by Danielle Frawley

The Lighting House, located on Route 7 in Shelburne, opened its doors in 1977. Shelburne resident John Blanchard said the business has survived recessions, a fire, and is still going strong. Last year, he said the business "felt soft" and this year there are "sparks of hope." One of the changes for the business is its expanded customer base. Instead of only serving Chittenden County, The Lighting House also serves the Stowe area and across the lake to New York. The Lighting House specializes in residential and small commercial lighting needs, especially for restaurants. Blanchard also has a show room in Jacksonville, Fla. that features The Lighting House furniture.

Now that the snow has melted and the sun has come out (with temperatures reaching 80 degrees (!) this past weekend), residents are spending more time outside. Blanchard mentioned that current trends indicate that more people are looking to expand outdoor living spaces and are purchasing outdoor furniture conducive to this lifestyle. The Lighting House offers four different types of outdoor furniture: teak, Brazilian cherry wood, outdoor all-weather wicker, and wrought iron. This year the most popular of the four seems to be the Brazilian cherry wood, although Blanchard explains that the trends change just as often as the seasons change. He said that furniture is now made that can stay outdoors, creating another seasonal living space. "People are looking for fashion, durability, and comfort," commented Blanchard.

If you are interested in purchasing furniture to fit your outdoor and backyard lifestyle, visit Holly Ford at The Lighting House. Ford, who happens to be Blanchard’s daughter, has worked at The Lighting House for about seven years and specializes in outdoor furniture. There are plenty of options on display in the large store, but if you don’t happen to see exactly what you are looking for, Ford is happy to special order from one of the several catalogues on hand.

Outdoor lighting goes hand-in-hand with outdoor furniture. Families love to relax and sit outside in the evening after grilling dinner and landscape lighting and other exterior lighting is the perfect way to enjoy more hours outdoors. Blanchard explained that LED is the leading trend in lighting. Although the price is a bit higher, the lifetime of LED bulbs is remarkable. An LED light could last up to 40 or 50,000 hours, whereas fluorescent lights only last around 1,000 hours. This makes the extra money well worth it. And maintenance is easy, because you do not have to worry about replacing the bulbs often.

All employees at The Lighting House are certified lighting specialists, but if you have a specific question about outdoor lighting, approach Frank Kurek or Roger Coreitt.

The Lighting House is clearly more than lights. This local business offers friendly local service to help to meet your every outdoor furniture and lighting need. For more information on The Lighting House products, visit the Web site www.thelightinghouse.net.