FROM THE SHOWROOM FLOOR
Lighting the Way How one showroom is shedding light on its local design community The Westfield Lighting Company is a local institution in Westfield, Indiana. Founded in 1977 by Phillip K. Montgomery, a wellknown electrical contractor for over 25 years, Westfield quickly evolved into a family run business. Phillip’s son-inlaw Jim Hutson and grandson Mike Hutson eventually The Westfield Lighting Company bought the company and began a partnership as father and son working side by side. When Jim retired in 2004, Mike and his wife Nancy took over operations. “Small business has been the backbone of America since the very beginning,” says Mike Hutson. “I hope Westfield Lighting Company is the kind of business that the employees, local community and all our customers can be proud to call their own.” Westfield recently redesigned its showroom layout to create a more customer friendly atmosphere. They reorganized fixtures by finishes and styles, added fresh coats of paint and new accessories, and created more lifestyle vignettes. “Customers can actually walk into our vignettes, sit down and imagine what the fixtures will look like in their homes,” says General Manager Ray O’Dell. “We have been told by many customers that our showroom has a more homelike feeling to it, and makes them want to stay longer.” Ray has been working at Westfield for 17 years, and Westfield has been working with Littman Brands for at least as long as he’s been there, Ray recalls. The team at Westfield works tirelessly to create a space that goes beyond the normal showroom, providing services you don’t see anywhere else. In a great example of a retailer embracing the design community, Westfield has a dedicated space in the center of its showroom for an interior designer. “She displays window treatments and vignettes of her designs, with a mixture of her products and ours,” says Ray. “I think it is just another service we offer our customers that sets us apart from the competition.” The showroom also includes a gallery that showcases talented local artists (glass blowers, potters, painters and sculptors) and provides them with an outlet to sell their products. “It gives them the opportunity to show their art to the public, and we benefit by using some of their products in our vignettes,” says Ray. Some
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A showroom vignette featuring Troy Lighting’s Revolution and other Littman Brands designs
antiques that were originally chosen as props have also become available for sale in another effort to diversify and stay ahead of the competition. As far as lighting trends go, Ray has noticed an uptick in customers coming in and asking for nostalgia lamps and other industrial-looking fixtures. He notes that LED sales are also starting to pick up. “From recessed lights to replacement lamps to decorative fixtures, I think we’re really starting to see some good designs with LED technology.” However, he notes that LED costs are still high. “In the Midwest, the return is not there yet, but I believe it will be soon.” While Westfield offers the majority of its products for sale online, Ray believes the showroom experience is still important for selecting the right lighting fixture. “I believe most customers want to actually touch, feel and see the product before they make the purchase,” says Ray. “I can’t think of a better way than to come into a warm, inviting showroom, sit down and envision ‘Your Home, Your Style, Your Way.’”
RAY’S LIGHTING PICKS:
“Troy and Corbett are two of my favorite lighting lines we offer. Their designs are always unique and on the leading edge. My favorite lighting fixture is the Revolution by Troy.”
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