What Cerno does

Cerno is a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of handcrafted LED lighting fixtures headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California. Founded circa 2000 by three childhood friends from Laguna Beach—Bret Englander (Sales & Marketing), Daniel Wacholder (Operations & Engineering), and Nick Sheridan (Design)—the company operates a single Southern California factory producing its full product range, including decorative pendants, chandeliers, sconces, flush mounts, table and floor lamps, a dedicated architectural series, and a tunable-white Cerno Art Light line integrated with Ketra technology. The portfolio extends across three wholly-owned sub-brands—Cerno, Revelite, and Siemon & Salazar—and a co-branded Lutron x Cerno collection developed through Lutron's Native by Design program. Core technology centers on proprietary decorative and architectural LED fixture design, vertical manufacturing with CNC precision machining and material optimization, and certified smart-home interoperability with Lutron and Ketra controls. All products are Buy American Act compliant.

The company's go-to-market targets specification buyers—architects, interior designers, and lighting specifiers—serving high-end residential, hospitality, and commercial projects. Its primary channel is a nationwide network of more than 100 independent manufacturer sales representatives with dedicated Western and Eastern regional managers, supported by showroom partners (Lightology, Neenas, Metro Lighting), online retailers (Wayfair, Lumens, 2Modern, AllModern, Viesso, Rypen, Horne, Lightform), and international distribution in Canada, France, and Mexico. Architectural products are sold exclusively through the REP channel. Marketing emphasizes editorial coverage in specification publications (Architectural Digest, Metropolis, Interior Design, Hospitality Design), digital catalogs, social channels, and trade-event participation.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of premium-priced fixtures with quote-based pricing, plus custom and volume lighting projects for unique architectural requirements. The company differentiates via proprietary designs, lifetime repair guarantees, vertical manufacturing control, BAA compliance, and a multi-brand portfolio. Cerno is privately held by its three co-founders with no disclosed institutional funding, M&A activity, or public financial reporting.

Name

Cerno

Legal name

Cerno, LLC

Website

https://cernogroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cerno is a vertically integrated, founder-owned manufacturer of premium handcrafted LED lighting fixtures, sold primarily through a US-wide sales representative network to architects, interior designers, and high-end residential and hospitality customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decorative and Architectural Lighting Fixtures

NAICS

Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351), Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Residential Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335131)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Commercial Luminaires (High-bay, Low-bay, Troffers, Downlights) (IMAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Decorative lighting fixtures
• Architectural lighting
• LED pendant lighting
• Handcrafted lighting manufacturer
• Specification grade lighting

Headquarters

HQ city

Aliso Viejo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Lighting Fixtures - Decorative: Sale of handcrafted decorative lighting fixtures including pendants, chandeliers, sconces, flush mounts, table lamps, floor lamps, and vanity lighting. Products are sold through specification reps, showrooms, and online channels. Cerno brand products are premium-priced and sold primarily to architects, designers, and high-end residential customers.
2. Lighting Fixtures - Architectural: Architectural lighting products sold exclusively through the sales representative network for commercial and specification projects. Products include ceiling mounts, pendants, and sconces designed for lobbies, great rooms, and living spaces in commercial settings.
3. Custom Lighting Projects: Custom and specification lighting projects for unique architectural requirements. The company maintains a custom lighting portfolio and offers volume/custom terms for large projects.
4. Multiple Brand Portfolio: Revenue from multiple brands including Cerno (main brand), Revelite (outdoor lighting), and Siemon & Salazar (custom/chandelier line). Each brand targets different market segments within the lighting industry.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cerno designs, manufactures, and assembles handcrafted LED lighting fixtures at its vertically integrated facility in Aliso Viejo, California. Its product portfolio spans decorative lighting (chandeliers, pendants, sconces, flush mounts, table and floor lamps), architectural specification lighting, art illumination fixtures, and Lutron-integrated smart lighting, sold under the Cerno, Revelite, and Siemon & Salazar brands through a US sales representative network, showrooms, and online retailers.

Product overview

Cerno is a vertically integrated manufacturer of handcrafted lighting fixtures headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California. The product portfolio consists of three main sub-brands: Cerno (decorative lighting), Cerno Architectural Lighting (professional-grade architectural fixtures), and Cerno Art Light (integrated LED wall art lighting). The portfolio includes extensive product categories across pendants (standard, linear, accent), chandeliers, sconces (indoor, outdoor, bedside), flush mounts, table lamps, and floor lamps. A Lutron x Cerno collection integrates Lutron intelligent controls into select fixtures. Related brands include Revelite and Siemon & Salazar. Products are available through a network of sales representatives, showrooms, and online retailers, with Buy American Act compliance for all products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Revelite: A lighting brand under Cerno, with its own catalog and products.
• Siemon & Salazar
• Lutron x Cerno

Products and services

• Cerno Decorative Lighting

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lutron ElectronicscoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership integrating Lutron's intelligent lighting and smart home technology with Cerno's handcrafted decorative lighting fixtures. 'Native by Design' program merges Lutron's technology with world-class design partners. Products include Ignis 17, Ignis 24, Nauta, Valeo, Ora, Redeo, Una 48, Una 66, Lenis, and Penna with Lutron integration. Also includes Cerno Art Light with Ketra (Lutron subsidiary) for tunable white lighting.
• KetracoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for Cerno Art Light products integrated with Ketra lighting technology. Ketra is known for tunable white lighting that simulates natural daylight patterns. Cerno Art Light with Ketra offers advanced lighting control for art illumination and ambient lighting applications.
• Leah BradleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative design partnership with artist/designer Leah Bradley resulting in the 'Linea Selva' chandelier collection. This represents a co-designed product line under the Siemon & Salazar brand, combining Bradley's artistic vision with Cerno's manufacturing capabilities.
• Frank Carfaro of DesironminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration with Frank Carfaro of Desiron on the Forma floor lamp, which influenced the design of the Nauta table lamp. The Forma design collaboration demonstrates Cerno's approach to working with recognized designers.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Restoration Hardware (RH): Luxury home furnishings brand with a substantial lighting assortment sold through galleries and online, targeting the same affluent homeowner demographic that buys Cerno fixtures. While much larger and broader in assortment, RH competes at the top end of the decorative lighting category.
• WAC Lighting: Broad-line architectural and decorative lighting manufacturer with deep rep/specification coverage across residential and commercial channels. A larger incumbent that overlaps with Cerno's architectural and Lutron-integrated offerings, though it covers a much wider product portfolio.

Direct peers

• Lucifer Lighting: Specification-grade architectural LED downlight and linear fixture maker focused on plenum-rated, high-performance products for hospitality, commercial, and luxury residential projects. Competes with Cerno Architectural for the same A&D specification opportunities.
• Rejuvenation: Williams-Sonoma-owned maker of in-house designed lighting and house parts, including made-to-order fixtures sold through its own retail and trade program. Competes for the same design-conscious residential customer and is expanding into commercial specification.
• Hudson Valley Lighting: Decorative lighting manufacturer with deep designer relationships, distributed via showrooms and rep networks across North America. Now part of the Visual Comfort family, with overlapping chandelier, sconce, and pendant categories.
• Flos: Italian high-end design lighting brand with strong presence in architectural specification and premium residential projects worldwide. Comparable positioning at the designer/specifier intersection, particularly on integrated LED and architectural fixtures.
• Arteriors Home: Designer and wholesaler of decorative lighting, furniture, and accessories serving interior designers through showrooms in the US and abroad. Direct overlap in decorative pendants, chandeliers, and sconces targeted at the high-end residential and hospitality markets.
• Schoolhouse Electric: Portland-based designer and manufacturer of American-made lighting and home goods with a strong direct-to-consumer and trade specification motion. Comparable positioning around design-forward, US-manufactured fixtures sold to designers and homeowners.
• Visual Comfort & Co. The largest US designer-oriented decorative and architectural lighting manufacturer, distributing through a national showroom and rep network to the same architect, interior designer, and high-end residential buyer that Cerno serves. Direct overlap in pendants, chandeliers, sconces, and specification-grade fixtures.
• Tech Lighting: Premium decorative and architectural LED lighting line now part of Visual Comfort, with strong presence in modern pendants, linear fixtures, and specification projects. Competes head-to-head with Cerno's architectural line for A&D specifications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CernoMedia/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/CernoLLC
• Instagraminstagram.com/cerno_group
• Pinterestpinterest.com/cerno

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cerno