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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF JOHN CULLEN LIGHTING

40 years of John Cullen Lighting logo

From 1981 – 2021, we’re delighted to be celebrating 40 years of lighting.

To mark this incredible milestone, as a team we are committing to each contribute and take part in 40 challenges throughout the year. Each will give back in a multitude of different ways, whether fundraising, a focus on wellbeing or planting trees.

We’ll be tracking our progress during 2021 as well as sharing our experiences and stories on Instagram. Look back here to see how this story develops throughout the year.

 

Celebrating 40 years of lighting, team challlenges

Our challenges to date

John Cullen celebrates 40 years John Cullen take part in Earth Hour

To kickstart our challenges, the team took part in Earth Hour. From London to Dubai, we switched off our lights from for an hour, in support of nature and our planet.

National Walking month

May is National Walking Month, so our team are pledged to walk as much as possible throughout the month by setting themselves individual targets.

Mental health awareness week

For Mental Health Awareness Week, 10-16th May, the focus was on nature. Our team took time out to connect with nature, unwind and raise awareness.

Alex cycles Northcoast 500 for our 40th anniversary challenges

Our Senior Product Designer, Alex, took part in the Northcoast 500 cycle, consisting of 120km around Loch Ness with over 1.3km elevation.

Tree planting at John CUllen Lighting's summer party

At our summer party our team cam together to plant a tree to commemorate our 40th anniversary, as a step towards our 40 challenges and goals for the year. ⁠

Elle walks 40km for John Cullen's 40 challenges

In August our Lighting Designer Elle took on the challenge of a 40Km walk between Newgale and St David’s along the Pembrokeshire coast, raising £340 for Mind, the Mental Health Charity.

Fundraising for Mind as part of John Cullen's 40 challenges

The team will be taking on two challenges during September to raise money for Mind, the Mental Health Charity. On Saturday 11th September, 15 of the team will be taking on the Ultra Challenge, 28Km Thames Path Challenge, starting in Fulham and ending in Hurst Park, Hampton. Plus, for the duration of September a team will also be taking on our inaugural ‘Perspire With Might’ John Cullen challenge, covering the distance of at least one Iron Man (running, swimming and cycling) as a joint effort over the course of the month. Follow our fundraising here.

  • first John Cullen lighting logo

    1981

    Founded by John Cullen, a pioneer of lighting design at the height of the tungsten revolution. The first showroom was opened in Smith Street, London demonstrating lighting designed by Sally Storey.

  • 1983

    John Cullen sadly passed away and Sally Storey took over as Design Director.

  • Fulham Palace road sign

    1986

    The showroom was moved from Smith Street to Fulham Palace Road.

  • 1990

    The introduction of the first John Cullen halogen products that were designed in house and manufactured in the UK.

    The 50W Polestar was the smallest downlight on the market, a third of the size of downlights before which used the 80 watt Par 38 lamp. The introduction by John Cullen of the double black baffle – black inner to reduce glare and lamp recessed into the ceiling to prevent even more glare – revolutionised the downlight ensuring a much more discreet unobtrusive way of lighting the home.

  • 1992

    The showroom was moved to a single unit on the famous Kings Road, London.

  • john cullen lighting warehouse

    1994

    Our warehouse was opened for the storage and dispatch of products. The first of the installation of our lighting products were installed on a Superyacht.

  • Lighting Recipes and Ideas by Sally Storey

    2000

    Sally Storey released her first book titled “Lighting: Recipes and Ideas”.

  • 2006

    Sally Storey released her inspirational second book titled “Lighting by Design” at the start of the LED revolution. Our first LED was launched as the “LED Polestar”.

  • perfect lighting book by Sally Storey

    2008

    Sally Storey released her aspirational third book titled “Perfect Lighting” whilst the warehouse space was doubled to accommodate the growth of the company.

  • garden products in situ and actual products

    First LED garden light fittings, the Kew spotlight and Hampton Flood light were introduced into the range. Being just 1W each, this heralded being able to light a small garden for 60 watts, less than a conventional light bulb!

  • 2012

    The showroom was moved to a double fronted showroom with a basement design studio along the King’s Road in London. This is where our “John Cullen House” took shape and became an Inspiration Centre for lighting ideas.

  • 2014

    A new John Cullen logo was unveiled.

  • Lighting of Marcus Barnett’s award winning show garden at Chelsea flower show,

    Lighting of Marcus Barnett’s award winning show garden at Chelsea flower show, followed by two award winning gardens for Hay Joung Hwang in 2016 and 2018.

  • 2016

    John Cullen Lighting celebrated 35 years and opened the new Middle East office in Dubai with a small team.

  • 2018

    The quest to miniaturize our products started when the 50 Polespring downlight range was made smaller and the 40 range was born. This was coupled with the new versatile Vorsa spotlight range with over 200 variations to choose from.

  • 2018

    Our India division was opened working closely with local architects and interior designers. The business was also ISO 9001 accredited.

  • map of john cullen lighting offices

    2018

    Growing our international reach with a European team, doubling our team in Dubai, new worldwide distributors and a new Studio in Paris

  • miniature downlight comparison size

    We once again reinvented the downlight genre with the even smaller 30 range. The new design has all the functionality and adaptability you have come to expect from the 50 and 40 range but in a new miniature downlight.

  • John Cullen Logo

    2020

    With the launch of the British Design House in Dubai with select UK partners and distributors, a new website and new branding was unveiled.

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