For every room, style and budget, Lumen Nation has the perfect lighting solution

By Patricia Nugent

A delightful play on words, Lumen Nation illuminates a world of lighting for every room and every style, indoors and out.

Owner Tom Rafferty has spent his career in lighting and shares his passion daily with customers. He opened the flagship store in North Canton six years ago, and a second one in Akron last year.

“With more than 150 manufacturers represented, my goal is to bring to the area lights you wouldn’t find anywhere else,” says Tom. “The selection suits any taste and any budget. What we offer is more than lighting. These pieces are like works of art.”

The expansive showrooms are broken up into smaller, gallery-like departments to encourage a relaxed shopping experience. You’ll find soaring foyer chandeliers, dramatic pendant lights, sleek wall sconces, ceiling fans, floor and table lamps, and complementary lighting families for bathrooms.

Tom designed life-sized room vignettes featuring lighting, furniture, wall art, area rugs and designer décor decked out in all the latest styles.

And for people who are looking to transform their existing lighting, the showroom also includes a lampshade department where you can custom order the shape, fabric and style of the just-right topper.

Better Products, Exceptional Service
Tom does not shy away from pointing out the gaping differences between his store and a big box store.

“Big box stores certainly have their place in the market. But there’s a big difference between the customer that is swapping out a 3 bulb bathroom light to stage their home for sale and one who is investing in a home renovation and has the opportunity to redesign the function and style of the lighting in that room”, he says. “Those stores tend to offer a narrower selection of lesser quality options but don’t offer a roadmap or tools on how to finish off your space beautifully and with quality products that will last. With the selection I’ve put together, you don’t have to pay more to get top quality and exceptional service.” And maybe the best news for people who are tired of waiting for practically everything due to shipping delays, Tom reports he can get in almost anything on his showroom floor within a week or two.

Decades of Experience
Tom and his well-trained staff—who have design backgrounds—are experts at offering a concierge shopping experience. For people who like to make initial selections online, he suggests they put together a wish list from his site, Lumen-Nation.com.

“Oftentimes a customer will need help with the imagination it takes to bring a room to life,” he says. “We’ve worked on countless homes over the decades and know what will work well together and fit a person’s unique style. There is a lot to consider when choosing lighting for a room and we are here to help. Everything from ceiling height, wall colors and how the room will be used, all come into play when creating the perfect lighting solution. We can then view their selections within the shop or on a large video screen to see what combination looks the best.”

Focus on the Great Outdoors
Exterior lighting has come a long way, and Tom has been there for every step of its evolution.

“Nowadays people are treating their outdoor areas like living rooms, and the lighting is what really makes the difference,” he says. “Thanks to LED technology, we’re seeing modern effects such as strips of light on steps, recessed lighting to illuminate a main area, up-lighting to showcase a structure or landscaping element, ceiling fans to cool things down and gas flame fixtures to add ambiance. Color-changing lighting can also set the mood. The options are virtually endless. Even landscape lighting has evolved and become more diverse.”

Lumen Nation Montrose is located at 3900 Medina Road, in Akron, just off I-77. Call them at 234-466-0776. North Canton location is located at 4242 Portage Street NW. Call them at 234-347-0109. Visit Lumen-Nation.com for more details on available products and installation.