A buzzy brand is changing hands. In a deal that was announced to employees earlier this month, British company Pooky—best known stateside for its colorful array of portable lamps—was acquired by lighting giant Visual Comfort. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“We have long admired and respected one another’s brands, creative perspectives, and contributions to the world of lighting,” wrote Visual Comfort founder and CEO Andy Singer and Pooky founder Rohan Blacker in a joint statement provided to Business of Home. “This partnership brings together two complementary points of view, while allowing Pooky to continue operating independently with the same creative spirit, character, and distinctive approach that have made the brand so special. Together, we look forward to introducing Pooky to a broader audience through the reach of the Visual Comfort platform.”
The move comes two years after Pooky launched its U.S. operation to much fanfare—a rollout that included events and parties geared to the design trade, a gotta-see-it High Point Market debut, and a showroom at the New York Design Center. On this side of the pond, the brand has focused on offering a wide range of portable lighting options, whereas its U.K. stores mix cordless models with a more classic line of wired fixtures.
According to financial records filed with Companies House, the British government’s business registry, Pooky’s U.S. operation seemed to enjoy considerable growth in its first year. Though the majority of the company’s $53 million annual revenue came from the U.K., its “rest of world” sales jumped from $1.7 million to $9.3 million from 2024 to 2025. According to the documents, Pooky spent roughly $1.6 million in 2024 to get its American venture up and running.
Visual Comfort is an intriguing buyer for Pooky. Aside from a 2017 private equity deal that combined the company with the Generation family of lighting companies, and the 2023 acquisition of a Dallas showroom, it is not known for acquiring outside brands. However, the potential synergies are clear: Visual Comfort has a robust national network of showrooms that could allow it to quickly expose the product to a much wider market. Meanwhile, the company has recently opened a second showroom in London, an indicator that it’s looking to expand in the U.K.
Though Pooky’s U.S. operation is relatively young, the company is more than a decade old. It was founded in 2014 by Blacker, an English entrepreneur who co-founded pioneering furniture e-commerce site Sofa.com in 2006 before selling it in 2015. More recently, he has returned to the upholstery business with the launch of a U.K.-based DTC sofa brand called Schplendid.
