretty quickly beyond that. I now find myself going to friends outside lighting design for business or project advice — architects, interior designers, or developer clients. I even find I can learn from people outside of design as well — especially in Southern California. My network now extends to the marketing, beauty, fashion, entertainment, sports, and automotive fields. In lighting design and architecture, there are many great organizations that provide networking opportunities to meet people in the field. But inside and outside lighting and design, you can always find common ground. Most people are pretty open and willing to share experiences, and Los Angeles provides a great opportunity to meet people across many fields. I find it to be a constant source of inspiration. When I first made Los Angeles my home, I would get lost on purpose driving to and from meetings or job sites. Doing so introduced me to so many new areas and places and people. Just like when I was young, I’m still exploring my home.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lightingdesignalliance.com
- Instagram: Business: https://www.instagram.com/lightingdesignalliance/
Personal: https://www.instagram.com/kyllene/ - Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kyllene-kelly-jones-a2269a6
Image Credits
1 – LDA Headshot 2- Chimelong Headquarters ©MTLD 3 – City of Los Angeles Skyline ©Hunter Kerhart 4 – Esperanza Manhattan Beach ©Art Gray Photography 5 – Mama Rabbit Las Vegas ©Biondo Productions 6 – Port of Los Angeles Waterfront San Pedro ©EDAW 7 – The Macau Roosevelt ©Kelly Puleio Photography 8 – The Parisian Macao ©Venetian Cotai Ltd.
