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Boyd Lighting

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Boyd Lighting is an American company established by William Boyd in San Francisco, CA in 1921. It originally catered to the custom lighting needs of San Francisco’s finest architects and interior designers. Considered a pioneer in the lighting industry by the Illuminating Engineering Society, Boyd's goal as a company is to stay at the forefront of emerging technology and design; create lighting that is energy-efficient, and use environmentally-friendly materials and innovative processes. Today, Boyd has an extensive line of over 100 wall sconces, ceiling pendants and flush mounts, portable table and floor lamps, and exterior fixtures.

Boyd's Design and Manufacturing Process[edit]

Meticulous care is taken to create glare-free fixtures that evenly diffuse the light. Boyd fixtures are inspected and evaluated by outside consumer groups such as UL to ensure reliability. In response to changing energy-efficiency opinions, Boyd was one of the first to adopt fluorescent options for decorative and architectural lighting products a decade before legislation was introduced to phase-out incandescent light bulbs. And when the United States Government legislated the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which created inclusive laws requiring the building industry to accommodate the handicapped, Boyd quickly introduced ADA-appropriate fixtures. Made with the craftsmanship and fine detailing of jewelry, Boyd's fixtures are polished to a rich luster with jewelers’ rouge, or meticulously covered in gold leaf, or vigorously burnished with finishing wax. Up to 20 different craftspeople people work their magic on each fixture before it is shipped to the customer.

History[edit]

While a student at Stanford, founder William Boyd's daughter, Dorothy, was convinced to join the family business and became the first female employee. Months after Dorothy began working at Boyd Lighting at age 20, William passed away. Though the rest of the family wanted to close the business, Dorothy refused, and with the help of the other employees, she transitioned from answering phones to manufacturing. In the 1930's, movie theaters and other cultural venues throughout California called upon Boyd to create spectacular, custom lighting fixtures. Notable projects include San Francisco's Castro Theater, Olympic Club, Mark Hopkins Hotel, and the War Memorial Opera House, where Boyd's fixtures still hang.

During World War II, when the use of metal was limited to aiding in the war effort, Boyd Lighting began making hospital trays, deck lights for naval ships and stretchers. It was during this time that Dorothy met her future husband, Jack Sweet, who was a lieutenant in the Army. Despite Jack's three-year deployment to China, their relationship blossomed, and they were married in 1946 upon his return. As the suburban population grew in the post-war baby boom, Boyd's business in the 1950's expanded to include making fixtures for churches and temples. In the 1960's, when America’s interest in travel and leisure flourished, new opportunities were created for Boyd in the retail and hospitality sectors. Notable projects include the Southland Mall, The Roosevelt New Orleans, Fairmont San Francisco and the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, where Boyd's fixtures still hang.

In 1970, after working in advertising and the wine industry for a few years, Dorothy and Jack's only son, John "Jay" Sweet, joined the company. When a recession and change in buying habits threatened the growth and financial health of company, Jay made important changes which kept the company afloat. He simplified and cataloged Boyd’s product line and broadened distribution by establishing a rep system with new sales regions selling directly to architecture and interior design trade professionals. Meanwhile, custom lighting designs continued, and a notable project of this time was the grand restoration of the Iolani Palace in Hawaii. In the same decade, a changing work force, increased labor costs and an outdated location caused Boyd to decentralize. The manufacturing operation was relocated to a modern, 30,000-square-foot, zero-discharge facility in Colorado Springs, CO, where manufacturing is still done today. The company also changed from a Union House to an “at will” employer.

Embracing the “Go-Go Eighties,” Boyd further expanded its product catalog and manufacturing capabilities. A fresh design perspective emerged with the addition of in-house designers such as the current Director of Design, Doyle Crosby, and the first of many product collaborations with interior designers like Barbara Barry, Jamie Drake and Fisher Weisman. Entering the 1990's, Boyd had established itself as an award-winning, luxury lighting design and manufacturer whose fixtures use exceptional materials including lustrous silks and linens, subtle hand-dyed hides, vibrant walnut, oak and mahogany, everlasting fine metals, sparkling crystals and hand-blown artisan glass. In 1992, Jay Sweet took over as CEO. In 1996, Jay Sweet purchased a building for the company headquarters located at 944 Folsom Street in San Francisco and led a redesign project which was featured in Interior Design magazine, on SFGate.com, and in the book "Corporate Interiors."[1][2]

Entering the new millennium, Boyd fixtures became standard across the national locations of prominent companies, such as: Victoria's Secret, Bank of America, Wynn Resorts, Fidelity, Wells Fargo, Baxter, Viking Yachts, Beal Bank, Nordstrom, St John's, JP Morgan Chase, DePaul University, Bidney Banks Biddle, JC Penney, Zale's, Tiffany, CVS, Regus, Nieman Marcus, Citi Group/Citi Bank, and Purepoint Financial. Notable projects of this time are listed below. In 2012, Jay Sweet decided to rent out the company's San Francisco building at 944 Folsom and relocate to 30 Liberty Ship Way in Sausalito, CA.[3]

Notable Projects: 1920-1949[edit]

  • Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA
  • War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA
  • Fairmont San Francisco's Grand Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
  • Fairmont San Francisco's Pavilion Room, San Francisco, CA
  • Olympic Club Lake Course Clubhouse, San Francisco, CA
  • Saint Francis Hotel (current name is Westin St. Francis), San Francisco, CA
  • Carlyle Hotel, New York, NY
  • The Dorchester Spa, London, UK
  • Roos Brothers clothing store, San Francisco, CA
  • Sacramento Elks Lodge, Sacramento, CA
  • InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco, CA

Notable Projects: 1950-1979[edit]

  • Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, LA
  • Iolani Palace, Honolulu, HI
  • Fairmont San Francisco's Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, San Francisco, CA
  • Fairmont San Francisco's Venetian Room, San Francisco, CA
  • "Black Widow" movie
  • Southland Center Mall, Hayward, CA

Notable Projects: 1980-2000[edit]

  • Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel, Hong Kong
  • Boyd Corporate Offices at 944 Folson Street, San Francisco, CA
  • Nugget Casino Resort, Reno, NV
  • Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios, Chicago, IL
  • "Scrooged" movie
  • "Indecent Proposal" movie
  • "Necessary Roughness" movie

Notable Projects: 2000-present[edit]

  • In Situ restaurant, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
  • Mr. and Mrs. Smith film
  • Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, NY
  • Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Nightclub, Las Vegas, NV
  • Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace, Macau, People's Republic of China
  • Alinea restaurant, Chicago, IL
  • Hamad Medical Corporation's Rumailah Hospital and Mosque, Doha, Qatar
  • Anixter Center, Chicago, IL
  • Millennium Tower Boston, Boston, MA
  • The Plaza hotel's Guerlain Spa, New York, NY
  • Washington Athletic Club, Seattle, WA
  • Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, PA
  • Langham Chicago Hotel, Chicago, IL
  • The Charmant Hotel, La Crosse, WI
  • Campbell Soup Company headquarters, Camden, NJ
  • Stephi's on Tremont restaurant, Boston, MA
  • Brindille restaurant, Chicago, IL
  • Hotel Sorella, Houston, TX
  • Westhouse Hotel, New York, NY
  • Duke University Rubenstein Library, Durham, NC
  • DePaul University, Chicago, IL
  • St. Timothy's School, San Mateo, CA
  • Millennium Tower Boston, Boston, MA

Awards[edit]

  • 1980-something: SF MOMA Permanent Collection: Brayton Wall Bracket
  • 1994: Pioneer Award, Illuminating Engineering Society Golden Gate Chapter
  • 1996: Award of Honor, American Institute of Architects
  • 2000: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Archetype Wall Sconce
  • 2000: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Manon II Pendant
  • 2001: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Finestra - Trapezio Sconce
  • 2001: Best of NeoCon Gold: Whisper Uplight
  • 2001: Best of NeoCon Gold: Cartesian Pendant
  • 2002: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence: Cascade Grand
  • 2002: Architectural Lighting ACE.al Award
  • 2003: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Cartesian Pendant
  • 2004: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence: Contours Pendant
  • 2004: SF MOMA Permanent Collection: St. Helena Floor Lamp
  • 2004: Best of NeoCon - Silver: Cascade Divide
  • 2004: Architectural Lighting ACE.al Award
  • 2004: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Rail Wall Bracket
  • 2005: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence: Parasol Pendant
  • 2005: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence: Rail Wall Bracket
  • 2006: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence, Platinum: London Double Sconce
  • 2006: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence, Gold: Trio Pendant
  • 2006: Merritt Award (Roscoe - Best of Year Award) Interior Design Mag: Farinelli Chandelier
  • 2006: Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards, Decorative Lighting: Farinelli Chandelier
  • 2006: Architectural Lighting ACE.al Award
  • 2006: Best of NeoCon Silver Award: Farinelli Chandelier
  • 2007: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence, Silver: Kyoto Table Lamp
  • 2007: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence, Silver: Parisian Pendant
  • 2007: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence: Farinelli Chandelier
  • 2007: Design Journal Magazine's ADEX Award for Design Excellence: Globe Pendant
  • 2007: House & Garden Designers' Best Award (Lighting): Boyd-Company
  • 2007: Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards: Catacaos Ceiling
  • 2007: Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards, Outdoor: Circolo Sconce
  • 2008: Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards, Outdoor: Circolo Bollard
  • 2008: Contract Magazine Brand Report Ranking
  • 2009: HD (Hospitality Design) Award: La Reina Pendant
  • 2009: Best of NeoCon - Silver: La Reina Pendant
  • 2009: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: La Reina Pendant
  • 2010: Best of NeoCon - Silver: Halfpipe Sconce
  • 2010: California Home & Design Product Award: On the Rocks Sconce
  • 2010: Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards: On the Rocks Sconce
  • 2011: Contract Magazine Brand Report Ranking
  • 2011: Best of NeoCon - Silver: Chateau Sconce
  • 2011: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Halfpipe Sconce
  • 2012: Good Design Award - Chicago Athenaeum: Ice Block and Ice Oval Sconces
  • 2012: Made in the USA Foundation Hall of Fame
  • 2017: Architectural Record Magazine Best Architectural Lighting Product: Hoopla Pendant

Boyd's Lighting's Design Partners[edit]

  • Aesthetics
  • Joshua Aidlin
  • Aidlin Darling Design
  • BAMO
  • Barbara Barry
  • J. Robert Bazemore
  • Andrew Belschner
  • Agnes Bourne
  • Eric Brand
  • Richard Brayton
  • Brayton Hughes Design Studios
  • Erik S. Chan
  • Eric Chiarelli
  • Clodagh
  • Orlando Diaz-Azcuy
  • Jamie Drake
  • Moises Esquenazi
  • Thomas Fuchs
  • Alicia Garcia-Romero
  • Anthony Garrett
  • Peter Gutkin
  • Thad Hayes
  • Carl Heefner
  • Jiun Ho
  • HTK Design
  • Innerspace Inc.
  • Deirdre Jordan
  • Gerry Jue
  • Laura Kirar
  • Fiyel Levent
  • Tom Nahabedian
  • Nakaoka-Roberts LLC
  • Peclar Nalbandian
  • David Nosanchuk
  • Jean Clyde Mason
  • Jack G. Mitchell
  • Federico Otero
  • Lawrence C. Peabody
  • Jacques Rouviere
  • Windsor Smith
  • Roger Thomas
  • Michael Vanderbyl
  • Alejandro Vargas
  • Joseph Vincent
  • Kevin Von Kluck
  • Fisher Weisman
  • Sherry Williamson
  • Michael Wolk

Further Reading[edit]

External Links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Lee, Roger (2003). Corporate Interiors. New York: Visual Reference Publications Inc. pp. 38–39. ISBN 9781584710318. Search this book on
  2. King, John (2011-01-30). "Boyd Building: perforated chic, blue-collar style". SF Gate. Retrieved 2018-04-03.
  3. "Boyd Lighting relocates to Sausalito". The North Bay Business Journal. 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2018-03-30.


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