MILWAUKEE — It began with just $50 in his parents' basement. 51 years later, Steve Kaniewski has built Brass Light Gallery into a successful lighting company that has illuminated homes and historic buildings across America.
"Our niche is aesthetics and art in lighting fixtures," Kaniewski said.
Graduating from the basement, the company is now in the large red brick building you can see while driving on I-794 as you approach downtown Milwaukee.
The company's distinctive brass creations can be found in notable Milwaukee landmarks, including the Villa Terrace, Pabst Mansion, and the Basilica of St. Josaphat. Their work also extends beyond Wisconsin, with installations in Chicago's Lyric Opera and homes nationwide.
The company sources lighting materials globally and combines them with its own brass fixtures crafted in-house.
"And bring things to the marketplace for people which you don't find out in lighting stores, that's what's our key," said Kaniewski.
That makes Brass Light Gallery a little more expensive, but Kaniewski believes it's worth it.
"I'm not going to cut corners. I never have. Putting something together, I'll pay the extra $1.50 to $2.50 for the right part to assemble it. I won't just cut those corners and we're known for that, and it keeps coming back to us," he said.
Unlike typical home goods retailers, Brass Light Gallery operates as a design center where customers consult with experts to find the perfect lighting solution before craftspeople begin production.
"We have basically 2,800 different fixtures/modifications," Kaniewski noted.
The founder is passionate about lighting's transformative power in creating welcoming spaces.
Watch the video below to see more of Brass Light Gallery's light fixtures...
"To create warm environments for people in their homes," he said.
When customers tell him their house finally feels like a home thanks to his lighting, Kaniewski experiences renewed energy: "This makes me feel younger than ever."
After 51 years of artistically illuminating spaces, Brass Light Gallery shows no signs of dimming anytime soon.
This story was created in part with AI assistance and reviewed by our newsroom. Learn more about our AI policy at this link.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
