CaseStudy Design, has become locally popular for their unique light fixtures that are made out of … wait for it … books! If you’re as surprised as I was when I first learned about CaseStudy Design and its owner/founder/designer Chall Gray, who are engaged in the practice of upcycling old things like books into lovely light fixtures, then read on for an interesting interview with a book-lover turned lamp designer.

1. Hello, Chall, and thanks for talking with me. First, can you tell me a little about your background and upbringing?

I’m a native of western North Carolina, and grew up on a farm out in the country. Design was something that gradually became more and more central to my life and predilections the older I’ve gotten.

2. So you’ve grown up surrounded by upcyclable things. That makes me wonder: Why books? Why not make lamps out of tissue boxes, skulls, or aluminum cans?

4. What are your goals with Case Study Design? What does the future look like?

I currently work full-time as VP at Thirsty Monk, where we have a series of beer and cocktail bars and a brewery, so I’m only able to devote so much time to CaseStudy, but it’s a central passion of my life, and luckily production doesn’t depend on my schedule because our Production Manager crafts the lights in our shop in West Asheville. As of this week our lights will be on display in Downtown Books & News, a great used bookstore in downtown Asheville, and we’re also working on a design collaboration with a local audio company on a set of home speakers, actually, which is a fun side-project. I’d love to grow the business to having a larger retail presence over the next couple of years, but really, we’re having a blast just designing and building lights.

6. Who are some of your favorite designers, lighting or otherwise?

My influences are pretty varied, but a few touchstones are the architect Tom Kundig, whose work I go back to time and time again, the shoe designer John Fluevog, and watchmaker George Daniels. The great modernists of the 20th Century, Frank Lloyd Wright, Saarinen, Eames, etc. And in terms of lighting, Ingo Maurer and Ilse Crawford immediately spring to mind.

Conclusion: Chall Gray and his CaseStudy Design Firm are doing impressive things with upcycled materials and here!

You have been tossing around the idea for years, and now the idea of remodeling your home is finally a reality. What an exciting time for you! Whether you are getting a brand new kitchen, complete with the latest and greatest appliances, or adding on that bedroom your expanding family so desperately needs, you will need an electrician. Burbank homeowners who are the DIY kind of person will need to think twice before trying to tackle such a big, technical job.

Why You Need a Professional

There are several reasons you may decide to do most of the remodeling work on your own, with cost typically being the biggest motivating factor. There is certainly nothing wrong with saving a few dollars on a remodeling job, but there are some things that need to be left to the professionals. Electrical wiring is one of those things.

Most building codes require a permit be obtained for any rewiring. Inspections will also be performed. A person who has no real knowledge of electrical wiring will likely be unable to perform the work up to code. You could end up costing yourself more money in the long run if an electrician in Burbank has to remove everything you did and start over. You are looking at money wasted in material that will need to be replaced.

There are certainly some minor jobs that you could do, as long as you have an idea of how to go about it safely. Replacing outlets or light fixtures is easy enough if you understand basic electricity work. However, adding outlets or the wires needed to put in light fixtures is best left to the trained professionals.

Although you may think you are saving yourself money, you are risking your safety and the safety of your family by trying to do a job that requires a professional. The Electric Connection has the experience to take care of these things for you.

Electricity is like a kitchen knife. If you use it wisely, it can cut food and prepare delicacies. If you use it unwisely, it can end up cutting your finger. Electricity flows through anything that is a “conductor.” Interestingly, humans are very good conductors of electricity!

Since electricity is a form of energy, a strong current has the ability to seriously harm you. If the current is strong enough, you can be fatally injured. Due to the strong possibility of a fatal injury occurring, electric cables are insulated. Another important reason why they are insulated is to prevent energy from dissipating into the surroundings, allowing it to be conserved.