Page 40 - Lighting Magazine October 2018

DAVID BELLWOAR (continued)
“...lighting is way too important of a selection to leave to chance and order based on a digital image.”
that allows customers to see the xtures individually as well as what the pendants can look like in small groupings. We also have a dedicated Baccarat crys- tal area and place those stunning pieces in our dining vigne es. Touches like showcasing artwork not only makes our space feel more like a home than a store, but it’s also a great way to demonstrate how lighting can enhance the art in customers’ homes. There is a 16-foot wall on the backside of a living room vigne e that features a large painting with a lot of colors. We have a variety of lighting options surrounding it so clients can experience the di erences of each one.”
To make designers and their clients comfortable, Bright Light provides individual desks and work- stations with multiple chairs and a big screen monitor so they can easily look up specs and other product information. They also have private rooms available if designers would like to spend time alone with their clients. Beverages and canapes help refresh them during the process.
Bellwoar believes nothing beats visiting a show- room to see and touch product during the selection process. “We all shop online when making various purchases,” he says. “But lighting is way too impor- tant of a selection to leave to chance and order based on a digital image. Photos online or in catalogs are done by professionals using specialized lighting and lters, plus computer monitors are not always accurate in representing the true color and nish. Seeing xtures’ size and scope in a se ing like ours helps customers understand the presence they would have in rooms of their homes. They need to actually see and touch these xtures to get the true visual of what they’re ordering. When designers or customers make the e ort to visit our store, they deserve to be treated like royalty. It’s a huge compli- ment that they’ve selected us, and we want to give them the ultimate in service, product, and support.”
JUDY ZICCARDI
Lighting Innovation, San Clemente, California
From a 3x5 index card, a career was born. Judy Ziccardi saw a posting at her high school for a “part-time chandelier cleaning girl” at a local lighting
showroom and thought it sounded interesting. She fell in love with lighting and the rest is history. Today she remains passionate about staying educated on all aspects of lighting so that she can be the best re- source for designers in her area.
Help tHe Design Community
“There are so many di erences in the types of light- ing, energy sources, temperatures...designers aren’t always up to date on all of those factors,” she com- ments. “We host regular CEU courses to help them, but we’ve found they o en prefer to rely on us for the technical knowledge. Continuing education is strongly needed by designers. I even go to design schools and give free classes on life in the ‘real’ design world. It boils down to right- and le -brained people. Designers are very right-brained and creative, but not typically in tune with the technical side of a project. The sta at showrooms like ours are used to working from both sides of our brains because we also under- stand design and construction.
“I try to teach new designers that lighting is more than what a xture looks like; it has to be able to work in that application. Sometimes they see a sconce they think is perfect, but haven’t considered what it might look like in that particular space from all directions — or what’s involved in the installation. It’s important
36 enLIGHTenment Magazine | OctOber 2018
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the Designer-showroom BonD