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Lighting is the subtle shift. That spark of brilliance. The element that transforms a space from ordinary to extraordinary.
The Reveal is where lighting professionals, residential experts, and designers come together to explore the art and business of outdoor design. From the intricacies of running a design company to the transformative power of lighting itself, this channel gives you the insight, inspiration, and tools to bring every project to life.
Andy Schwindler (00:09):
Hello, welcome to The Reveal. My name's Andy. This is my wife, Michelle. And today we're going to discuss a couple fun things, a few things that have been on our mind about how we've gotten to the place where we are now. Some people think it's been an overnight success. We're here to tell you that it's been a long journey, but we are happy that we made it here.
Michelle Schwindler (00:34):
Yeah. So we've actually had some pretty exciting things happen lately. One of those is we've just gotten advanced copies of the Masters of Landscape Lighting. This is a beautiful coffee table book that we were invited to be a part of. And it's so exciting. There are some amazing designers from around the world featured in here and just to be amongst their company means an awful lot to me. I can't imagine how it feels for you. Why don't you tell me?
Andy Schwindler (01:05):
Well, it means an awful lot. As you mentioned, 50 of the best of the best are featured in this book. The Forward was written by Jan Moyer. She is the number one landscape lighter to date. She's written all the books. Everything that we learn is based on the work that she's put in many, many, many years prior to us. So to be considered one of the best, not just in our region, not just in Lafayette, not just in Indiana, but in the world, it means an awful lot to me.
Michelle Schwindler (01:39):
Jan's someone that I look up to an awful lot. We see her at a lot of our national conferences. We see her at a lot of the design workshops that we've been a part of. And just the fact that she's a female in this industry when, honestly, there's not a lot yet. It was someone for me personally to look up to and know that maybe I do have a place in this industry. So just being amongst her company, first and foremost for me was huge.
Andy Schwindler (02:10):
And can she command a room?
Michelle Schwindler (02:12):
Yeah.
Andy Schwindler (02:12):
I mean, when she walks in, people know. Yeah. And not in any other way, but admiration because she is so adamant about the style, about landscape lighting, what it means, but she's willing to share that information. And it's just a great example to me of no matter what level of success I feel like I've achieved, giving back is the true gift that I've been given.
Michelle Schwindler (02:36):
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Like you said, she does command the room, but I mean, she speaks with such conviction. I know that you've always helped me understand these things, but to hear it from her and then to hear from these other designers too along the way, that lighting is more than just throwing in some fixtures where you need some lights at the end of a project.
Andy Schwindler (02:57):
Yeah.
Michelle Schwindler (02:57):
I mean, there are some real design efforts that happen
Andy Schwindler (03:02):
All
Michelle Schwindler (03:02):
Throughout a project that really help it come together to create that feeling. And so I'm super inspired by this and just to be a part of this is huge.
Andy Schwindler (03:13):
Yeah.
Michelle Schwindler (03:14):
Now, tell me about how you were invited to contribute to this, because this wasn't something that you just signed up for.
Andy Schwindler (03:22):
Yeah. I'm in the room a lot of times, right? I'm in the room where a lot of the great players in this industry hang out and I was invited. This was an invitation only from your peers. We had to submit our portfolio. We had to discuss whether we were a good fit for the project or not. When we got the nod that it was a go. And then ultimately asking us to be a contributing author was a big deal. You mentioned something earlier that stuck with me and it was how Jan commanded the room, but you mentioned conviction, right? Her conviction to her design philosophy is something that is hard to do as a young designer, right? Because there's so many influences that try to push you in one direction or another. But once you get your design eye and you decide for yourself what is going to be appropriate or not for a scene, you have to stick to that because as soon as it gets muffled or distorted, it's no longer your vision.
(04:33):
And at the end of the day, you've seen me. I'm like, "I can't change that. " Now, can there be different iterations of the same concept for sure, but I pretty much stick to my design philosophy and that's mostly because I know what the end results is going to be and I'm there for the outcome, right? At the end of the day, it's my name, our name that goes with that outcome. So I'm glad you brought that up, but I wanted to touch base on it a little bit. And this is a good example for us how we did not modify the outcome based on anything other than what is the best philosophy for these projects, and it really shined.
Michelle Schwindler (05:16):
Just to be clear though, we don't use those principles just for work that's going to be published. We have to have the conviction and the confidence to go into every design appointment
(05:28):
With that same philosophy because we are dealing with homeowners understandably that don't necessarily know what we know. And we talk with people that just say, "Hey, we need light over here. Let's put a fixture over here." And they kind of want to run the design. So for us to come in and say, "No, no, no, there's more to it than this. " And to win that confidence is big. And I've been on this journey with you, and if it's something that I didn't understand initially when we decided to focus on lighting, I can only imagine the confusion that our partners that we work with out in the field, the homeowners that we get to work with, there's just a lot more that goes into it.
Andy Schwindler (06:09):
Yeah. And design is one of those things where you almost have to have your own set of rules, not a recipe, but rules, right? Things that you cannot abandon based on budget, timeframe, some of those things that can be the constraint. So your job as the designer is to see those constraints and communicate those appropriately. And I feel like I do a pretty good job at that, and I do win a lot of the projects that I go out on, but when I have that disconnect between the outcome of what I know is right and the perception of how it could be lesser, that's usually where I have the conflict.
Michelle Schwindler (06:54):
And that's understandable. And I think one of the coolest things that is happening right now for us in Sandy Beach is that we're starting to hear more and more when we're out there that, "Hey, we drove past the house the other night and I just know it was your work." So we're starting to get that signature look and that is based on your conviction, viewer design principles and sticking to that. I think it's also super cool that the projects that we selected for this book are all local projects.
Andy Schwindler (07:24):
They are.
Michelle Schwindler (07:24):
These are projects located in Indiana
Andy Schwindler (07:28):
And
Michelle Schwindler (07:28):
Lafayette. There's one on Freeman and Monticello and just the fact that we were able to represent our region in a book like this, I think is huge, not just for us, but for our demographic and our location in general.
Andy Schwindler (07:46):
No, I agree. And it means an awful lot to me too, that our community is showing up and supporting us, right? I'll tell you, you mentioned it, so I'll bring it back around. The fact that people notice my projects just by driving by, it's the ultimate compliment. Not to use a pun here, I'm going to. It really lights me up. You know what I mean? I got a ton of those. I won't use them all on this episode, but it really does light me up because it confirms the fact that what I'm doing is different and different in a way that we're not just putting in fixtures, but we're thoughtful. We're trying to make what's already there that's beautiful. How do we give it a whole nother period of time to look amazing? I'm taking what's already great and making it better and better in the sense that lighting is that one understated element that can change the entire scene.
(08:49):
And the fact that I've been given that responsibility, I don't take that lightly.
Michelle Schwindler (08:54):
I mean, honestly, if you think about it, what other addition when it comes to the outdoor space or the indoor space can you add where it literally has the ability to change everything else? Yeah.
Andy Schwindler (09:06):
That's
Michelle Schwindler (09:07):
Pretty exciting. I
Andy Schwindler (09:08):
Think that's why we talk about, let's start with the lighting concept. How do we want this space to feel even before the first paver, the first trees planted, before we put in that outdoor kitchen, like how do we want this to feel at night? We have a real ability to shape shift that entire scenario. It's powerful, right?
Michelle Schwindler (09:29):
It is. And I feel very honored to be a part of that process for honestly some of the most beautiful locations in the state, but also what it does for even properties that aren't maybe a little understated that you wouldn't just automatically look at and say, "Wow." How
Andy Schwindler (09:47):
Do you think we get that message out? Because it's one thing for me to tell people, when you look out your window, all you see is the black pane reflecting back to you. But once I get a light over here and something over here on the mature tree or the ornamental patio tree or even just the boulders in the scape, like that cohesiveness, like I'm painting a picture that lives outside of your window. So it's not just when you drive up, it's really when you're inside, how does it feel outside? How do we expand your inside, outside? How do I communicate that better? I think I do a good job.
Michelle Schwindler (10:27):
You do a good job, but I think it's one of those things where if you don't know, you don't know.
Andy Schwindler (10:32):
So it's if you know, you know?
Michelle Schwindler (10:34):
If you know, you know. So if you've seen our work or if you've been in one of our spaces, if you've been invited over to a dinner party at one of our clients' house, you know, like you now understand what your space may be missing. Unfortunately, that lighting conversation isn't something that most homeowners are being afforded. Even with new builds and the most beautiful new builds where they're investing a lot in that space
Andy Schwindler (10:59):
And they're-
Michelle Schwindler (11:00):
And
Andy Schwindler (11:00):
Not just the home, the patio, the pool, the spaces- No
Michelle Schwindler (11:05):
Expense being spared.
Andy Schwindler (11:07):
No expenses being spared.
Michelle Schwindler (11:08):
But for some reason, they're still coming in and they're putting the wrong fixture in the wrong place or it's the wrong color temperature or the application isn't right or maybe it's too close to that shrub or the architecture where so many things we see on a regular basis that can go wrong.
Andy Schwindler (11:29):
Well, it goes back to what I was saying. It's not a recipe.
Michelle Schwindler (11:32):
No.
Andy Schwindler (11:32):
It's not every five feet on center, right? It's a philosophy. Yeah. And so bringing the philosophy in is really where the change happens, but I want to kind of move on from there. I want to talk about how we got here, because we didn't start off being these amazing lighting designers. We had to start somewhere.
Michelle Schwindler (11:51):
I actually heard it at our last conference. I hear it from our peers. I hear it from other business people in our community like, "Where did you guys come from?" It's like you guys popped on the scene five years ago and you're killing it, you're being published in a book, you've got all these-
Andy Schwindler (12:05):
Small business of the month. We're like on the national awards. Winning national
Michelle Schwindler (12:10):
Awards.
Andy Schwindler (12:10):
Yeah.
Michelle Schwindler (12:12):
How did this happen? And I think it's easy to observe our latest successes, but what people don't realize is where we came from and what it took to get here.
Andy Schwindler (12:23):
Oh my gosh. What a journey.
Michelle Schwindler (12:25):
Yeah.
Andy Schwindler (12:25):
Obviously we've been on a lot of that journey together, but there was a time where I was just making my way up the ranks. I was putting myself in a place to do the things and it started a long time ago. I mean, I don't want to- How long ago? I don't want to date myself too bad. But I've been working outdoors for almost 30 years. So it's been a long time. I started off in a state gardening, worked my way into, they call it hardscapes now, but back then it was landscape construction and we weren't using prefabricated blocks. We were using natural boulders and dry laid stone and blue stone walkways. And I was a certified nurseryman in the state of NAC. So I understand my plant material, I've worked out in the things, I've built things with my hands. I got to see all the things that went into creating these great spaces.
(13:20):
And then ultimately you and I went into the outdoor kitchen business where I was building outdoor kitchens, but the surrounding entertainment spaces that went along with them.
Michelle Schwindler (13:33):
So we're talking like fireplaces, barn grill islands, shade structures, the patty, like all of it.
Andy Schwindler (13:41):
Yeah. All the things- Lighting
Michelle Schwindler (13:42):
As well,
Andy Schwindler (13:43):
Was always a part of it. Lighting was a big part of it, but you remember that we were afraid to add lighting because of what it did to minimize the space as far as budgetary constraints, right? So we understood why it was cut out, but it wasn't until we had built our own space, and this was early on, we built our own space, we were sitting in it the evening that it was completed. How proud were we?
Michelle Schwindler (14:10):
We were so proud. It was just a huge moment in the making for us just making this whole project come together. It was like one of a kind at that time.
Andy Schwindler (14:20):
It was one of a kind at the time. It was Lakeside and we're sitting out in the space and sunset comes and we're looking at the sunset and everything's great. And then we want to continue the night, but guess what? The night had other plans for us and our whole space disappeared. The
Michelle Schwindler (14:34):
Lights turn out.
Andy Schwindler (14:35):
The lights turned out. And so we knew at that moment that we had to bring lighting into the scene. If you're interested, we featured it in the book. It was the outdoor pavilion on Lake Freeman. It's been an amazing space for us. But a few years ago, as we were approaching your certification to be a certified outdoor lighting designer with the AOLP, we thought to reimagine it a little bit. And I'm going to give you the credit because you understood it holistically enough to put your own formula together on how you wanted to experience the space. And you conveyed that to me through your plans, through your design, through your capstone project, and you blew me out of the water. Like your ability to communicate through that media was exceptional, but it inspired me. Inspired me to think about how we could elevate it through your vision, and we did that.
(15:40):
I'm going to just keep humble bragging for you, but you won the National Award for Outdoor Living Spaces, the best lit outdoor space. Congratulations on that. I'll take a little credit, but honestly, the credit's due for you. And it put us in a position where it was a no-brainer for us to include it in the book. It has a big part of our origin story, which I just shared. I think it really describes the aha moment for us, describes how long we've been doing it. And we're not just the overnight success. We had to sit through that failure, right? The failure not to think about the thing. And so we're here now to make sure that people that are doing these spaces, building these homes and wanting to spend more out time, don't go through the same mistake that we had where it all just disappears.
Michelle Schwindler (16:32):
There were a lot of years that we made it a part of the outdoor living project, whatever it was that we were working on, and we did a good job. But what shifted for us when we started to focus on lighting, and I think we'll get into that too, was that it's not just the immediate space that we're working in. It's not just about lighting that pergola or lighting that fireplace area. Now we've got to figure out a way to connect this space with the rest of that beautiful property that that space is living on. And so we knew it was more than just that initial space, that it was bigger than that.
Andy Schwindler (17:10):
It was cohesion, it was balance, it was symmetry, and how does the estate read, right? Does it feel like it's connected to the home?
Michelle Schwindler (17:19):
Is there something else that's catching our eye beyond the first thing?
Andy Schwindler (17:23):
Yeah.
Michelle Schwindler (17:23):
Right?
Andy Schwindler (17:24):
And these are all traditional design philosophies. We're just using light to do it. And as long as we continue to look at those philosophies, typically our projects turn out pretty good.
Michelle Schwindler (17:35):
So I want to talk a little more about that shift and how we made that decision to start focusing solely on lighting.
Andy Schwindler (17:46):
Yeah. Well,
Michelle Schwindler (17:46):
How long did we build outdoor kitchens and design outdoor kitchens and living spaces?
Andy Schwindler (17:50):
Well, when we got married, I was designing and managing projects for another outdoor kitchen company out of Zionsville, Indiana. It was very successful and it was a great opportunity for me to kind of cut my teeth on something that hasn't and wasn't mainstream yet. The outdoor living space was typically just a patio, maybe a fire pit. I don't know if you remember, 2008, it was a little bit wonky with the financial crisis and all those things. Well, that job went away and we decided to move north and build our outdoor kitchen that's featured in this book.
Michelle Schwindler (18:28):
It was our, if we build it, they will come concept, right?
Andy Schwindler (18:32):
If we build it, they will come moment. So we built it and we started inviting people to come see it and it was really good. We were able to build momentum. We were building some of the best spaces for the best homes. It was still early, right? It was still early in the process of being mainstream. There were some lean years there. And again, I'm so convicted to the outcome where I struggled to take on projects that didn't feed the energy I was trying to put out there. So it was fun. We had some success, we did the thing, and ultimately life shows up sometimes.
Michelle Schwindler (19:15):
That's one thing that is true. You can be on a role and sometimes life has a way of saying, "Hey,
Andy Schwindler (19:22):
We've
Michelle Schwindler (19:22):
Got other things planned for you.
Andy Schwindler (19:25):
" Yeah.
Michelle Schwindler (19:25):
So I got pregnant with our first daughter and everything was great. It was all going to plan and then her birth came and to a surprise to all of us, she was born with some pretty major disabilities. And so we took that in stride, but what had ended up happening was that I was essentially removed from the business because I was a full-time caregiver at that point. And you were basically doing everything you could by yourself to keep that business running, but as you know, it takes more than one person to do those projects at that scale.
Andy Schwindler (20:06):
That was kind of a turning point for us because we had worked so hard to get Annabelle to a great place while I was still working really hard to build these great spaces. And I felt like we did a really good job. I thought that our team, you and me never shifted from the goal, which was to put out great projects, to take care of our family, and to be there for everyone. At this time, we had a teenage son, Annabelle was doing actually pretty well, and we were kind of turning the corner and soon after that, I mean, we were going to invite our next daughter to the party. Julie was on her way, and again, we're going to continue talking about this, but this is tough. After a routine procedure, unfortunately, Annabelle didn't make it out of that. We left the hospital that day with an empty car seat, and it changed us fundamentally.
(21:14):
Everything that we kind of knew up to that point shifted. Not our desire to be great, but our desire to take on more than we could chew, right? We knew that we had spread ourselves a little thin, just on capacity and bandwidth, and three months after that, we welcomed Julia to the world. It was a lot in that moment, in that time, and we were still building outdoor kitchens. We didn't really skip a beat there, but it was starting to take a toll.
Michelle Schwindler (21:49):
You and I had sat down and we had this discussion. It was very intentional about what we're doing, where we're going, and how we want to live our life, and what kind of life we want to have for Julia, because she's brand new to this world. Will's just getting on his way as well as a young man, and we wanted to make sure that we were doing something that filled our cup so that we could pour into our kids and to our everyday life. So in a nutshell, lighting was the obvious choice for us because we never wanted to leave the outdoor space.
Andy Schwindler (22:28):
Because that was my superpower. Being able to seek the things, have the acumen of seeing 20 years of great spaces. I knew how they were supposed to feel, how they were supposed to translate. And so lighting, it was in our spaces, but it had eluded me in the mastery. And so lighting was something that I wanted to be great at, so I made the decision. Ultimately, lighting was my pathway out of darkness because it was so hard. It gave me a tool that I hadn't had before, something that I could still express my creativity, something that I could still use to enhance other people's lives, because I love making people happy. I love being in a place where I make the world a better place, and I felt like I could do that with lighting. So you say it was a natural fit, but it wasn't until that understanding that it became natural, because I still had a lot to learn.
Michelle Schwindler (23:38):
Yeah. And one thing about us that I do know, we don't give up. No. I think we all have decisions because, again, like I said, and it's not just us, life happens for all of us. And I think we have decisions to make. Are we going to let this thing that happen defeat me, change me in a way that's taking away from, or am I going to allow it to change me and make me better? Yeah. And I know we had this conflict. We sat down and we held hands and we looked at each other in the eye and we said, "We are going to learn from this and we're going to grow from this. "
Andy Schwindler (24:13):
This
Michelle Schwindler (24:14):
Is not for nothing, right? That's what we did. We intentionally got each other through this
Andy Schwindler (24:20):
And
Michelle Schwindler (24:21):
Paved a way that we knew that was going to make us, our family, our community, our craft better. And that was our healing.
Andy Schwindler (24:31):
It was. And the transition wasn't easy because I was known as the outdoor kitchen guy. And so our decision to break away from that, which was our main revenue source, was a difficult one, but it was the one that had to happen. It forced us to be disciplined in just elevating our experience. I actually went and worked for somebody for almost 15 months. I got my reps in. I almost thought that that was going to be the path that I was going to take. I enjoyed that, enjoyed the work that I was doing, but there was still something missing. I didn't want to be a production installer or production designer. I wanted this to be something that spoke to people at a different level, not just from the design standpoint, because design isn't just where the fixtures go, it's how is the system built? What are the parts and pieces that go into it?
(25:28):
How is it controlled? Is it going to stand the test of time? Are we going to service it or what I consider stewardship, right? Are we going to make sure that investment looks the same as the day that it was installed? And so that was really important to me. And I told you I was a little torn. How do I elevate while working for someone else? And you said, "Andy, why don't we just do this? Let's take this and let's run with it. " That's all I really needed to hear.
Michelle Schwindler (25:58):
Well, I believe in you first and foremost. I always have. That's why we went into business together in the first place because I saw how passionate you are and how talented you were and I had no doubt in my mind that alone was what we could contribute to the
Andy Schwindler (26:14):
Space.
Michelle Schwindler (26:15):
So when we were focusing on lighting and you mentioned you were working with someone else, I know that their design, vision and philosophy and even customer service vision and philosophy wasn't necessarily aligning with yours. And those are the things that eat you up and keep you up at night. They do. And as your partner and wife, I'm supposed to recognize those things. And that was the time for us to say, "We got this. " That's
Andy Schwindler (26:40):
Right.
Michelle Schwindler (26:41):
"You're really good at this. "
Andy Schwindler (26:42):
That's right.
Michelle Schwindler (26:42):
"Let's just dive in. " And that's what we did. We poured ourselves into lighting.
Andy Schwindler (26:48):
That's right.
Michelle Schwindler (26:49):
We joined the AOLP,
Andy Schwindler (26:51):
Which
Michelle Schwindler (26:52):
Is the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals. That was one of the first things we did.
Andy Schwindler (26:55):
That's right.
Michelle Schwindler (26:56):
We got a business coach.
Andy Schwindler (26:57):
I know.
Michelle Schwindler (26:58):
The outdoor lighting business coach.
Andy Schwindler (27:00):
I know. If you didn't
Michelle Schwindler (27:00):
Know, they have outdoor lighting business coaches.
Andy Schwindler (27:03):
Yeah. And he's been amazing as well.
Michelle Schwindler (27:05):
Yeah. Shout out to Ryan Lee.
Andy Schwindler (27:06):
Shout out.
Michelle Schwindler (27:07):
So talking back about the association though, one of the first things you did was you got your CLVLT certification, your certified low voltage technician, and shortly after that, you got your cold certification.
Andy Schwindler (27:21):
Yep. Certified outdoor lighting designer.
Michelle Schwindler (27:23):
Right. I think you were actually maybe the second person in the state of Indiana to achieve both of those things.
Andy Schwindler (27:32):
But that being said, it was important for me to accelerate the credentials because I wanted best practices and I wanted to let everyone know that not only had I mastered all the best practices, I had the documentation to prove it as well. Shortly after I became a mentor for the Cold program, so I'm helping other people achieve the level of success that I had up to that point. And again, now it's just giving back, right? Giving back to that industry because with that industry raising it up, it raises me up too. So that's kind of the full circle.
Michelle Schwindler (28:12):
That's the backstory.
Andy Schwindler (28:13):
That's the backstory. So
Michelle Schwindler (28:14):
When everybody's like, "Man, you guys just busted on the scene." We have this whole history in the outdoor space, which as you mentioned, is your superpower. That's what levels up, I think, our work. No, I agree. It's your knowledge of those things.
Andy Schwindler (28:28):
No, I agree. And I want to circle back to the book because the book is the accumulation of all those things. We talked about the outdoor space that we built, we talked about how we had to go through all those trials and tribulations to see the light. And ultimately, that's how it came back to what is Sandy Beach lighting and design. And to me, it's not only the origin story, because it is that, right?
Michelle Schwindler (28:55):
Well, I should probably note here that this outdoor kitchen that we built on Lake Freeman was on Sandy Beach Drive.
Andy Schwindler (29:03):
Sandy Beach Drive. So
Michelle Schwindler (29:04):
For us, A, it's a cool name.
Andy Schwindler (29:07):
It's a cool name.
Michelle Schwindler (29:08):
But B, that's like the culmination of good vibes for us,
Andy Schwindler (29:13):
Right?
Michelle Schwindler (29:13):
And that's what lighting is. It's feeling, it's environment.
Andy Schwindler (29:17):
Well, when I think of sandy beaches, I think of sunset, the sunrise, right? And those are some of the most memorable scenarios you could put yourself in, right? When you're walking down the sandy beach, as the sun sets, those are core memories, right? That sunrise, the sunset, that's kind of the vibe that I was going with in the sense that I felt like it communicated exactly what we were trying to introduce to our clients, right? That happy feeling, but notice we keep talking about feeling. How do you feel in your space? How does it make you feel in that moment? And we feel like lighting does that.
Michelle Schwindler (29:57):
So 10 pages. 10
Andy Schwindler (29:59):
Pages
Michelle Schwindler (30:01):
How did we come about selecting these projects for this book?
Andy Schwindler (30:06):
First and foremost, we wanted to include the outdoor kitchen. We wanted our origin story to be told in this book. Next was probably one of the first clients that ... Well, it was. It was the first client that said, "Do whatever you want on the entire estate."
Michelle Schwindler (30:23):
So a complete trust in your ability.
Andy Schwindler (30:25):
A complete trust. Which
Michelle Schwindler (30:26):
Is amazing.
Andy Schwindler (30:27):
Which is amazing. Not only did she have the space that required a lot of trust, this isn't just a normal home. It's a full estate. There's over 300 fixtures on this property. It's got multiple scenes. It's layered. And she allowed me to come back to photograph it. And it sets the tone for what we're capable of. So she trusted me that. She actually trusted me for another home and it turned out just as beautifully. But that particular home, it means something pretty special to me.
Michelle Schwindler (31:02):
So that was a complete project that wasn't limited on scope or let's do this phase now. That was just one of the few. We were able to pull out all the stops.
Andy Schwindler (31:12):
All the stops.
Michelle Schwindler (31:12):
And she can see all the amazing pieces of her property anytime of the night.
Andy Schwindler (31:17):
And she's awfully proud of it too, right? Not just me. She's proud. It's
Michelle Schwindler (31:21):
Gorgeous.
Andy Schwindler (31:22):
It's gorgeous. And then last but not least, we introduced some feature focuses that we did for a client of ours. Not only did he have a lush, beautiful space, but he truly cared about the different scenes. This is where we were able to capture the fountain scene, the statue scene, and just a couple individual scenes. Oh, the cover of the book. Yeah. Not only was it an honor to be able to light this space, again, it was the trust that he had in me to be able to do it because he was kind of one of the ones that was a little skeptical on how many luminaires I wanted to use.
Michelle Schwindler (32:07):
It's scary because I mean, you talk about it and if you don't understand the numerous low level lights working together and you're still thinking about your floodlight or your spotlights on your home, I mean, it could be like Vegas up and there. Understood.
Andy Schwindler (32:24):
Understood. But I was able to work through that. He trusted me. Again, we keep talking about trust because not everybody sees what I see. So I have to rely on my pictures, my reputation to be able to communicate. But it turned out better than I think he and I both expected. I've got some design philosophies in there.
Michelle Schwindler (32:45):
Well, yeah, we've got a couple of really nice write-ups in there too, not only a little bit about our origin project, but also just the fundamentals of how you think about lighting design. So I think it's really cool that you got to share that in this book too.
Andy Schwindler (33:03):
I'll leave it at that. The book is coming out for public at the- April 27th. April 27th.
Michelle Schwindler (33:10):
It'll be available on Amazon, Google Books, any book store this book is going to be available.
Andy Schwindler (33:17):
Yep. We do have a few copies that we would like to get out to anyone who is interested in transforming their home or someone that is interested in getting the book. Reach out to us. We'll talk to you about that. But if you're interested in being featured in one of our upcoming books, have we get invited to something like this again? We would love to talk to you about being in our portfolio.
Michelle Schwindler (33:47):
So I think what he's saying is we are looking for our next great property to transform.
Andy Schwindler (33:51):
We're looking for our next great property to transform because it does take a special property to be in the book, but it also takes the intention to do it now. That way when that time comes again, I'm assuming it will, then we'll be ready for it. Yeah. Regardless, we get professional photos of all of our projects.
Michelle Schwindler (34:13):
Absolutely. I mean, that's kind of the point of it all. We want to capture the magic. We want to be able to show other people just what our work looks like.
Andy Schwindler (34:24):
That's right. Because
Michelle Schwindler (34:24):
We can't go around and just talk about, "Hey, we're the best and you add some lights and it's going to be even prettier." So our photos are proof. That's why we are so active on social media because it is so visual. And our clients, I just, every time, even though they've lived in their home for so long or they've seen things so many times, for them to see that transformation for themselves too, it's so telling.
Andy Schwindler (34:50):
It's so telling.
Michelle Schwindler (34:51):
Yeah.
Andy Schwindler (34:51):
So I feel like we did a good job today.
Michelle Schwindler (34:54):
Yeah.
Andy Schwindler (34:54):
Well, again, this has been the reveal with Andy and Michelle Schwindler. If you're interested in a transformation for your home, feel free to reach out to us. We would love to talk to you about what the process is like, what it's like to work with us. Hopefully today you got a feel for who it is you're working with, but if you ever have any questions, you can obviously comment below. You can reach out to us personally, but until then-
Michelle Schwindler (35:21):
Thanks for joining us, everybody.