At CEDIA Expo 2025 in Denver, Ruslan Polinovsky, senior director of marketing at DMF Lighting, discussed how lighting education must evolve to better connect designers, integrators, and homeowners. Rather than overwhelming specifiers with technical language, Polinovsky emphasized the need to reframe lighting conversations around outcomes designers can confidently explain to clients.
Polinovsky noted that the design community has access to no shortage of educational resources, including manufacturers, integrators, lighting designers, and internal trade groups. The challenge, he said, is that many interior designers feel disconnected from technology focused conversations. The solution is not simplifying lighting concepts, but presenting them in a way that aligns with design intent and client experience.
According to Polinovsky, lighting knowledge within the design community varies widely. Some designers possess deep technical understanding, while others still view lighting as a basic construction element. DMF focuses on engaging designers who recognize that lighting plays a critical role in completing their vision and who want to be involved earlier in the process.
Polinovsky also highlighted how retrofit focused digital lighting solutions are changing conversations at the show. Technologies such as DMF’s Phasex platform enable individual fixture control and tunable white lighting while using existing wiring. This approach allows integrators to modernize aging lighting systems without invasive ceiling work, creating a stronger value proposition for homeowners.
Finally, Polinovsky pointed to the importance of showroom-based lighting experiences. Similar to traditional AV demo rooms, lighting showrooms allow clients to immediately see the difference between basic illumination and well executed lighting. These spaces also create opportunities for designers and integrators to collaborate earlier, which Polinovsky said leads to smoother projects, clearer budgets, and better outcomes for everyone involved.
