Themed Patio Lighting

Themed Patio Lighting refers to the strategic use of lighting elements to create a specific atmosphere and aesthetic in outdoor spaces, aligning with the overarching design theme and functionality of hospitality venues.

Themed Patio Lighting: Transforming Outdoor Spaces in Hospitality Settings

In the hospitality industry, the design of outdoor spaces is as crucial as the interiors. One of the key elements that enable this transformation is themed patio lighting. When guests step onto a tastefully lit patio, they’re not only drawn to its visual appeal but also to the mood and ambiance that the lighting creates. Themed patio lighting is more than just illumination; it’s a design strategy to enhance experiences, reinforce branding, and boost functionality.

The Importance of Lighting in Outdoor Hospitality Spaces

Outdoor areas such as patios, terraces, and gardens are extensions of the indoor environment and offer guests a different type of interaction with a venue. Having the right lighting design is essential for several reasons:

  • Enhancing Ambiance: Lighting plays a crucial role in shaping the overall ambiance. Whether it is a romantic setting in a high-end restaurant or a lively atmosphere in a beachside bar, themed lighting enhances these experiences.
  • Safety and Functionality: Appropriate lighting is necessary to ensure safety, particularly in pathways and staircases. It also defines spaces, enhancing their usability at different times of the day.
  • Brand Storytelling: Themed lighting can reflect the brand’s identity. A rustic theme might utilize lantern-style lights while a modern theme could feature sleek LED installations, aligning with the property’s branding.

Key Elements of Themed Patio Lighting

Designing effective themed patio lighting involves considering several core elements that work together to create a harmonious outdoor environment:

  • Lighting Fixtures: The choice of fixtures should complement the theme, whether they are ornate chandeliers, string lights, floor lamps, or recessed deck lighting. These not only serve a functional purpose but help define the aesthetic.
  • Light Temperature and Color: Warm yellow lights are inviting and cozy, while cooler blue tones might fit a sleek and modern outdoor space. Colored lighting can also highlight features like water fountains or garden sculptures.
  • Layered Lighting: Combining ambient, task, and accent lighting allows guests to enjoy various levels of illumination based on different activities, from dining to late-night conversations.

Strategies for Implementing Themed Patio Lighting

Here are some actionable strategies for implementing themed patio lighting in hospitality settings:

  • Analyzing the Space: Begin with a thorough analysis of the patio’s size, layout, and existing natural features. This helps in choosing fixtures that complement the space without overwhelming it.
  • Understanding the Theme: Align the lighting style with the established theme or desired ambiance. For a Mediterranean-themed patio, using earthy tones and terracotta-style lanterns can enhance the theme.
  • Energy Efficiency: Utilize energy-efficient lighting solutions such as LED, solar-powered lights, and motion sensors. These not only reduce costs but are environmentally friendly, aligning with sustainability trends in hospitality.

Enhancing Guest Experience with Adaptive Technology

Advanced technology offers dynamic lighting solutions that adapt to different needs and enhance the guest experience:

  • Smart Lighting Systems: Integrate smart lighting controls that adjust brightness and colors based on the time of day or specific events.
  • Interactive Features: Use interactive lighting that reacts to sound or motion, creating a memorable and engaging guest experience.

Incorporating Local Culture and Elements

Another effective way to elevate patio lighting is by incorporating local cultural elements. This creates an authentic atmosphere that guests can connect with, like using handcrafted light fixtures by local artisans or colors that reflect the natural landscape surrounding the venue.

Conclusion: The Lasting Impact of Themed Patio Lighting

Themed patio lighting is a sophisticated tool in the arsenal of hospitality design. It not only illuminates outdoor spaces but also enhances the guest experience by crafting memorable environments aligned with brand identity. By embracing innovative technologies, eco-friendly options, and culturally resonant elements, hospitality venues can transform their outdoor areas into captivating retreats that keep guests returning time and again.

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Emily Layton

Graphic Designer

Emily Layton is a graphic designer and creative with a BFA in Graphic Design & Digital Media with action sports emphasis from Laguna College of Art and Design. Adept at aligning brand goals across formats, market trends, and consumer behavior, she translates insights into compelling visual narratives. Her experience spans corporate decks, brand books, and apparel collections—ensuring brand consistency, clarity, and impact. She values strong creative collaboration and brings a thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach to every project.

Project Experience:

  • West Creative Agency, Costa Mesa, CA
  • Huntress Decor, San Diego, CA
  • La Jolla Group - O’Neill Irvine, CA
  • Gotcha Digital Design, Virginia Beach, VA
  • Veterinary Emergency Group Various Locations
  • Nostos Grocery Store Panama City, Panama
  • Tribute Hotel Nob Hill Albuquerque, NM

Priscilla Bueno

Interior Designer

Priscilla is a Cal State Long Beach alumna with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. She has worked across residential, hospitality, nonprofit, and wellness sectors, with a focus on creating spaces that support emotional well-being and human connection.

Influenced by her interest in psychology, Priscilla approaches design with a deep understanding of how physical environments impact how we feel, behave, and connect. Her work combines material sensitivity, spatial clarity, and user-centered thinking to foster environments that help people feel grounded and safe.

From luxury spas to trauma-informed nonprofit spaces, she designs with a clear goal: to shape interiors that invite presence, foster restoration, and create a true sense of belonging.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • Babyletto, Los Angeles, CA
  • Cozy Earth, Newport, CA

Jen Khor

Senior Interior Designer

With a thoughtful and intuitive approach, Jen Khor brings strong expertise in hospitality design, as well as experience in retail, F&B, and corporate offices. Her user-centric, narrative-driven philosophy reflects local culture and context, creating spaces that feel relevant and resonant.

Jen has a deep understanding of hotel brand standards and leads quality control for custom casegoods with high attention to detail. Sensitive to client needs, she communicates ideas through tools like BIM, AI, and hand sketches. Jen is passionate about crafting spaces that evoke emotion, inspire curiosity, and foster inclusivity with lasting impact.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • DoubleTree Guestroom Prototype, Various Locations
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • Wild Greens, University of Arkansas, AR
  • Joybird Headquarters, Los Angeles, CA

Melissa He

Senior Interior Designer

With years of experience in working on various project types, Melissa approaches each design as a new narrative, infusing storytelling, cultural context, and personality into every space. Educated in Fine Art in China and Interior Design at Cal State Long Beach, Melissa applies a detail-driven and research-based methodology to craft spaces that are both visually compelling and deeply resonant. Her approach reflects a belief that each project offers a chance to explore new voices and challenge convention, leading to designs that not only reflect individual identities but also support the broader community. She continues to evolve her design practice through collaboration, curiosity, and purpose, seeking to create spaces that adapt, grow, and inspire meaningful engagement.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Guestroom Prototype, Various Locations
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Wolf and Shepherd, Manhattan, NY

Chris Gorney

Director of Procurement

Chris is the Senior Director of Creative Sourcing and Procurement at DyeLot. A proven industry professional, he has worked with many of the world’s largest hospitality and development companies. He can speak to the entire lifecycle of design, development, and construction as well as contribute to the minutia of bespoke fabrication and production. Using an open-book and collaborative approach, Chris has the advantage of understanding the nuances of millwork, furnishing, and custom fabrication in order to reach a true-to-concept product. He brings with him more than a decade of experience working across multiple disciplines within the design industry.

Project Experience:

  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Wayfarer Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
  • The Edwin, Chattanooga, TN
  • Downtown Marriott, Des Moines, IA
  • Lincolnshire Marriott, Lincolnshire, IL
  • Capitol District Marriott, Omaha, NE
  • The Ferrier, Temecula, CA
  • The Tin Building by Jean George, New York, NY

Mathew Vo

Senior Interior Designer

As a designer with a background in both architecture and interiors, Mathew brings a layered perspective to every project. Drawing on experience across diverse project types—from hospitality and food & beverage to sports and retail—he crafts spaces that balance performance, beauty, and emotional resonance. Inspired by his interest in theater and production design, Mathew focuses on creating immersive environments that take users on a curated journey. His command of design technology and documentation tools, including BIM, allows him to navigate complex projects while staying grounded in storytelling and purpose-driven design. Mathew continues to find inspiration in context, culture, and narrative—translating them into built environments that leave a lasting impact.

Project Experience:

  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Swing Set Productions, Long Beach, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT

Ava Javaheri

Senior Interior Designer

With roots in a family of entrepreneurs and artists, Ava’s passion for hospitality design was sparked early—surrounded by showrooms and inspired styling sessions in her family’s furniture store. Today at DyeLot Interiors, she channels that lifelong aesthetic instinct into creating immersive environments that elevate the guest experience. Ava approaches hospitality interiors as both a visual narrative and an emotional journey, blending function with atmosphere in spaces meant to inspire, delight, and linger in memory. Her creative process draws on everything from global travel and museum exploration to cinematic set design, all feeding her pursuit of detail-driven, unforgettable spaces where people feel genuinely transported.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel Maya, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Swing Set Productions, Long Beach, CA
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

Chaya Juntara

Procurement Specialist

As a key member of DyeLot Interiors, Chaya is dedicated to collaborating with clients and vendors to deliver an exceptional experience marked by reliability, accountability, and integrity. Her primary focus is executing each project vision on time, ensuring top-tier quality, and managing the budget with precision. With deep expertise in sourcing and FF&E, Chaya brings a strong technical foundation that is essential to the creation of remarkable hospitality interiors and furnishings—the cornerstone of our procurement practice. She has worked alongside industry leaders in custom furniture, providing her with a wealth of experience. Her unique background in both interiors and procurement allows her to offer creative solutions that consistently exceed client expectations.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Hotel Maya, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Cliffrose Springdale, Springdale, UT
  • Nuri Steakhouse, Dallas, TX
  • The Tin Building by Jean George, New York, NY
  • Solis Park, Irvine, CA

Adam Ford, NCIDQ

Senior Interior Project Designer

As a Senior Interior Project Designer at DyeLot, Adam leans on his expertise in interior design and theatrical storytelling to bring designs to life. Having extensive full-service and focused service hotel design experience, he is attuned to both branded work with Marriott, Hilton, and IHG and non-branded/independent projects. Adam helps create immersive and functional spaces that resonate with guests and elevate brand identities. His collaboration with hotel brands has honed his ability to blend aesthetics with practicality, ensuring seamless guest experiences and maximizing operational efficiency.

Project Experience:

  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Where The Wild Greens AR, Fayetteville, AR
  • Camp Creek Golf Resort & Inn, Inlet Beach, FL
  • Hotel Cyrus, Topeka, KS
  • Delta by Marriott, Thornton Northglenn, CO
  • Tribute South Park, Austin, TX

Brittany LeBlanc, NCIDQ, CID

Senior Project Designer / Associate

With a multi-disciplinary design and architecture background, Brittany continues to create unique user experiences for diversified projects. Brittany concentrates on designing spaces that provoke interest, emotion and encourage brand longevity. After studying interior design, Brittany continues to grow and expand her knowledge of interiors and architecture by working within both disciplines. Brittany’s experience comes from a vast range of industries including hospitality, food and beverage, retail, and experiential marketing.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Hotel Maya, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • The Wilder's Lounge, Springdale, UT
  • Anu Restaurant, Springdale, UT
  • Wolf and Shepherd, Manhattan, NY

Gustavo Neri

Director of Branding

Gustavo Neri serves as the Director of Branding, leading branding and signage/wayfinding campaigns for hospitality and residential projects Neri creates the narrative for a project before it begins – setting a strong aesthetic and identity for the project to ensure its message and character is carried through the life of the design process. Neri’s view of design is that it must be seen through the lens of the viewer, not the designer. One must take into account the experience of the person perceiving his work as they are guided through it, taking all elements into careful consideration and removing himself from the experience.

Project Experience:

  • Hotel Indigo, Savannah, GA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Hotel Amarano, Burbank, CA
  • Glenmark Hotel, Glendale, CA
  • Eminence Boston Hotel, Boston, MA
  • Hilton Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Wolf and Shepherd, Manhattan, NY

Krystle Fader, NCIDQ, CID

Design Manager / Senior Associate

As a Design Manager at DyeLot Interiors, Krystle brings over 15 years of professional experience in interior and architectural design to the team. With experience in a range of markets including food & beverage, multi-family housing, hospitality, workplace and healthcare, she brings her combined knowledge from each and is able to apply that to new project opportunities. With an education in interior architectural design and a passion for efficient solutions, Krystle has been able to grow into a leadership role managing projects from design concept though completion of construction.

Project Experience:

  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • The Monde, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Partake Collective, Long Beach, CA
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Swing Set Productions, Long Beach, CA
  • Din Tai Fung, Various Locations
  • Fogo de Chao, Various Locations

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Alex Kuby, AIA, WELL AP

Associate Principal

Alex is a licensed architect specializing in hospitality and experiential interior design, with a foundation built on years of practice across high-end hotels, branded environments, and lifestyle-driven residential spaces. His work is grounded in architectural rigor and elevated by a narrative-driven approach that shapes immersive, memorable experiences. With a deep understanding of design theory, construction, and project execution, Alex brings a holistic, strategic lens to each project—bridging spatial storytelling with operational excellence.

Hospitality Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Hotel Indigo - IHG, Los Angeles, CA
  • Grand Hyatt - Baha Mar, Nassau, Bahamas
  • Pullman Baotou, Baotou, China
  • Hilton Resort Wenchang, Hainan Island, China

Residential Experience:

  • Perla Luxury Condo Tower, Los Angeles, CA
  • Watermark Assited Living, Westwood, CA
  • Alexan WestEnd, Long Beach, CA

Jackson Thilenius, AIA

Senior Principal

As Senior Principal of DyeLot Interiors, Jackson operates at the intersection of strategy, design and implementation, driving innovative and authentic solutions to hospitality projects around the world. With over twenty-five years of practice in architecture and interior design, combined with a comprehensive understanding of the hospitality industry, Jackson collaborates with clients to establish project objectives which produce original designs and tailored brand positioning. Jackson has created a broad range of award-winning projects across the globe, leveraging his understanding of operational trends, local culture, and narrative-driven design.

Brand Experience:

Marriott
Hilton
Pacifica Hotels
Hyatt
Equinox
Loews Hotels
IHG
Karisma Hotels and Resorts
Oxford Capital Group
Marcus Hotels
Blackstone
Radisson Hotels
Starwood Capital