When Lumens first launched a website in 2004, it was primarily to support the physical showroom. Almost immediately after adding a shopping cart to the site, Lumens sales grew exponentially. Once we discovered our e-commerce potential—coupled with our ability to support designers in projects of all sizes—we invested in those things to build the brand into the premiere destination for design, online. We went from a small office in the back of the showroom to having two offices in Northern California with over 150 employees. It’s been very rewarding to see the growth and work with such an innovative and design-savvy team.
“We are always looking at what is new and ahead of the trends”
Expertise, best-in-class support, and community. Our team travels the world to find the latest designs to add to our discerning edit of icons and emerging designs. We also have an ALA-certified service and sales team 100% based in the U.S. Additionally, we continue to build within the architecture and design community with VIP events, immersive experiences, and education courses that we offer for free throughout the year.
We are always looking at what is new and ahead of the trends. For instance, well before the Federal ban on incandescent light bulbs went into effect, we had already committed to offering only LED. This put us in a position to best serve our customers and stay ahead of the curve. When are always looking at what is new and ahead of the trends it comes to sourcing products, our team travels the world—to Milan, Italy, for Salone del Mobile; to Copenhagen, Denmark, for 3daysofdesign; and Paris for Maison et Object, as well as domestic shows.
At Lumens, we take our role in promoting sustainable design seriously. In addition to our efforts to move our customers from incandescent bulbs to LED fixtures, we’ve also built assortments that meet various sustainability standards and certifications. Our goal is to help the architecture and design community as well as end users choose the sustainable option. We are proud to say Lumens has the largest assortment of sustainable design pieces online.
Back in our early years, a big highlight was sourcing lighting for Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple. Now, we are part of so many breathtaking projects for CEOs, large firms, small business owners, and world-renowned hotels, it’s impossible to choose just one.
In 10 years, Lumens will continue to lead the industry as the go-to design destination for architects, designers, contractors, and consumers with a modern point of view. We will have an assortment that covers all categories and all corners of the globe. And, we will have a series of brick-and-mortar showrooms to complement our online marketplace.