Better Designed Lighting
Better Designed Lighting (BDL) is a US custom decorative lighting manufacturer serving hotels, resorts, and hospitality venues with made-to-order fixtures across ceiling, wall, table, floor, specialty, and LED mirror categories, sold direct via enterprise field sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersCharlotte, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Better Designed Lighting does
Better Designed Lighting (BDL) is a US-based private manufacturer specializing in custom decorative lighting for the hospitality industry. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company designs, manufactures, and installs made-to-order lighting fixtures for hotels, resorts, ballrooms, restaurants, and specialty venues. Its product portfolio spans ceiling fixtures (hanging chandeliers, mini pendants, flush mounts), wall lighting (sconces, headboard, reading), table and desk lamps, floor fixtures, specialty public-area and woven designs, and custom LED-integrated mirrors. The catalog includes 300+ products in the hanging category alone, indicating a deep library of base designs that can be customized by size, style, finish, and lamping requirements.
The company's core technology is craftsmanship-driven custom manufacturing rather than software or electronics. BDL's production model relies on a network of international vendors and world-class artisans, combined with multi-stage quality control from shop drawings through delivery, to execute complex, design-intent-faithful lighting installations. The Quick Ship program layers in expedited delivery of select products alongside fully custom work, giving specifiers a speed option for less complex projects. The company maintains a visual project gallery on its website, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest to showcase installations and drive top-of-funnel demand.
BDL operates a B2B enterprise field-sales motion, selling directly to hoteliers, interior designers, and project managers via quote-based, one-time project sales with multi-year contract cadences on individual installations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; each engagement is scoped to the project's specifications. The company has no disclosed outside investors, no M&A history, and no recurring software or service revenue stream. Operations are domestic across the Southeastern, Western, Southwestern, and Mountain West United States, with no stated international footprint. Customer concentration is exclusively within hospitality, with named enterprise clients including Westin Gwinnett, Omni San Diego, Paris Las Vegas, Swiftwater Hotel, The Lafayette, Lou Lou's Ballroom, and The Armory.
Better Designed Lighting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Better Designed Lighting
- Legal name
- Better Designed Lighting
- Website
- https://bdl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Better Designed Lighting (BDL) is a US custom decorative lighting manufacturer serving hotels, resorts, and hospitality venues with made-to-order fixtures across ceiling, wall, table, floor, specialty, and LED mirror categories, sold direct via enterprise field sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Better Designed Lighting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hospitality Lighting
- NAICS
- Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ), Commercial Lighting Fixture Installation (HSAOAFAM)
Keywords
Where Better Designed Lighting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlotte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Better Designed Lighting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Lighting Products: One-time custom lighting product sales for hospitality projects. Products are completely customizable and made-to-order to meet exact project specifications including size, style, finish, and lamping requirements. Revenue generated through direct sales to hotels, restaurants, and hospitality venues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom Quote-Based Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Better Designed Lighting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Better Designed Lighting (BDL) designs, manufactures, and installs custom decorative lighting fixtures for the hospitality industry. The company produces made-to-order ceiling, wall, table, floor, specialty, and LED mirror lighting products for hotels, resorts, ballrooms, restaurants, and specialty venues, with full customization of size, style, finish, and lamping requirements. An expedited Quick Ship program supplements the custom manufacturing business for faster delivery on select items.
Product overview
Better Designed Lighting (BDL) is a hospitality lighting manufacturer offering custom and catalog lighting fixtures. The product portfolio consists of ceiling lighting (hanging, mini pendants, flush mount), wall lighting (sconces, headboard, reading), table and desk lamps, floor lighting, specialty lighting (public area and woven designs), and LED mirrors. The company emphasizes complete customization of size, style, finish, and lamping for all products. BDL serves hotels and hospitality venues with a Quick Ship program for expedited delivery alongside their custom manufacturing capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ceiling Lighting (Hanging, Mini Pendants, Flush Mount) Ceiling-mounted lighting fixtures including hanging chandeliers, mini pendants, and flush mount fixtures designed for hospitality environments such as hotel lobbies and public areas.
- Wall Lighting (Sconces, Headboard, Reading) Wall-mounted fixtures including wall sconces, headboard lighting, and reading lights designed for guest rooms and public areas in hospitality venues.
- Table Lighting Table lamps and desk lamps for hospitality settings including guest rooms and public areas.
- Floor Lighting Floor-standing lighting fixtures for hospitality environments including hotel guest rooms, suites, and public spaces.
- Specialty Lighting (Public Area, Woven) Specialty lighting solutions including public area fixtures and woven lighting designs for unique hospitality installations.
- LED Mirrors Custom LED-integrated mirrors for hospitality bathrooms and guest rooms.
- Custom Lighting Solutions Fully customizable lighting solutions with options for size, style, finish, and lamping requirements to meet exact project specifications for hoteliers, designers, and project managers.
- Quick Ship Program Expedited shipping program for faster delivery of select lighting products to hospitality clients with tighter project timelines.
Quantifiable outcome
- On-time delivery under budget
Companies that use Better Designed Lighting
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Better Designed Lighting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Better Designed Lighting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Better Designed Lighting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Circa Lighting: Sister retailer to Visual Comfort, Circa sells designer decorative lighting to the trade and consumer market. Comparable in product category (chandeliers, sconces, pendants) and target customer (designers and hospitality specifiers), serving the same custom lighting buyer as BDL.
- Tech Lighting: Modern and architectural decorative lighting manufacturer with strong presence in commercial and hospitality applications. Comparable in design-forward custom lighting for specifier-driven projects, though Tech Lighting skews more modern/architectural versus BDL's traditional decorative focus.
- Visual Comfort & Co. Premier US decorative lighting manufacturer offering chandeliers, sconces, pendants, and custom fixtures to designers, hospitality, and residential clients. Direct competitor in the high-end custom commercial/hospitality lighting category where BDL operates, though at significantly larger scale and broader reach.
- Hudson Valley Lighting: US decorative and architectural lighting manufacturer producing chandeliers, sconces, pendants, and bath fixtures. Comparable in custom decorative lighting manufacturing and serving the same designer/specifier channel that BDL targets for hospitality projects.
- Troy Lighting: Designer and manufacturer of decorative and commercial lighting including chandeliers, sconces, pendants, and bath fixtures. Comparable product portfolio and target markets, with significant presence in hospitality and high-end residential decorative lighting.
- Generation Lighting (formerly Sea Gull Lighting): Large US decorative and architectural lighting manufacturer with broad product lines spanning residential, commercial, and hospitality. Overlaps with BDL in decorative commercial lighting, though at greater scale and broader vertical reach.
- Crystorama: Decorative lighting manufacturer specializing in chandeliers and crystal fixtures for residential and commercial/hospitality use. Direct overlap with BDL's chandelier and decorative fixture manufacturing, including custom capabilities for hospitality installations.
Broad incumbents
- Restoration Hardware (RH): Luxury home furnishings brand with a significant lighting category including chandeliers, sconces, and pendants. While primarily retail/residential, RH also serves hospitality and competes for the design-driven custom decorative lighting buyer that BDL targets.
- Acuity Brands: Largest North American lighting conglomerate offering commercial, industrial, and architectural lighting products. Competes broadly in the same commercial lighting space as BDL but at massive scale, with portfolio brands (Lithonia, Winona, Gotham) that serve hospitality as one of many verticals.
Others
- Lumens: Online retailer of contemporary and designer decorative lighting carrying hundreds of brands. While not a manufacturer like BDL, Lumens competes for the same end customer (designers, hospitality specifiers, consumers) seeking high-end custom and semi-custom decorative lighting fixtures.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Better Designed Lighting social profiles
Digital presenceBetter Designed Lighting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Better Designed Lighting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Better Designed Lighting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Better Designed Lighting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Better Designed Lighting
What does Better Designed Lighting do?
Better Designed Lighting (BDL) designs, manufactures, and installs custom decorative lighting fixtures for the hospitality industry. The company produces made-to-order ceiling, wall, table, floor, specialty, and LED mirror lighting products for hotels, resorts, ballrooms, restaurants, and specialty venues, with full customization of size, style, finish, and lamping requirements. An expedited Quick Ship program supplements the custom manufacturing business for faster delivery on select items.
Is Better Designed Lighting a public or private company?
Better Designed Lighting is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Better Designed Lighting founded?
Better Designed Lighting was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Better Designed Lighting based?
Better Designed Lighting is headquartered in Charlotte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Better Designed Lighting make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom Lighting Products.
Who are Better Designed Lighting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Circa Lighting, Tech Lighting, Visual Comfort & Co., Hudson Valley Lighting, Troy Lighting, Generation Lighting (formerly Sea Gull Lighting) and Crystorama. Broad incumbents are Restoration Hardware (RH) and Acuity Brands. Lumens is listed as an others.
Does Better Designed Lighting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Better Designed Lighting.
What industry is Better Designed Lighting in?
Better Designed Lighting's product category is Hospitality Lighting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAIAB, Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior), with a secondary code of BPAHAKAJ, Lighting Design Services. Its NAICS code is 335132 and its SIC code is 3640.