How to weather the elements for the long haul
The beaches of the Caribbean look different after hurricanes Irma and Maria. But as the British Virgin Islands and neighbouring isles look to recover and rebuild, doing so in a way that can better stand up to Mother Nature is in everyone’s best interest.
Beachside Lighting has been creating beautiful, functional, and weather-resistant lighting products since the 1990s. Started in Honolulu, Hawaii, they understand the unique environmental conditions of outdoor spaces near salty oceans and their products have been used all over the world, including Tortola, Virgin Gorda, St. Thomas and St. John.
The company’s long and vibrant history began as they produced kerosene and gas tiki torches out of spun copper and machined brass fittings. The torches were and are used for both resorts and private homes in oceanside locations, and the product lines expanded from this foundation.
Beachside Lighting is committed to using only corrosion-resistant materials like copper spinnings, brass castings and machinings, and stainless-steel fasteners.
While some of their early designs may be considered visually ‘clunky,’ most of those early models are still functioning in Hawaii today.
In addition to using high-quality materials that can stand up to oceanside elements, they moved away from mass-produced parts in order to begin designing and fabricating all their own components. This commitment to quality, allowed them to not only keep the material standards high, but gave Beachside Lighting the freedom to create aesthetically pleasing fixtures. Value is not always in the lowest price, but actually receiving the good quality you’ve paid for.
By sticking to what they know and do best, Beachside can provide a top-grade product that has stood the test of time and Mother Nature in hundreds of resort locations and homes around the world.
When considering how to choose a new outdoor lighting fixture, the materials make all the difference. Most fixtures in the marketplace today are made of aluminum, which will get eaten away by the salty air. Aluminum fixtures—when combined with stainless-steel fasteners (which is common)—will corrode more quickly due to the different metals reacting poorly in the salty and humid environment.
“We don’t have these issues with our brass and copper components on their own, or when our stainless-steel fasteners are secured to a brass or copper components,” said Beachside Lighting founder Rick Benedict.
Rosie Nichols represents Beachside Lighting in the US and British Virgin Islands and is committed to offering top-notch customer service in order to bring their quality products to its residents. Her local connections allow her to handle inquiries quickly and coordinate site visits. She can also facilitate collaboration with the factory during the design process, thus allowing for expert recommendations on products that will stand up to weather events and be perfectly suited for their applications. This personal touch makes the Beachside Lighting experience one-of-a-kind.
The Beachside Lighting family has a long history of listening to their customers and incorporating feedback into improving their designs and products. Many new designs are inspired from landscape architects and lighting designers, but the real-life applications of the products and feedback from customers, is what has kept Beachside Lighting in business over 20 years after it first began.
Beachside Lighting
Rosie Nichols
340-642-8981
www.BeachsideLighting.com
Photography courtesy of Beachside Lighting
