Founded in 2008, LS Group is a Colorado-based lighting design firm with expertise spanning project types, scales, and geographies. LS Group is a certified women-owned business.
LS Group Principal and Partner Elise Streeb is a LEED-accredited and IALD professional. A highly skilled and versatile professional, Elise has worked in the lighting design space for nearly two decades. Her dedication to both the artistic and technical sides of the lighting design craft, combined with her attention to detail, makes her an asset to any project team.
Tell us about your career in the lighting design industry and how you got started.
My journey into lighting design began with a passion for both architecture and photography. While studying architectural engineering with a focus on illumination at the University of Colorado Boulder, I quickly found a love for how lighting can transform spaces. After gaining experience with Robert Singer & Associates – a high-end lighting consultancy – I joined LS Group as a project manager and, in 2017, moved into my current role of partner and principal.
LS Group has been involved in numerous high-profile hospitality projects throughout Colorado. What has been a memorable project to work on?
One of the most memorable projects I’ve worked on at LS Group was the lighting design for Elk Camp Restaurant at Snowmass. This project stands out for many reasons, especially since it was the first LEED-certified project I worked on. Designing the lighting for a space located at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola presented unique challenges and opportunities, given the venue’s integration with its surrounding environment.
The restaurant’s stunning curved roof structure, which mirrors the nearby rolling ski runs, created an interesting lighting challenge in the dining and serving areas. We aimed to complement the natural flow of the architecture while supporting the building’s sustainability efforts, helping it earn LEED Silver certification. Collaborating with the Aspen Skiing Company and CCY Architects on this project, we ensured that the lighting both enhanced the overall aesthetic and met energy efficiency standards. It’s always rewarding to see how thoughtful lighting design can elevate such a unique mountain experience.
How do your LEED and IALD designations influence your approach to lighting design?
Achieving both LEED and IALD designations is a result of having been involved in projects and executed work that is highly focused on sustainability, energy efficiency, and aesthetic excellence. By balancing environmental responsibility with design innovation and approaching each project with a holistic mindset, we can contribute to a more sustainable future while also delivering exceptional design experiences.
What trends are you currently seeing in the lighting design industry?
Across both commercial and high-end custom residential spaces, there is a growing emphasis on integrated, customized lighting solutions that enhance the architecture and interior design. There’s also quite a bit of crossover in the residential and commercial design worlds. On the hospitality side, we’re seeing a strong residential influence. For example, for our work on the Catbird Hotel in Denver, the lobby is meant to feel like a high-end home, with lighting that reflects a more residential aesthetic.
On the flip side, homeowners are increasingly interested in raising the level of sophistication and customization in their lighting, incorporating smart lighting systems that offer intuitive controls and automation for ease of use and energy efficiency.
Regardless of whether the project is commercial or residential, lighting in every room is increasingly tailored to support a distinct experience in that space. In a high-end residential project we recently completed in Mexico, we customized the lighting to each generation’s needs and experiences – a color-changing slot fixture resembling an ocean wave in the kids’ area, for example, and indirect, ambient lighting to create a relaxing mood for the older generations.
Few things can impact the mood in a space as much as lighting, so it’s really fascinating to see how rapidly technology is evolving in the lighting space to enable ever-higher levels of creativity and sustainability on our projects. The sky has really become the limit, but that’s why it’s so important to work with a specialized design team that keeps up with the latest advances and opportunities.
Can you share any upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re particularly excited about?
One project we recently finished that we’re particularly excited about is the tasting room at Stranahan’s Whiskey Lodge in Aspen. This project is very special, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey and marking the return of the brand to Aspen in a space with deep local roots.
With such a well-known local brand taking up such a special new location in Aspen, it was important to get the atmosphere just right, honoring the brand’s origins and evoking the feeling of stepping into a historic lodge rich with character and warmth.
Particularly, the back bar, which also functions as a retail space, required unique lighting considerations. With the space’s many bookshelves, displays, and highly curated accessories, integrated lighting was a must to elevate the curated, rustic feel.
The project exemplifies our passion for hospitality design and our team’s ability to create immersive experiences that reflect a place’s deep history and emotions. It was such a privilege to help bring the Stranahan’s story to life through lighting.
As a principal and partner at LS Group, what is your vision for the future of lighting design in Colorado and beyond?
The future of lighting design will be defined by advances in technology, which will empower designers with unprecedented creative freedom while simultaneously driving sustainability and improving control.
Emerging technologies will liberate us from conventional constraints, allowing for the manipulation of light and lighting fixtures in exciting new ways. Simultaneously, these innovations will enable highly efficient, responsive lighting systems that optimize energy consumption and human well-being, transforming lighting design into an integral element of sustainable and intelligent environments.
