Luxury lighting is redefining architectural and interior design, blending cutting-edge technology with opulent aesthetics to create immersive and dynamic environments. Australian Design Review spoke to Bloomingdales’ co-owners Robyn and Joel Kaufman about their decade-long journey of combining sophistication and functionality in lighting.

To describe Bloomingdale’s as a juggernaut in the luxury lighting industry is classic meiosis. Founded in New South Wales more than two decades ago and acquired by Robyn and Joel in 2013, the company crafts bespoke lighting for high-level residential and commercial hospitality projects and continues to adapt and refine its business offering. 

Robyn says Bloomingdales today is an entirely different company from the business she and husband Joel acquired more than ten years ago. “Today we have a multi-pronged business, product footprint and brand strategy,” she explains. “We import recognised international luxury brands from designers and leading manufacturers while also cultivating a local, home-grown design focus.” 

Unlike more rigid companies that adhere to trends or highly commercial products, Bloomingdales gives free rein to designers to create products they believe have a chance of working commercially. It is a philosophy they have been promoting for two and a half years.

“We have launched a product range designed by local Australian designers under the banner of ‘current’, and we’re presently collaborating with one of our favourite leading Melbourne designers who has designed a range of chandeliers, sconces and floor lights that alludes to the mixed materiality trend,” Robyn says. “This is complemented by magnificent ceramics with a strong Indo-French influence.”

Since its inception, Bloomingdales has created closely-knit, collaborative relationships with its lighting designers and manufacturers, and occasionally with those in the furniture space. The business prides itself on its ability to recognise and relate to talented designers with the intention of manufacturing their artisanal concepts. These relationships include globally recognised manufacturers Visual Comfort & Co. and Theodore Alexander, which are now close supply partners of the brand.

Joel acknowledges the importance of talking to his clients and listening to their needs and requirements, though he says it is very nuanced, as it is equally important to balance client perspective with his talented team’s intuitive sense to ensure the products they choose are consistent with the Bloomingdales ethos.

Texture and finish

Blending sculptural styles with innovative designs from renowned international lighting designers, Bloomingdale’s has built a reputation with its lighting collection by not only exploiting texture and finish on its lighting fixtures, but also elevating living space through the use of their products.

“Our team curates a range that is timeless,” Robyn says. “The pieces are clean, architectural and quite minimal. Their exterior housing perfectly encapsulates the technology that they embrace. Our finger is very much on the pulse of the modern movement.”

From the interplay of wall lights casting delicate patterns on a stone fireplace to the shifting shadows playing on textured curtain fabric, thoughtful use and placement of lighting enriches the materials it highlights to disclose the subtleties of interior design elements.

Traditional through contemporary

With a transformative shift towards greater versatility and sustainability, an emphasis on rechargeable and cordless lighting designs is clearing the path to more streamlined, clutter-free living and working spaces. These innovations are not only convenient, but they also align with a broader push for eco-friendly solutions in a conscious world. Shedding the ‘shackles’ of lighting cords that limit creative placement reflects a growing preference for functional yet stylish solutions for both residential and commercial spaces. 

Robyn is also seeing bold new contrasts in heavy metal and textural extrapolations. She says designers like Kelly Wearstler are drawing inspiration from museum-quality metals, exploring elemental dichotomies with a sense of opulence and timelessness. Paired with a fascination for scales ranging from miniature to magnificent, this trend reflects a desire to create striking visual statements, whether in expansive commercial settings or intimate home environments. 

“Museum metal sounds exactly like what it looks like. It’s really beautiful and extends from bronze to brass and even a silver leaf finish,” Robyn says. “We are very excited about these new designs. They’re going to start coming into our range soon.”

Joel adds: “We’re bringing in the very contemporary and very architectural, almost simple in and their design, but the technology inside of these fittings is fantastic. It’s interesting for us to be able to offer that to the market.”

Simplicity and a return to natural elements underpin another lighting swing in the pursuit of sustainability. Earthy, moody hues have gained traction in 2024, complementing the perceptible richness of metal fixtures while grounding interiors to nature in a gentle and calming fashion.

“The heartbeat of our eco-consciousness is our director of design and operations, Leah Martin,” Robyn says. “She has a strong environmental focus and ensures that we always adopt the most sustainable options. Our packaging pellets are recyclable, made from corn starch—so much so, that you can water them down until they actually disappear.”

Robyn and Joel have further invested in a business that purveys environmentally-friendly packaging solutions. This comes at a time when the government is imposing mandatory compliance solutions supporting sustainability.

The team

Having run the business for over a decade, the Kaufmans have worked hard to build a team for which they hold immense pride. Interestingly, while the evolution of the business has seen it grow exponentially, the team has remained small, which is a testament to the owners’ appreciation for talent. In Joel’s words, his team is a critical component of the business. “I don’t believe we could operate to the extent that we are without them,” he says.

Of the current team, two people have been part and parcel of the business since the couple acquired it in 2013 and play central roles as senior contributors to the business. 

“Leah Martin, director of design and operations is included in everything we do,” Joel says. “She’s an interior architect and specialist lighting designer, and her skills are central to the business operation.”

Chief of finance Fiona Tjahjono has worked for Bloomingdales for more than 20 years, and although she focuses on accounts and logistics, she thoroughly understands the company’s lighting range and often initiates new product inclusions.

With a passionate team, invested owners and an appreciation for timeless and artisanal luxury lighting, Bloomingdales has grown to become a leading Australian supplier for high-end residential homes through to large-scale commercial projects and is only getting better with time. 

Images supplied.

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