December 7, 2022
A First for GE Lighting: Decorative Light Fixtures
Company's decorative fixture strategy takes a different path than rival Philips Hue
Giving customers options is super important in the world of lamps. The legendary GE Lighting brand has been giving its customers choices since its earliest days. Electricians and homeowners selected the desired socket type, color temperature and lumen output for their residential applications – and over the years, GE Lighting products have illuminated millions of decorative residential fixtures.
In recent years, the residential GE Lighting brand has become GE Lighting, a Savant company, and has been leading its marketing messaging with its smart LED lighting platform, Cync™. But today, the company has announced a big new chapter with its first-ever entry into decorative light fixtures. GE Lighting describes the move as launching “an assortment of decorative fixtures and industrial light pendants featuring a wide range of on-trend styles with an integrated LED option.”
“Going decorative” can be quite an undertaking. It remains to be seen if GE Lighting aspires to offer 445 pendants like Kichler or 631 pendants like Progress Lighting, but when a product line is geared to décor and design, one of the covenants of success is offering plenty of options. When a lighting company offers a product in only a few colors, it’s inevitable that they’ll get customer requests for additional color options. Ditto for metal finishes. And the same holds true when those small, medium and large pendant options – that just aren’t large enough for some customers.
Smart home lighting leader, Philips Hue, is executing a strategy to offer a limited offering of 11 wall lights, 10 surface-mounted ceiling lights and one sole pendant light in the Hue family. Consumers will find Hue's decorative options to be very clean, modern and simplified in design. The designs may cause homeowners with traditional cherry furniture or farmhouse decor to shy away from Hue fixtures. GE Lighting’s strategy seems to differ from Hue’s by offering various metal options and wood detailing – traditional, modern, farmhouse and industrial looks. GE Lighting seems to be pursuing homeowners who really desire a specific style to fit their décor.
GE Lighting describes the new decorative product families as follows:
Solon:
The Solon family's integrated design allows for five color temperatures—without ever changing a bulb. Its versatile design compliments a variety of decorative styles from bohemian to chic. Its mid-century white globe can be paired with three optional finishes including soft gold, matte black and brushed nickel. The Solon design is available in a variety of options, which include a 5-light Chandelier, 3-light Vanity, Wall Sconce, 1-Light Pendant in Semi-Flush or Flush Mount option and a 3-Light Pendant or Semi-Flush Mount.
Glenwillow:
The Glenwillow family provides farmhouse comfort while blending both charm and style. With metal embellishments and traditional wood detailing, the Glenwillow fixtures provide a unique contrast that suits an array of styles. The clear glass design beautifully highlights the amber glow of popular vintage-style bulbs to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Glenwillow is available in a variety of options which include a 3-light Chandelier, 3-light Vanity, Wall Sconce, 1-Light Pendant, and a 2- and 3-Light Flush Mount.
Mentor:
Traditional style meets essential function in the Mentor family. Crafted with a brushed nickel finish, the streamlined smooth glass creates a clean and clutter-free minimalist style and bring a timeless look. The Mentor design is available in a variety of fixture options which include a 5-light Chandelier, 3-light Vanity, Wall Sconce, 1-Light Pendant, and a Flush Mount.
Industrial Pendants:
Available in five unique designs, the new pendants feature a matte black finish and are made with premium metal. The pendants are compatible with a variety of bulb shapes for a stylish finish and can also be customized with Cync™ Direct Connect Smart Bulbs for seamless control through the Cync App, powered by Savant and 16 million color options.
The first three product families seem to be a tip of the hat to communities located near GE Lighting’s Cleveland origins; Solon, Glenwillow and Mentor, Ohio. Perhaps we will soon see new decorative families named Berea, Richfield and Cuyahoga Falls?
As GE Lighting evolves its decorative offering beyond one-dollar candelabra light bulbs, it will be interesting to see how broad and diverse the fixture line gets. Will decorative fixture sales be mainly derived from online outlets or will brick-and-mortar retail partners invest in inventory? The product offering seems intriguing and will likely need to grow its SKUs in order to gain traction and significant relevance. It's hard to debut a category with 631 product familes, so four is likely a good start to test the market.
