ABOUT
THE LIGHT YARD STORY
Founded by Jeff Fuller in 2013 with the vision of offering tailor made high end indoor and outdoor lighting that portrays unique and hand crafted lighting design, The Light Yard was launched to provide a carefully selected collection of handcrafted and bespoke lighting solutions.
Since meeting over 10 years ago, Jeff and Gwyn re-envision the brand identity in order to underscore the company’s artisanal offering and unique business model and in 2020 The Light Yard was rebranded as Gwyn Carless at The Light Yard, with all lighting produced exclusively through Gwyn’s Chesterfield studio.
The UK is arguably the world leading creative powerhouse of artisanal design and our indoor and outdoor collections have been specifically designed to push the boundaries of contemporary lighting design.
"First and foremost we want our customers to feel inspired. Here at Gwyn Carless At The Light Yard we are passionate about beautifully crafted lighting, exceptional service and building long term relationships with our customers."
HISTORY
2007 : OUR STORY BEGINS
Living in Avignon in the South of France, Jeff is inspired by dramatic night-time scenes created by exterior lighting cast onto classical French architecture. He creates specialist online shop Adorable Eclairage and begins supplying high-end exterior lighting to private residences and châteaux across France and Switzerland.
2011 : A FIRST COLLECTION FROM BRITISH ARTISAN GWYN CARLESS
Jeff seeks British handcrafted luminaires and a full collection of indoor lights to add to his offering. As he shifts focus to collaborating with British artisans, he connects with master craftsman Gwyn Carless and launches the GCD collection.
2013 : THE LIGHT YARD IS FOUNDED
Jeff and his family return to settle in the north west of England. The Light Yard is founded as an online store focused on delivering exceptional service, trust, integrity and the one-to-one customer relationship experience.
2015 : THE ALCHEMIST COLLECTION
Working with a handful of select producers, The Light Yard grows its reputation for supplying handcrafted high-quality outdoor lighting. Jeff and Gwyn experiment with traditional Edison filament light bulbs, leading to an all new collection of luminaires. The Alchemist Collection is launched in March 2015 at the Hotel Design Summit London.
2017 : OUR INTERACTIVE SHOWROOM OPENS
The Light Yard showroom officially opens in Leigh, Greater Manchester, its integrated Luxone automation system providing an immersive experience of sound and light. An interior and exterior lighting design service is also launched.
2018 : PRODUCTION MOVES TO CHESTERFIELD
Due to increased demand, production of the GCD collection relocates to a new 1400 sq-ft red-brick industrial unit in Chesterfield, as Gwyn and the team build in new efficiencies which will streamline the manufacture and shipping process for quicker delivery to clients.
2020 : A NEW IDENTITY: GWYN CARLESS AT THE LIGHT YARD
Positioning the business for ongoing growth, Jeff and Gwyn re-envision the brand identity in order to underscore the company’s artisanal offering and unique business model. Now Gwyn Carless at The Light Yard, all lighting is produced exclusively through Gwyn’s Chesterfield studio.
2020 : THE UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE
In light of the Covid 19 pandemic, the long term stability and growth of the business was assessed and the decision was made to close the Greater Manchester based showroom. This move allowed Gwyn and Jeff to retain all their staff and supplier contracts and to keep the workshop fully operational. Investment in website development was increased to create a seamless online retail experience for visitors.
2021 : BACK WITH A BANG!
Expanding our offering to comprise of handcrafted ceramic lighting, Gwyn Carless at The Light Yard partnered with incredible Staffordshire-based father and son ceramicists Tony and Jack Laverick. In autumn, we were proud contributors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s renowned botanical-themed pop-up restaurant, Jardin Blanc, helmed by celebrated chef Raymond Blanc OBE, to which we supplied 50 bespoke interior and exterior pieces; it was also our second experience as show exhibitors.
2021 : THE NEW GARDEN ROOM OFFICE
Jeff rounded out the year by cutting the ribbon on a grand garden office, with a stunning exterior lighting scheme to complete the productivity-boosting setting.
TEAM
JEFF
Director - Sales & Marketing
Originally from Kent and now an honorary Northerner, Jeff is the founder of The Light Yard. His unique experience of over 10 years in high end hospitality in London and France has allowed him to offer a personalised approach to the customer journey.
GWYN
Director - Design
Born and raised in Derbyshire and with a degree in furniture design, Gwyn quickly discovered he had a talent for making decorative lighting and has been doing so for over 25 years!
ANDREA
PA & Concierge
Lancashire born Andrea heads up our concierge service keeping customers regularly informed on the progress of their orders. Her calm demeanour and friendly personality keeps day to day operations running smoothly.
ALICE
Book Keeper
Having grown up in the Czech Republic and now settled in Cheshire, Alice is our fun loving adventurous Biking Book-Keeper. When she is not buried in receipts and invoices she is often found cycling between clients or hanging off the side of a mountain...climbing!
KAREN
PR & Content
Karen specialises in writing for sustainable brands. As an environment, tech & property journalist her work has been published in national press including The Times. Karen is also a self confessed high volume coffee drinker!
