Deep in the heart of Texas, the lights beckon. From June 24 to June 27, Dallas Market Center hosts Lightovation inside the Western Hemisphere’s largest lighting marketplace, with 1 million square feet of permanent showroom space. And for this edition, the show will shine even brighter with a bonus event dedicated to trade professionals: Design + Build Day, which will take place on Tuesday, June 23. With CEU-accredited presentations plus panels and tours hosted by media partners Business of Home and Custom Builder, it’s an exclusive opportunity to access insider information, expand your network, and enjoy a sneak preview of the show before it officially opens. Never been? With the chance to qualify for a complimentary two-night hotel stay, now’s the time to make the trip. Laura Van Zeyl, vice president of marketing for Lightovation at DMC, shares the details on why Dallas is the place to be this June.
BRILLIANT BRANDS
If lighting is an important part of your project—and when isn’t it?—Lightovation is a brilliant investment for your business. Across numerous showrooms, the market offers the latest in indoor, outdoor, decorative and architectural fixtures; hardware and controls; even a wide range of ceiling fans. “It’s a wealth of inspirational resources covering every imaginable category of illumination for home and hospitality projects,” says Van Zeyl. Of the approximately 150 brands on display, several are exclusive to Dallas Market Center, including Savoy House, Lib&Co. and Maxim Lighting. Others, like Hubbardton Forge and WAC Group, present a more in-depth assortment here than anywhere else. Beyond Lightovation’s location on the third and fourth floors of the center’s Trade Mart building, other vendors get in on the act too. At DMC’s Total Home & Gift Market, which runs June 24 to June 30, stalwarts like Currey & Company and Visual Comfort set up shop with home accents exhibitors in the Interior Home + Design Center, which together with the World Trade Center and Trade Mart form the largest open-daily design center in North America. “There are lighting resources across campus,” says Van Zeyl. “The layout is convenient, welcoming and easy to shop.”
HIGH-TECH TRENDS AND BOTANICAL TOUCHES
Frequently referred to as the jewelry of home decor, lighting is forever evolving to ornament spaces in sparklingly unique ways—while simultaneously incorporating the most cutting-edge innovations in wellness and smart tech. “This is the market where trends originate,” says Van Zeyl. She anticipates that tunability, or the capacity to change the color temperature to suit task or mood, will continue to be a major component of many new designs. “People are becoming more aware of the nonvisual effects light has on them, impacting sleep cycles and circadian rhythms throughout the day,” she notes. Aesthetically, these enhancements may be paired with stylized floral motifs and natural stone materials like alabaster and travertine. “That’s what we see emerging on the design side,” she says.
A BRIGHT NEW DAY
Emphasizing the importance of lighting across disciplines, Design + Build Day on Tuesday, June 23, is an especially constructive way to start the show. “It’s intended as a custom introduction for members of the trade, because historically, Lightovation is the primary buying event for the retail showroom channel, but increasingly, industry professionals are recognizing the importance of lighting as a transformational element in their projects,” says Van Zeyl. The full day of programming caters to not only interior designers but builders, architects, specifiers and remodelers as well.
The itinerary is structured around two half-day panels. Business of Home editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen moderates a discussion among designers addressing how they collaborate efficiently with contractors to make sure their vision is achieved without any compromises. Custom Builder editor Pauline Hammerbeck hosts a conversation highlighting one such completed project that exemplifies how different disciplines come together for the greater good, detailing the stages, pitfalls and finished result. “Afterward, each editor will lead a tour previewing the marketplace, curated around their brand,” says Van Zeyl. In the middle of the day, a lunch-and-learn session focuses on women in the building and construction industry. All of the panels will be CEU-accredited. “Both the panels themselves and the networking they’ll encourage are tailored to highlight how professionals in complementary fields can team up, performing separate functions that ultimately produce elevated lighting schemes,” she explains.
SUPERSTAR SIGNING
Following this informative itinerary, Design + Build Day comes to a glowing close with some well-deserved relaxation and luxury. “We’re ending with a reception hosted by Eichholtz that celebrates its new lighting collection with Corey Damen Jenkins,” she says. Surrounded by his deco-influenced fixtures, the AD100 designer will be on hand to sign complimentary copies of his book, Design Reimagined: A Fresh and Colorful Take on Timeless Rooms, for the first 100 guests in attendance.
ENLIGHTENING PANELS
Lightovation proper opens on Wednesday, June 24, igniting four days of programming that includes a panel highlighting how to achieve great lighting moderated by C. Webster Marsh, director of education and programming for DMC’s ArchLight Summit, a show centered around commercial lighting that will take place on September 15 and 16. That afternoon, Maison&Objet trend ambassador Patti Carpenter will give a presentation on new directions in lighting design, then lead a tour of style-forward exhibitors. On Thursday, June 25, another session will explore the remodeling market. “It’s a huge area of growth right now,” says Van Zeyl. The American Lighting Association caps off that evening with its annual Women in Lighting reception, held at the Fanimation showroom. “It’s a robust group, and the gathering is always well-attended and lots of fun,” she adds. “Not to be missed!”
LUMINOUS LANDSCAPES
Another burgeoning category entails illuminating the great outdoors. Lightovation launched its immersive Exteriorscape at its January edition, and is expanding the experience this June to further demonstrate the storytelling and atmospheric potential of wet-location fixtures and systems—from spike lights that delineate winding front-door pathways to Edison bulbs strung like necklaces around backyard gazebos. “Instead of simply imagining how lighting might work in residential environments, the activation lets you see it in situ,” Van Zeyl explains. A designated panel and tour on Thursday will investigate the topic in even greater detail.
TWO NIGHTS FREE AND YEAR-ROUND SERVICE
As it happens, Lightovation this June coincides with some World Cup games in the Dallas area, but the center prepared far in advance, reserving blocks of rooms at typical rates across a range of hotel chains—“so people can claim their points,” Van Zeyl quips. First-time attendees are eligible to win a free two-night stay at the Warwick Melrose or Hilton Lincoln Centre, which includes expedited registration and shuttle service to the marketplace.
After the show ends on Saturday, June 27, Lightovation exhibitors are not required to be open again until the next biannual event in early January, but the center stays busy all year long. “We have a growing number of lighting showrooms open every day,” she says. “Designers come from all corners of Texas, the Midwest, the Southeast and beyond because of the breadth of resources we have.” To enable access to these sellers past the show dates, the center launched a complimentary Lighting Concierge service. Arturo Maluy, operating from the front desk at DMC’s Trade Mart building, brings decades of experience to the role: He can consult on any question or offer recommendations, and he has the keys to the kingdom—of off-season showrooms. Walk-ins might be lucky enough to catch him on the fly, but Van Zeyl recommends scheduling an appointment. “He can show designers the products, then refer them to the brand to complete the sale,” she notes. “He facilitates the connection.” It’s an excellent option to keep in mind, but be sure to catch the main event this summer: Register now to secure your spot at Lightovation and count yourself among the first to attend Design + Build Day.
This story is a paid promotion and was created in partnership with Lightovation at Dallas Market Center.
Homepage image: Attendees bask in the glow of the latest lighting designs during Lightovation | Courtesy of DMC
