Friday, September 9, 2011

Electric Feel

I had the recent pleasure and opportunity to tour The Urban Electric Company in North Charleston.  Located in an old industrial building, you walk up to the second floor to find an amazingly sleek space complete with showroom, offices, meeting spaces and full manufacturing facility.  Walking up the steps that seem to be unaltered from their first days, you are greeted by a beautifully urban showroom. The production area, where craftsmen are hard at work making one-of-a-kind fixtures, is a unique process to watch, and truly makes you appreciate the designs and quality of Urban Electric Co's lighting. 


The Showroom


Production

Sheets of brass used for the fixtures that are formed and laser-cut

This is the finishing process where their numerous finishes, such as nickel, brushed brass, and oil rubbed bronze are applied and polished by hand

The pieces above have just been hand polished to perfection for the assembly process.

Finished pieces go in the "cubbies", above, for the craftsman's next piece that will be created.

Example of a fixture being completed. 

An order of polished brass shades receiving the finishing touches, almost ready for the final polish, then sent out to the client.


How amazingly beautiful are these fixtures?  Especially after knowing the hand craftmanship put into each individual piece, it gave me a new appreciation for their beautiful light fixtures. 



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