Friday, February 10th, 2012
This is the time of year when lighting manufacturers across the United States meet in Dallas, Texas to showcase their new releases at the National Lighting Convention. In a venue that more closely resembles a shopping mall than a convention, industry leaders set up beautifully elaborate installations and compete for the attention of retailers from around the nation. This year, the buzz surrounded some unique styles and designs.
Greek Key, a design generally associated with the world of fine art and ancient sculptures, has now found a seat as one of the most sought after styles of the year. Blending the style of ancient relics with the contemporary styles of modern lighting, light makers such as Uttermost, Eurofase, and Elk are creating beautiful lines of transitional lighting fixtures that are proving to be as popular as they are unique. Known as meander in the art world, these geometric borders were commonly found in the pottery of ancient Greece, the Shang Dynasty, and now the lighting in your home. While walking around the convention, it is noticeably incorporated in table lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces, and just about every other type of light.
Littman Bros. Lighting, based in Schaumburg, IL has been making their way to the Lighting Convention for over three decades. Noticing the varying trends every year, Owner Dan Littman said “It’s exciting to see what the newest industry trend is going to be. This year, everyone seems really excited about Mercury Glass Lamps.” While circulating the many booths at the show, Interior Designers, Store Owners, and Manufacturers seemed to be pretty infatuated with this unique style of lamp. Mercury glass is a blown glass with a double wall. Liquid silver or silvering solution is added for decorative affect. Companies such as Dimond and Kichler are using these manufacturing techniques to create beautifully colorful or clear glass pieces that absorb and reflect the illumination. It is really no surprise to see so much excitement about these lights.
Littman was also excited about the abundance of fixtures using new material such as leather. “I’m glad to see manufacturers are still being innovative with materials. It makes designers and customers excited to keep coming back to the store.”
Staying current with lighting trends at the Dallas Lighting Market has enabled Littman Bros. Lighting and littmanbros.com to continually be a premier source for designer lighting from around the world.
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
Specific elements need to be taken into consideration in order to properly light your home theater. First, avoid harsh lighting that would cause a glare on the screen. Be sure the lighting you choose has dimming capabilities, such as recessed lighting, that will allow you to choose the brightness and create a certain ambiance. Home theater lighting is essential in providing comfort and avoiding eyestrain that can occur from viewing a movie in total darkness.
Here is a list of essential home theater lighting:
1. Ceiling: recessed lighting
2. Wall: decorative sconces
3. Aisles: rope lights or accent lights
4. Storage: under cabinet lighting
If you need further assistance with selecting the appropriate lighting, please feel free to call one of our lighting professionals at 877-237-9098, or email lightingdesign@littmanbros.com
Monday, January 2nd, 2012
Add Contemporary Lighting to your home to complement your style:
Contemporary/Modern Lighting should incorporate a very clean and simple design with minimal use of accents or ornamentation. Contemporary designs represent a very subtle complexity of up to date trends; smooth lines, fresh geometric shapes with the most current and avant-garde materials are used. Since this style of lighting is so minimalist and modest it tends to be a wonderful choice of lighting for an array of settings.
This 8 Light Chandelier from Access Lighting is an excellent example of Contemporary/Modern Lighting.
Thursday, June 30th, 2011
Everyone has their own personal style. Homes are no different. The Shop By Style feature at Littmanbros.com gives you access to all the lighting that fits your style. No longer will you have to browse endlessly through fixtures that stand outside your unique fashion sense. Now there is a one stop shop for all of your decorative needs.
Personally, I am a traditionalist. When I’m in the market for Classic Lights from the industry’s leading manufacturers, I simply click on the Classic / Traditional Style tab and select the fixture type I am looking for. It couldn’t be easier.
The shop by collection feature at Littmanbros.com offers all of the familiar lighting styles such as Contemporary, Transitional, Mission. Additionally, we know that people have very specific styles or are looking for something very specific. Because of this we expanded the page and now offer styles such as Cape Cod and Rustic. We have also dedicated a section of Shop by Style to Crystal and Ornate pieces.
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
Littmanbros.com has recently added a Shop by Collection feature that that will make buying lighting online easier than ever before. Most leading Lighting manufacturers make thousands of products to choose from. Though this is true, they will create Collections or Families of fixtures that follow a particular style and finish.
Selecting Lights for your entire home is as easy as selecting a collection you like. Within each collection are Chandeliers, Sconces, Flush/Semi Flush Mounts, Bath Lights, and Pendants that will offer you home a coherent style. Let your fashion sense guide you through our vast Collection list including manufacturers such Hinkley, Hudson Valley, Savoy House, Kichler, and many more. We are very excited about our new Designer Lighting Collection feature and we hope you share the same enthusiasm. Create a glowing master piece in your home with Littman Bros Lights. And, as always, thank you for choosing Littman.
Tuesday, June 28th, 2011
The Littman Bros. love summer. For us, summertime is full of long runs, motorcycle rides, and most importantly family barbeques. Get ready for this warm weather holiday season by maximizing the beauty and functionality of your yard space with Landscape Lighting from Littmanbros.com.
Summer is our favorite season of the year and we would love to help you celebrate the sunshine and warm moonlight by making your outdoor areas shine. Though it comes in many forms, there are a few categories that are essential for adding safety and beauty to your outdoor spaces. Generally we like to begin with Path Lighting. These lights are best placed in six foot increments. We offer a wide selection of Path Lights from the leading Landscape Lighting manufacturers such as Kichler, Sea Gull, and Hinkley. No walkway is complete without glistening light.
Another area that will get a good deal of use during the summer months is your deck. As the place of mass congregation during the Fourth of July and Labor Day, you want this are safely lighted for your family and friends. Browse our selection of Deck and Step Lights. Have a fun and safe summer.
Monday, June 27th, 2011
Recently my sister, who is a successful licensed realtor, was telling me that a simple way to add significant value to your home is with the addition of stylish Outdoor Lighting. She explained that while exterior lights emphasize the beautiful character of a home, they also enhance a home’s safety. These are two features that directly influence the value of real estate.
Littman Bros. Lighting is ready to help you add value to your precious investment. The world of Outdoor Lighting has been quickly growing in recent years. Without some direction, selecting the right Exterior Lighting Fixtures can certainly be overwhelming. The arrival of summer makes selecting the right lights even more important. Littman Bros Lighting is ready to help you select Outdoor Lights that will truly make your home illuminate with beauty on these warm summer evenings.
Outdoor Lights generally begin at the entrance. Outdoor Wall Lighting provide amazing illumination for the front, side, and back entrances to your home. Littmanbros.com carries a wide variety of sizes, style, and finishes to guarantee your exterior lights accentuate your home while remaining unique in your neighborhood. Additionally, Outdoor Hanging Lighting and Outdoor Ceiling Lights cast a beautiful downward light for added illumination.
Placement is essential for outdoor lighting. Wall Lights should stand at two-thirds the height of your door while Hanging Lights and Ceiling Lights should never go below the height of your door. As always feel free to contact one of our lighting experts with any questions about placement or style. Protect your family and your investment with the simple addition of Outdoor Lighting from Littman Bros. Lighting. Have a great Holiday Season.
Friday, February 25th, 2011
As Spring approaches our customer’s have started to look into their different ceiling fan and portable fan options. Like ceiling fans there are a wide variety of portable fans available on the market. They have fans starting at $20 all the way to $800, so what is the difference? Materials, motors, styles, quality and brand names are effecting these price points.
So how do you find a decent fan with out breaking the bank? I myself have fallen victim to the cheap plastic Target fan, multiple times. These fans are made of cheap materials and are manufactured quickly with only the bottom line in mind. After throwing out many of these, I finally stepped up and bought quality, the new Arden by Fanimation. It has been fantastic! Quiet, reliable and stylish! The nicest portable fans by far are made by Fanimation. They are stylish, reliable, well-made and complete with a lifetime guarantee. These fan’s cores are all solid cast with soldered grills. They have traditional reproductions along side modern industrial fans. Here are some of my favorites: The Arden, Old Havana and Fitzgerald. The Fargo is by far their most specialized. This was originally a banker’s fan, designed to sit on your desk and blow air at you without moving anything on your desk, including paper!
Have you ever longed for a breeze while relaxing on your patio? You might think that you are out of luck if you have an open patio or a fabric awning. Not anymore, Fanimation also makes a portable ceiling fan that goes in the center umbrella hole of your patio table. What an ingenious idea!
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
There are always a few lighting fixtures that stand out. The Hinkley Bolla series has been a best seller since it’s release. This past weekend we not only sold 3 of the 4655OB fixtures, but customers were bidding over the display! This series is great because it works in both traditional and contemporary homes, making it a great option for redecorating and home-staging alike.
Hinkley first released this series in satin nickel and later in oil rubbed bronze making this piece versatile in lighting design. They most recently released a brushed bronze finish, which is similar to the new gilded silver finishes many manufacturers are releasing. These finishes are a new take on the dated polished brass finish, and have a more subdued and elegant feel.
Take a look at many of Corbett Lighting’s collections, including Roma, Bangle, Dolce, and Philippe. Murrey Feiss is also following suit with collections like Gianna, Lucia,and Arabesque. Satin nickel and oil rubbed bronze continue to hold popularity among finishes, while brushed bronze offers a new option for an elegant space.
Friday, February 11th, 2011
We are not just online!
We have a 10,000 sq. ft. showroom outside Chicago in a big suburb called Schaumburg.
I’m Jen and I have been with Littman over 5 years. Shortly after starting here I did a full gut and remodel job on my house, while living in it! Believe me, I completely understand all the decisions that need to be made while building/ remodeling. This personal experience has benefited our customers and improved our personal interactions with customers as well.
Recently I got married and now that I am finished with all the wedding planning I am ready for my next project, turning my house in to a home. You know, adding all those finishing touches. Upgrading my lighting fixtures, lamps, paint colors, artwork, wall hangings and accessories.
Over the next few months I will share with you my different experiences, lighting trends and designer favorites from both my personal projects and those in our 10,000 sq ft showroom in Schaumburg, IL.
