DALLAS – July 9, 2025 – The summer edition of Lightovation, the largest residential lighting trade event in North America, took place June 18–21, welcomed more new buyers including retailers, interior designers, and industry professionals. Lightovation also included Design + Build Day, which took place on June 17 and offered a first look at new lighting trends for architects, builders, and designers.
This June edition of Lightovation welcomed an increase in new buyers the Central U.S. and the Northeast, highlighting Lightovation’s expanding reach and relevance.
“We were thrilled to see so many new faces and growing participation from key regions in the U.S.,” said Cindy Morris, President and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “June’s show built on the momentum from January and reaffirmed that Lightovation is the place where the lighting industry gathers for community, innovation, and business growth.”
New brands to Dallas Market Center that debuted at Lightovation include Eichholtz USA (TM 3321), NORSKA USA (TM 4432-7), and Arabela Lighting (TM 4311).Tala, a new edition to the popular International Pavilion (TM 4926), also brought its sustainably crafted lighting from the United Kingdom.
Exhibitors gave positive feedback, noting the value of engaging with both loyal customers and first-time visitors. The show also continued to foster connection and community through showroom design-driven programming, events, and networking opportunities.
Tim Stumm, Creative Director of Z-Lite, said, “We were pleased by the reaction we received from interior designers and lighting stores alike. Existing customers told us that the renovation [we] debuted for June not only made for a beautiful experience to shop, but our decision to highlight the best-sellers and new products made their buying experience more efficient and enjoyable.”
Quality connections with attendees of Lightovation was a focal point for Shawn Hulshof, Vice President, Marketing & Ecommerce of Eurofase Inc., “Despite broader market uncertainty and adjustments to global trade policies, we saw an encouraging increase in year-over-year showroom visits during June Lightovation. More importantly, the quality of those interactions stood out and we spent time with customers exploring our new collections and showcasing our updated merchandising and gallery programs, leading to meaningful conversations and positive engagement as we look ahead to the second half of the year.”
Debut of Design + Build Day
Dallas Market Center debuted Design + Build Day at Lightovation on Tuesday, June 17, welcoming interior designers, architects, and builders for a full day of programming dedicated to innovation, education, and connection within the lighting and design industries. Expanding upon the success of Interior Designer Preview Day, the event delivered curated experiences for a broader range of trade professionals and projects, including expert panels, showroom tours, and networking opportunities that explored the evolving role of lighting in hospitality and residential spaces.
The keynote event, Future Forward Hospitality Lighting Design, featured experts from Gensler, Commercial Lighting Industries, and Essential Light Design Studio. Panelists shared insights on how lighting is shaping the future of the built environment—from human-centric design and layered lighting strategies to digital integration and sustainability. The day also included presentations on custom lighting solutions, the importance of lighting designers in project success, and global trend forecasts from Euroluce 2025 in Milan, led by trend ambassador Patti Carpenter. The day concluded with an AfterGlow progressive happy hour, giving designers an opportunity to connect and celebrate.
Showroom of the Year Awards
The 16th Annual Showroom of the Year Award Ceremony took place on Thursday, June 19. The award presentation was produced by Lightovation host Dallas Market Center and official media sponsor Linda Longo to honor lighting retailers from throughout North America, with one Showroom of the Year winner in each of three dollar-volume categories, along with three specialty awards, including a new award for Showroom of the Future, honoring exceptional use of technology and digital marketing. The awards were presented by Lingo Longo along with special guest celebrity designer Kelsey McGregor, founder and Principal Designer of Kelsey Leigh Design. See the 2025 Showroom of the Year award winners here.
New Website Launches
Dallas Market Center launched their new and improved website, which has the most advanced search tool in the industry, mobile FastPass for easy entry, personalized planning tools, exclusive resources, and more. During both Lightovation and the concurrent Total Home & Gift Market, staff assisted retailers activating their account and showing the exciting new features on the website.
Style Eyes Trandspotting
The Style Eyes returned for summer as the program leveraging the knowledge and taste making skills of social media influencers for their insights and discoveries. They noted standout lighting trends from top brands throughout the Lightovation showrooms.
- Nancy L Mikulich @oasishomedesigns_official. Nancy has been featured in Design NJ, HGTV Portfolios, Elle Décor, Enlightenment Magazine, and several designer show houses, including Mansion in May and Stately Homes by the Sea.
- Kelsey McGregor@ kelseyleighdesignco. Kelsey has been featured in many publications, is the founder of Kelsey Leigh Design Co., visionary behind Heritage House, and featured product designer for Alora Mood
Spark Magazine: Summer Issue
More than 50,000 customers received the summer issue of Spark magazine, the stylish pre-market publication highlighting trends, what’s new inside the market center, and insights from makers and influencers. For June, the magazine focuses on top lighting trends featuring natural materials including stone, Palm Beach versus Palm Springs design style, and design trends for the home, along with features and profiles exploring gift and fashion. The magazine is available on the Dallas Market Center website.
Planning Ahead
The next edition of Lightovation will take place January 10-13, debuting the new January date pattern, which begins on Saturday and runs through Tuesday, concurrent with the end of the January 7-13 Total Home & Gift Market. Registration is already open for January at www.dallasmarketcenter.com/lightovation. January 2026 hotel blocks are now open for reservations, starting as low as $135/night.
Other upcoming lighting events at DMC include ArchLIGHT Summit, the lighting trade event and educational platform for the architectural, specification and design communities, taking place September 16-17. More information on ArchLIGHT Summit is available at www.ArchLIGHTSummit.com.
Additional information about the largest residential lighting show in North America is available on the Lightovation page of the Dallas Market Center website. Keep up with the latest developments by following the #Lightovation hashtag on social media, via the Lightovation Facebook Page and Lightovation – Lighting Industry Discussion Group.
