Lamps Plus, Inc.

How to Consider Lighting Function, Size, and Style with Lamps Plus

 

For more than 40 years, Lamps Plus, Inc. has been serving customers with top-of-the-line service, selection and value. As the nation’s largest lighting retailer, Lamps Plus carry all the top brands alongside thousands of exclusive and patented designs in lighting, home furnishings and décor. Lamps Plus Professionals Manager, David Gray, shares how Lamps Plus works with interior designers, professional lighting styling tips, and best practices for sourcing the right lighting for a client project.

Lamps Plus will be hosting an Ivy Webinar on Wednesday, February 21 at 12:30 PM ET / 9:30 AM PT to discuss lighting solutions your clients will love. In this webinar you will learn how to provide educated lighting recommendations, the types of lighting for different rooms, and lighting trends we’re seeing right now.


What’s Lamps Plus, Inc.’s design mission?

DG: Our mission from the start has been to provide an unrivaled selection of lighting and décor with the best design, quality, and pricing. Part of that has been to design and manufacture our own product that you can only find at Lamps Plus. They are exclusive designs, at the best price for our consumers.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

How do you typically work with interior designers?

DG: Once a designer registers for a free Lamps Plus Professionals membership (a 5-minute sign-up), she or he will be given a dedicated Account Representative. Through this one-to-one relationship, the representative is available to assist with finding products and product information, following up on orders and service situations, finding the best pricing, shipping methods, and more. When designers’ reps are not available, we have a large team of trained agents ready to assist in their absence. The goal is to save our designers not just money but significant time as well.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Who are the most popular lighting brands on LampsPlus.com?

DG: Our exclusive products are sought by customers “in the know,” so our own brands are extremely popular.

These include Possini Euro DesignFranklin Iron WorksVienna Full SpectrumJohn TimberlandColor PlusPro TrackCasa Vieja and more. In addition, we carry a grand array of lighting suppliers including Currey & Co, Hinkley, Tech Lighting, Feiss, Minka, Crystorama, Uttermost, Corbett, Cyan Design, Robert Abbey and hundreds more.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Can you name some examples of timeless lamp and shade styles?

DG: A number of styles have been invented in the past few decades. It’s hard to tell what will be “timeless” in the future. Traditional styles have given way to a resurgence in Mid-Century Modern, Post-Modern and Industrial designs. The possibilities of LED technology eliminate many of the restrictions that have guided style in the past. We have new opportunities to invent ways to provide light to our spaces. For anyone looking to add popular lighting choices to an existing space, you can’t go wrong with a simple contemporary torchiere or drum-shade table lamp. Portable lamps are just that – portable. When a portable lamp lacks the appropriate style for one space, it’s time to relocate it to somewhere where the fixture can be more appreciated.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

What are some good lighting and style tips for decorating with lamps?

DG: Consider function, size and style when incorporating lamps.

1. Function: What room are you lighting? Consider using soft and comforting styles for the bedside; designer looks for entertaining areas; and bright, hardworking designs for a home office or work space.

2. Size: For reading lights, the bottom of the shade should be eye-level when you are seated. For accent tables, save surface area by choosing smaller designs with typically smaller footprints. In general, look for designs that will be proportionate with the surfaces they sit upon.

3. Style: The main rule for style these days is that anything goes. So choose designs that are in line with the rest of your décor, from contemporary and transitional for your modern spaces to traditional looks for classic comfort.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Can you offer interior designers some tips of best practices for sourcing the right lighting for a space?

DG: Here are some quick tips to keep in mind:

1. Lighting is about creating contrast, not necessarily brightness.

2. Too much light in one place is just as bad as not having any light at all.

3. LED is the way to go, but know what you’re getting into.

4. Go ahead and hire an electrician to add the right fixtures, outlets and controls.

5. Have a sufficient budget for lighting, and plan for it from the beginning.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

In your opinion, how has technology impacted the interior design industry?

DG: LED technology has created a wide range of possibilities for lighting while other technology has changed how information is distributed about those possibilities. The biggest technology change for the interior design industry is how much information is available, where it comes from and how it affects the job of the designer. Nobody can absorb all the information available and the array of possibilities exists beyond anyone’s ability to take full advantage of them. Today’s technology makes our information filters the most vital piece of the marketplace puzzle. It’s more important than ever for good interior designers to be outstanding filters, to consolidate the most potent information from all sources and to best serve their clients with the most appropriate and timely answers.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Why is it important for interior designers to embrace modern tools like Ivy to bring their business operations online?

DG: In a deep and endless sea of new possibilities, it is vital to form relationships with suppliers of information and products that can be trusted, while consolidating resources into a trove of useful choices. Industry leaders like Ivy Mark and Lamps Plus can bring design professionals a compendium of sorted, accurate, filtered, time-saving and valuable solutions and answers.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

What’s Lamps Plus Inc.’s focus for 2018?

DG: The Lamps Plus Professionals team has expanded significantly. With this comes a continued commitment to client services. We aspire to be part of each designer’s team by working hand-in-hand with designers from start to finish, on multiple projects, throughout the year.

Lamps Plus, Inc.

Lamps Plus, Inc.


Here at Ivy, we’re more than just an interior design software. Our mission is to provide interior designers with the community, resources and tools needed to manage your business beautifully. Are you searching for a business management tool to help streamline your workflow as an interior designer?