When Chase Goodman, owner of Cactus Sight and Sound in Tempe, Arizona, received a call from a local pool contractor to work on another backyard project together, he knew he wanted this one to be different.
“We had met on another project where I had a relationship with the client, and he was building their pool,” recalls Goodman. “On that project, we just did the outdoor audio. It was a beautiful backyard, but the lighting that they used was Home Depot pancake lighting.”
He did not want that to happen with this client.
Goodman continues, “When we left the initial meeting with the new client, I said, ‘We’re not going to do the same lighting that we did at that other project, right?’ That was a big miss, as that client would have spent the money, but at the point that I was involved, it was too late. He said I should pitch it to the new client and see what happens.
“So, I went back to the next meeting to go over the AV, and I also put together a lighting lookbook with images that were supplied from PureEdge Lighting. I had drawn out what I thought would work in the space, and she wound up cutting back the AV to budget in the lighting I suggested. It took what should have been a $30,000 job and turned it into a $95,000 job just on the lighting. Plus, everybody’s blown away with it—even the guy who built the pool is getting a ton of recognition and buzz in the Phoenix area for that project.”
Getting Started
The irony of Goodman’s push for better lighting is not lost on him; after all, Cactus Sight and Sound has only recently gotten into the category itself. In the past, the company had done some under-cabinet tape lighting, but not much else until they got the call to do a “carte blanche” home theater that was featured in Residential Systems’ September 2023 issue.
“After that theater, we started to spec fixtures and tried to be in on the ground floor instead of coming into jobs, seeing what was there, and knowing we had to control it,” says Goodman. “That has been a big challenge for us. It’s much like drapery and shades — not a lot of people think of going to the ‘AV guy’ for those things.”
Goodman acknowledges the steep learning curve with lighting, and, for him, it started coming together at Lightapalooza 2025. “I met several people in those classes who are full-on lighting designers who told me to reach out to them if I needed help and that they’d be glad to collaborate and make sure we’re doing it right.
“That is also where I met Blake Matthew at PureEdge Lighting. A few weeks after the show, he came to my office, brought me a demo kit, and got me signed up as a dealer. What’s great about their product is that it is low voltage. We’re not electricians, but we can run that stuff, and that’s been a big selling point for us. Products like PureEdge’s track lights can be used in spaces where traditionally high-voltage products would be used.
“We ordered some PureEdge demo products for the shop, and one of their engineers showed me how it all works in an integrated system, which opened up a bunch of doors in my mind. We can take the Lutron app, which I can use with Savant, Control4, and other automation systems, and integrate all these other products that I didn’t even think about. At my house, I just integrated my pool light into the Lutron app using PureEdge’s controllers. It’s opened up a lot of avenues for how we can use lighting products differently.”
Back to the Yard
Which brings us back to the now-lighting-heavy backyard project. The pool lights were already in place, so the main job for Cactus was to add lighting to a large, standalone structure next to the pool with an open front and a solid concrete block wall at the back. Four steel beams support the ceiling. The space features a bar, a kitchen, a dining area, and a den.
Tape lighting is used throughout the space — under cabinets, toe-kick areas, and under the bar’s counter. The long ceiling that covers the entire space is where Goodman’s vision came into view, particularly over the dining area table.
“We needed a fixture over the table, and she didn’t want anything hanging,” explains Goodman. “She wanted to have a clean roof, so I found a PureEdge fixture that would do the job. It’s got a color-changing strip on the inside of the fixture, and then there are three downlights in the middle of it. When you’re standing back, you see the table is lit up, but you don’t see the white light coming through. You just see the glow of whatever color they have on the edges. She loved that.”
However, it would not be an easy option to install because the light was designed to be mudded into a gypsum ceiling, and the project’s ceiling was made up of wooden planks.
“They didn’t offer it without a flange, so I asked Blake to send me a sample,” says Goodman. “Looking at it, I saw that I could run it through my table saw and cut the flanges off. I’ve got a metal guy, and he welded some aluminum on the edge, and then body-worked it — factory painted it for me and everything. It came out great, and I think that was my favorite part of the whole project.”
And that is saying something because, even after all that prep work, the installation still did not go as smoothly as Goodman would have liked. The three center lights, which stick out about 2 inches into the roof, happened to align with the studs in the ceiling. After some time spent notching, Goodman got the lights to fit.
The other standout light in the project is the PureEdge TruLine that runs near the perimeter of the entire ceiling. “Originally, they were going to put the light under the eave, but I told them I thought it would be cooler if we brought it in about two feet off the edge all the way around, just as a highlight accent piece,” says Goodman. They agreed.
“It was my understanding that the PureEdge pieces were going to come cut and ready to go, but they weren’t — they’re field-cuttable. I wasn’t going to cut that upside down along that whole thing, which is around 45 feet long, so I cut them and gave them to the ceiling guys to put in. Next time, I’ll just make a wood placeholder the same width as the light, get it straight, and then let the tongue-and-groove guys come in and do their thing. Then, we just remove the placeholder and lay the light in.”
In addition to the TruLine, tape, and table lighting, there are ten downlights under the canopy — six over the bar and four over the seating area. The ceiling also features four James Small Aperture Series speakers and an in-ceiling sub. The lights around the two televisions were supplied by the client.
“We also created a waterproof light that hangs over the waterfall that pours into the pool,” says Goodman. “It is a PureEdge light inside a black silicone diffuser, so you don’t see it until the light is turned on.”
The entire lighting system is controlled by a Control4 system, which is also used in the main house.
Just the Beginning
Since completing this project, Cactus has booked another outdoor lighting job — this one with a pool area triple the size and grounds that include a wellness center. The company also has its first whole-home interior lighting job on the books, which is both exciting and nerve-wracking.
“Lighting is important,” says Goodman, “and to get it right the first time has been a challenge. This is going to be our first crack at a whole house and not just a zone like this backyard or a room like the home theater — there are going to be art lights, downlights, pendants, and more. So, it is scary, but it has been a fun thing for us, and it has renewed my team’s enthusiasm.
“And not just my team — I’ve had a lot of clients just wanting to simplify and looking for other things they can do in their homes. Good lighting elicits strong emotions from clients and leads to more business.”
About PureEdge Lighting: PureEdge Lighting has developed architectural LED lighting tools that empower you to not only design your space but also the fixtures you envision. Modern, innovative, and personalized, PureEdge Lighting’s latest developments defy the boundaries of traditional lighting to allow for a design that is truly your own. Learn more about PureEdge Lighting at https://www.pureedgelighting.com/.
Project Equipment List
- PureEdge Luca 2.7 RGBTW down lights
- PureEdge TruLine 1.5 recessed track
- PureEdge Veil with the Lucy down lights (customized to fit a T&G ceiling)
- PureEdge RGBTW tape light
- Lutron Radio Ra3 control system
- James Loudspeaker 42AT [8], EMB10M [2], SA63 [4], Power pipe 10-inch sub, A2.1 amps [3]
- Control4 control system
