Lamp of Luxury
Preserving Santa Barbara’s style, one custom light fixture at a time
Written by Caitlin White
Photograph by Kim Rierson
SANTA BARBARA LIGHTING COMPANY was founded by Jimmy Rickard, who works with designers, contractors, and architects all over the U.S. and internationally to bring the region’s signature style into design projects, both residential and commercial.
“As a sixth-generation native of Santa Barbara, I founded Santa Barbara Lighting Company out of an appreciation for the authentic craftsmanship of lighting and the rich architectural beauty that surrounds us and inspires each of our lighting designs,” says Rickard, who is a direct descendant of José de la Guerra, considered to be Santa Barbara’s first citizen. “I wanted to create lighting that was not only functional but also tells a story—honoring traditional craftsmanship while embracing timeless designs.”
The fixtures are made to order by the company’s artisans, who use a detailed, handmade process to work heavy-gauge steel into handcrafted designs before finishing each piece with a zinc protective coating. Using painstaking hand-welding techniques and artful, hand-applied finishing, each pane of premium glass is hand cut before every light is equipped with hand-blown bulbs.
“There’s a level of creativity that’s not often seen in the lighting world.”
Rickard has worked with design-world notables such as Ken Fulk, Mark Sikes, and Michael Smith, to name a few. Together with director Ryan Murphy and his designer, Stephen Shadley, Rickard also collaborated on a collection and custom lighting for Murphy’s L.A. home that was also featured in Architectural Digest.
And because every piece starts off as a sketch by architect Britt Jewett of Studio 7, there’s a level of creativity that’s not often seen elsewhere in the lighting world. “Britt’s artistry and attention to detail bring a depth of authenticity to our collection that makes each piece truly special,” Rickard says. Pieces like the old world-inspired De La Guerra 04, with the scalloped detail on the bottom, or the Presidio, with a tapered cage and subtle ornamentation, represent elements of Mediterranean influence that are now synonymous with the American Riviera. santabarbaralighting.com
