The third floor of Hippo Hardware, Portland, OR, is devoted to the display, storage, and repair of all types of lighting fixtures. Both new and used fixtures, parts, and service are available in over 10,000 sq ft of display space. Hanging from the rafters is original vintage to quirky ‘50s space age plus shelves of shades and display cases filled with lamps and sconces. One can shop from the numerous catalogs available... more

Fresh paint and well-chosen light fixtures are two of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to transform interior spaces. If you find yourself on a budget, it pays to consider the long-term value lighting can add to your home. Replacing a light fixture is a perfect opportunity to add or bring back some of your home’s original charm, quality, and character. Here in Portland we have a wealth of local resources that provide... more

You’ve spent months on your kitchen design, agonized over cabinet placement, wood species and finishes, practically became an expert with what you know about stone, but how much time was spent on the lighting? For most kitchens, the electricians made the major decisions for the actual lighting. I have seen many beautiful kitchens fall flat due to poor design or inadequate lighting. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

If you appreciate the look and character of older houses or vintage furnishings, one effective way to enhance the charm and integrity of your home — whether building new, remodeling, or just “freshening” it up — is with period lighting. Yet with over 100 years of lighting styles to choose from, how to find the right fixture? What does period lighting offer that new lighting doesn’t? Should lighting match ... more

Atomic Age Lighting from Rejuvenation For the first time Rejuvenation is offering fixtures that are right at home in a mid-century ranch house, rambler, or split-level, and all home styles that have recently seen their 50th birthday. These are circa 1957 reproductions in every detail except the inexpensive steel or aluminum they were originally constructioned from. Their versions are solid brass. They are available in a more broad and beautiful range of finishes than when first introduced. All Atomic... more

Northwest Renovation recently caught up with Schoolhouse Electric’s owner and president, Brian Faherty and general manager, Michelle Steinback. Northwest Renovation’s purpose was to find out how this new period lighting store located on SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Oak Street in , Portland, OR was doing and to learn more about its unique stock. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Schoolhouse Electric Co. Breathes Retail Life back into “Lost” American Lighting Classics For 50 years a non-descript concrete wall shrouded the original beauty of the circa 1884 Cully Building on Southeast Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and Oak Street. In the spring of 2002, long time eastside resident, Brian Faherty, purchased the building from Portland... more

If lighting is music to the eyes, then lighting fixtures are the instruments playing the tune. Choosing the right ones can go a long way toward creating harmony — and avoiding “off” notes. Just like rock-n-roll calls for drums and guitars while a sonata may be played on a single violin, interiors require fixtures that accurately reflect the composer’s intentions. And you are the composer. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →