Prior to the 1950s, the housing industry had a very basic view of the styles and décor that was available to the average family. Very little thought was given to the lighting decoration of a building. The exceptions were hotels, government buildings, wealthy estates, and the like. As more and more individuals and families were able to realize the American dream; the average family’s ability to put custom personal touches into the home became more commonplace.

Fast forward to today and the options available to a homeowner are truly amazing. Researching different styles and materials in regards to lighting and décor can take several weeks or more when building a custom designed home. Even if the homeowner is just doing a remodel or replacing a few light fixtures, the task of going through hundreds of different light fixtures and then selecting complementary shades for those light fixtures can be overwhelming.

Big box home improvement stores have made this process simple, but will typically have a limited selection of cookie cutter-style lamps and lighting fixtures. The quality of these samples can often be average to mediocre due to mass production and very limited quality control abroad. There is an excellent alternative.

There are over a hundred different and distinct lighting manufacturers across the country and many more around the world. While no lighting store may be able to stock every style and model, these stores will carry a remarkable variety. These specialty lighting stores most likely have catalogs that the homeowner can “checkout” or even keep.

One avenue the homeowner may want to explore is if the lighting store has returned special orders that have been discounted. A person can find that perfect designer lamp at a fraction of the original cost. Another method of receiving greater discounts is to place a larger product order. The lighting store is likely to be much more flexible with prices if the number of lighting fixtures, lamps, and decorative items ordered is sufficient. These savings may not be as great if the homeowner buys just a few accessories for a smaller remodeling project. Another good idea for the homeowner to ask about other resources the lighting shop may provide. Many stores will have an in-house lighting designer who may work closely with a builder or interior decorator.

Due to the overabundance of home improvement centers and the “push product” mentality, specialty lighting boutiques have been very successful. With this additional success, many of these stores have become major regional providers of fine lighting. As the specialty store grows, all homeowners can take advantage of broader selections and savings while receiving superior quality compared to home improvement centers or hardware stores.