US
Our Story
We met ten years ago working in New York City . Ever since we've built a great friendship and work relationship based on trust that has lasted through the years. In 2020 we decided to start our own lighting design firm and we called it Within Light Studio.
In "Within" we care about the people inhabiting a space, we care about what people need. We want to shape emotions, improve wellbeing, and enhance positive behavior through light.
Our lighting design emerges from the positive emotional responses we want to spark inside people; how people would feel inside a space, how they would perceive it, how they would react to it.
“From the emotions within a person to the lighting within a space”
Mara Villegas
Principal Chicago
“Light has this subtle but powerful effect in people’s state of mind. This is why I fell in love with it”.
Mara is an accomplished lighting designer with ten years of experience and a Master's Degree in Architectural Lighting Design from Parsons NYC. She's worked in unique residential, commercial, and hospitality projects worldwide, from Asia to South America. Her projects have been featured in publications like A+L Magazine and the book of The Second Ibero-American Biennial of Lighting Design. She works hand in hand with interior designers, architects, and clients, collaborating to create special environments and unforgettable experiences for people, through lighting.
Wes Burdett
Principal Los Angeles
“Good lighting means connecting with people. Understanding what atmosphere to create before they even realize they needed it”
Wesley has an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was drawn to lighting as a way to blend a sense of humanity with the objective world of science. His career has taken him all over the world, from luxury hotels in Asia to high-end residences in Los Angeles. Wesley’s projects have been featured in such publications as Architectural Digest and Interior Design Magazine. His technical knowledge and artistry in working with light and shadow allow his projects to be both functional and dynamic. Wesley takes a holistic approach to lighting design, from the overall user experience down to the development of custom decorative lighting fixtures.
The Projects that Made Us
Before creating Withing Light Studio we had the opportunity to work on many incredible projects, with great people that taught us a lot about lighting, design, and the human relationship to the constructed environment.
We learned, we created, we grew, we developed our best lighting design capabilities while working on these projects. These projects helped us become the lighting designers we are today. Here is a sample of the projects we hold closer to our hearts.
