Where Light Leads: Kuchar Transforms a Lighting Showroom into a Design Destination

Through thoughtful editing and luminous detail, Kuchar turns the EL Design showroom in Elk Grove Village into a destination of light and inspiration.

The EL Design space blends design-forward vignettes with the traditional offerings of a product showroom, ultimately resulting in a completely unique shopping and sourcing experience.

When EL Design set out to reimagine its suburban Chicago showroom, the goal was clear: to transform the original two-story industrial space into a destination for cutting-edge design. Known for its curated collection of modern lighting (plus some furniture and home décor), the brand wanted more than a refreshed look — they wanted a space that embodied its evolving identity and drew design professionals and clients from across the city. To achieve that, EL Design turned to Kuchar.

“They came to us during a pivotal moment,” recalls Rachel Benitez, Senior Project Designer at Kuchar and creative lead on the project. “EL Design was in the middle of a rebrand and wanted a space that reflected their new identity — something sophisticated enough to attract designers and developers from downtown Chicago, but still warm and inviting for local clientele.”

One of the best parts of our job is when we get to visit empty spaces and envision the magic to come.

The resulting showroom in Elk Grove Village is luminous, sculptural, and immersive — a space that doesn’t simply display lighting, but tells stories through it. Every angle reveals a composition of glow and texture, each moment carefully orchestrated to evoke curiosity and emotion. The intent, says Benitez, was to design an experience as much about inspiration as illumination. And because EL Design represents a roster of powerhouse lighting brands (including Buster + Punch, Bomma, Darmes, Artemide, and Flos) alongside emerging names (such as Audo Copenhagen and Marset), the showroom would serve as both a showcase and a stage for the lesser-known brands’ introduction to a new audience.

“This project was a wonderful collaboration,” says Benitez. “EL Design would introduce us to a new brand or collection they were excited about, and we’d respond with ideas from our wealth of showroom experience to create a cohesive design language that celebrated them all. We wanted to build an engaging platform for these brands to shine, literally and figuratively.”

From a white, empty space to a design enthusiast’s haven.

Drawing inspiration from the artful restraint of some of New York’s most thoughtfully composed interior design showrooms, Kuchar envisioned what Benitez calls an “elevated, edited” environment. The endgame was to curate rather than crowd — to give each fixture room to breathe while inviting exploration. The result feels more like a design gallery than a retail floor, layered with subtle transitions and vignettes that demonstrate how lighting lives in context.

Designing a showroom devoted entirely to lighting can present unique creative challenges, even for a studio as seasoned as Kuchar. “Lighting showrooms are distinct because the product itself is the experience,” Benitez explains. “You’re constantly considering glow, color temperature, and how the space evolves as natural light shifts throughout the day.”

The before and after of the EL Design entryway.

Kuchar approached the project as a study in reflection and shadow. On the lower level, home to EL Design’s commercial and contract lines, rich, saturated hues and reflective tile surfaces amplify radiance. Upstairs, where residential offerings take center stage, a softer palette of matte finishes and warm textures creates a diffused, intimate glow. “Finding the right balance between reflectivity and matte finishes was key,” says Benitez. “Too much shine and it feels sterile; too little and the lighting gets lost. We wanted each vignette to glow in its own way.”

Flow was equally critical. With more than a dozen brands sharing one space, Kuchar approached the layout like choreography, guiding visitors through a rhythm of open and enclosed moments. Alcoves and niches establish zones for pendants, sconces, and portable lamps while maintaining clear sightlines across the floor. “The biggest challenge with any multi-brand showroom is showing a wide range of products without feeling cluttered,” Benitez says. “With lighting, that risk multiplies. Our approach was to edit ruthlessly and design small, story-driven zones that feel distinct yet connected.”

This in-showroom bar not only showcases the power of lighting in residential and hospitality spaces, but it also encourages shoppers and designers to get comfortable and stay awhile (a key tenet of many of our showroom projects!).

Adjacent to the entry, a hospitality bar/lounge welcomes guests with warmth and texture, setting the tone for the experience ahead. A carved portal behind the bar offers a glimpse deeper into the showroom — an architectural gesture that subtly invites movement. “We wanted people to walk in and immediately feel like they could linger,” Benitez notes. “The idea was to make discovery feel fluid.”

Anchoring this spatial choreography is a breathtaking 20-foot multi-pendant fixture by Bomma that cascades through the stairwell in a sculptural drop of glass and light. “We wanted a moment that literally pulls you upward,” Benitez says. “It’s an invitation to explore.”

This custom kitchen showcases EL’s lighting offerings, AND it exemplifies the luxury and attention to detail the brand prides itself on.

The upstairs unfolds through a sequence of residential-style vignettes, including a custom-designed kitchen created with Amberleaf, complete with a window overlooking the outdoor lighting display. The view connects interior and exterior in a single elegant frame, transforming the showroom into an aspirational home environment. “You can stand at the kitchen counter, look out the window, and imagine how these fixtures could feel in your own space,” Benitez says.

Flexibility was also key. With brands like Moooi expanding from lighting into lifestyle collections, Kuchar designed adaptable zones that can evolve over time. “A space that showcases lighting today could easily host furniture or accessories down the road,” Benitez explains. “The design anticipates that growth.”

Showrooms are so much more than a store — they’re an experience.

Since opening, the showroom has become a cornerstone of EL Design’s refreshed identity — serving as both a functional sales environment and a visual foundation for the brand’s digital presence. The project has already earned industry recognition, including Lightovation’s 2025 Showroom of the Year Award, and has been warmly embraced by EL Design’s growing clientele. “It’s amazing to see how proud they are of their space,” Benitez says. “That’s always the best outcome — when a client feels their environment truly expresses who they are and where they’re going.”

For Kuchar, the project offered its own design education. “Every showroom teaches us something,” Benitez reflects. “This one reminded us how essential editing is, especially in lighting. With so many products, lengths, and finishes, it’s easy for things to become overwhelming. But when you refine every detail, the result feels effortless.”

See more photos of the EL Design showroom here.