Page 40 - Lighting Magazine February 2020

Outward bound
“Training
is so
important.
There is
a lot to
know when
working
with lighting
– especially
exterior
lighting –
that doesn’t
come
overnight.”
—Savannah Lindau, Central Arizona Supply
component in Arizona: No one wants to walk down a path along their house and step on a snake!”
Many Arizona cities – and others across the country – have Dark Sky regulations that preserve the beautiful look of starry nights. Lindau notes that numerous manufacturers offer Dark Sky-approved fixtures in multiple styles and lighting spreads, many with LED technology, that allow homeowners to in- corporate new design elements into their outdoor living areas without disturbing their views.
“Training is so important,” she acknowledges. “There is a lot to know when working with lighting – especially exterior lighting – that doesn’t come overnight. It’s detail-oriented, and you have to be very careful to ensure each component is outdoor- rated to hold up to a multitude of weather issues.”
Lindau has found that the best way to display exterior lighting is in settings that mimic an exterior wall or that are installed near a window setting. “We like to keep exterior lighting in its own separate environment in our showrooms, and we often add little extras like BBQ grills in our vignettes that lend a feeling of being outdoors on the showroom floor. We want to make selections as easy as possible for builders, designers, and homeowners.”
Offering plenty of variety has been another suc- cessful investment. “We can go from stem to stern with outdoor lighting, showing every level of light- ing a home might need,” Lindau says. “Many of our manufacturers offer complementary interior and exterior lines. We emphasize to customers that exte- rior lighting can be done in stages. They may not have the budget for it all up-front, but it is more efficient and cost-effective if we can develop a long-term plan and lay the groundwork. We work closely with electricians, general contractors, plumbers, remod- elers, and landscape contractors on the preparation and execution of exterior living projects. Ultimately, we encourage homeowners to have fun with these projects and really consider what will provide them the most enjoyment as an extension of their home for years to come.”
Lindau encourages showrooms to find people with a passion for exterior living to head up these projects.
“There are a lot of elements involved,” she com- ments. “Showrooms need to provide the motivation for their team to grow from within, and members of the sales staff need to grow their technical knowledge by working with reps, vendors, and organizations like the American Lighting Association for training.”
Ferguson
Showrooms nationwide
As the largest distributor and national decora- tive showroom network, Ferguson® has strong relationships with its vendors and a layout for its showroom displays that has proven successful.
As the category manager for decorative lighting, Caroline Danielson is involved with everything that is lighting-related, serving as the vendor con- tact and working closely with vendors and field associates.
“We are involved with almost all lighting vendors in some way, and there are 30+ vendors that we are in constant touch with,” Danielson recounts. “Many people know us from the plumbing indus- try, but they aren’t aware that we’ve actually had a strong presence in lighting for many years. As outdoor living spaces have heated up, it’s brought more attention to our lighting program,” she states.
“We saw the popularity of outdoor living spaces begin to boom during the recession that started in 2008. Homeowners were cutting expenses, including vacation travel, and stopped buying
38 enLIGHTenment Magazine | February 2020
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