I came in seeking to have my recent acquisition, my 1970s Murano teardrop chandelier rewired. I immediately realized they are more than a repair shop, but an amazing lighting store! Yes they have new inventory available but it's their unique vintage and antique ceiling lights and wall sconces that will tickle you pink, or yellow or blue etc. This wonderful family owned and operated niche will also delight you with personalized care creating the lighting you're envisioning. They also fabricate, repair and rewire! They have provided lighting for movie sets and all the way to the White House!!! This is an #Allison Victoria, Windy City Rehab #HGTV worthy emporium. If you looking for well made up cycled vintage and beyond lighting for your project or remodel, skip the depot and come here first! read more

Nowell's Lighting - I'm smitten - Lighting Fixtures & Equipment Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Thank goodness for Esther and the Nowell outfit. My sister has taken two antique lights to them for repair and raves about their work. While in town on a recent visit, she showed me their operation and I ended up with a new reading lamp. Well new to me. They have an incredible collection of rare and antique lighting, as well as all the accessories. Family owned and operated for over 70 years. It's worth the cost to check them out. 02/25 read more

03/03/2026 - Juan Pineda, owner of Nowell's Lighting in San Rafael, is a genius and master craftsman. For years I have had a pair of tall modern designer Italian floor lights. One of them 'wobbled' and did not stand tall. Juan came and picked up the lamp, and somehow reworked and refurbished the base and restored the light. I am grateful for his professionalism and talents. Highly recommended for complicated projects and client satisfaction. Thank you! read more

Nowell's Lighting - Juan Pineda, owner of Nowell's Lighting, next to his Italian light complicated repair. - Lighting Fixtures & Equipment Near Me - San Rafael, California

Juan helped me source items and gave me great advice for my project. Great store if you are looking for chandeliers, sconces, lighting etc. read more

I've been a customer of Nowell's Lighting for at least 20 years, back to when they were in Sausalito. I've never had a question about lighting they couldn't answer. In the past they completely refurbished an antique standing lamp my husband inherited from his parents. Most recently they consulted with me on a halogen lamp and the best replacement bulb to use. They even had a spare glass defuser to replace the one my nephew broke. Whether you're looking for tiny parts or full on advice for all your lighting needs, you can't go wrong with Nowwel's lighting. read more

Just wanted to give a shout out to the team at Nowell's lighting, Esther and all the excellent techs. We had these two antique chandeliers that we bought in a store up in Sacramento that we planned on placing in our newly remodeled kitchen. The team did a great job of cleaning, rewiring, and overall restoration after thesehad been sitting in our garage for a year waiting for the remodel. They even added all the additional chain that I needed to bring it from the vaulted ceiling. I would 100% recommend especially if you have any kind of older or antique lighting. They are the people read more

Nowell's Lighting - Lighting Fixtures & Equipment Near Me - San Rafael, California

I have two floor lamps, about four feet tall each, have owned them for over 15 years. Both had the same trouble: you turn the knob/switch, and it would not engage the bulb. One no longer worked at all, the other worked if you were patient and kept turning the switch :) Now they both work like new. Even the three way feature works, as they supplied me with new three-way bulbs. It's like having a new living room. It helped that they were open every day (the other place in San Rafael was only open a few days). The pricing was OK, less expensive than buying new floor lamps of similar quality. They did the work quickly (new bulb sockets). Friendly people. I went three times, once for lamp #1, then picked that up and brought in lamp #2, etc. Very quiet the first two times, a bit busier the second time, but no long waits. Maybe would have been easier to dispose of the lamps and buy new ones, but I like the idea of supporting local businesses, and consuming less. Repair is an environmentally friendly and cost efficient discipline... However, if you need a new lamp, they have an interesting selection in their store. read more

Nowells light repair salvaged two lamps I purchased from casalola, which sounds Italian, but despite everyone's Italian name, is in China. My two $400 lamps were missing parts, like a baseplate with a felt cover, the lamp shades were loose with no visable means of tightening, the adjustable height hardware did not tighten enough to keep the upper rod from sliding down into the bottom rod. They suggested me shipping back to China plus 20% restocking fee, which would have cost about as much as one of the lamps. Nowells completed the lamps beautifully and saved me additional cost and agony at a very reasonable price. read more

I highly recommend this place! It is family owned and operated and a delight to do business with. Juan did an incredible and very timely job rewiring a complicated, wooden, hand-made Frank Lloyd Wright replica my uncle built years ago. The price was beyond fair! We laughed a lot and it felt like home there. No pretentiousness, just hard work and lightheartedness. Rare these days. :) read more

Nowell's Lighting - Lighting Fixtures & Equipment Near Me - San Rafael, California

Holy moly! I cannot say enough great things about this business. Our chandelier was broken and the electrician recommended Nowells Lighting. I called and they said they could help. Sure enough, they fixed it within 24 hours and went above and beyond -- delivered and hung it up. The customer service was top notch- something you don't experience often. The desperation on my part was because I was having people over and it would've been a candlelight dinner without Nowells Help. If you need lighting, this is the place to go! read more

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I brought a 20 year old floor lamp to have repaired. The electical cord was frayed and the dimmer switch no longer worked. The Nowell team fixed the lamp and it works like new. I so appreciate that the Nowell team supports repair work. It is harder to find professionals that do quality repair work these days. I highly recommend Nowell Lighting for their professional, prompt and courteous service. read more

Dropped off a lamp in May, just picking it up in July.make sure you aren't in a rush. They also never open on time. I've been waiting more than 20min each time after 9:30am and no one is there. The stars are just for their customer service and Juan being pleasant. I still haven't seen my lamp. I will update later read more

Nowell's Lighting is THE expert lighting store in Marin! I had a vintage lamp to repair and I was referred to Jackson's, who referred me to North Bay Lighting, who then referred me to Nowell's - and I am so glad to discover this gem! This is a historic shop since 1954 with a legacy of expertise, two generations in the store now. Esther is the manager and is wonderful, friendly and helpful, and her staff understood this lamp like no one else did - and fixed it easily and affordably! If you have a lamp you love, that needs repaired or restored - this is the place to go, and they sell an amazing variety of lamps and supplies too. It's a walk through lighting history to stroll through their showroom - it makes me want to fix every special lamp stored in my garage - now that I know where to take them! read more

I am so very happy that I was referred to Nowells' Lighting! I have had a Murano glass Chandelier boxed up for over 15 years because I was unable to find anyone willing to redo the wiring on something so delicate and expensive. I met with the team at Nowell's and new right away I had found the right people to take care of my treasure. I look forward to finally have it hanging in my home! read more

We brought in an "antique" mid century lamp with a no longer functioning step switch and a european double round prong wall plug. Juan fixed it and made the sockets inside the base of lamp work again. A beautiful job. He regaled me with his work in Washington DC and at the University of California. This is a national resource and a gem! read more

Very knowledgeable and very good custom work. Right from first entering the shop, Esther greeted us and asked how she could help. I showed her our broken pendulum lo-voltage kitchen lights and asked what they could do, since I was tired of fixing them (very fragile). She suggested they be re-built and made with a rod instead of hanging wire and go from lo-vo to line voltage (110/120). I left them with her and about 2 weeks later they were done. A magnificent job! Took them home, installed them and the rest is history, they look and work great. And they do all work in-house. read more

Love the service and huge offering of antique lamps , shades and parts . They also have a lovely selection of new lamp shades and designer light bulbs. I have had three lamps required there and all have turned out beautiful . Esther Pineda is always there too . read more

Nowell's Lighting - This is one of the owners who repaired my antique oil lamp hardware. - Lighting Fixtures & Equipment Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Beautiful lighting store! Most definitely recommend for repairs or if you need to decorate your home with more light fixtures!

We had matching older table lamps repaired. The price was right and the people were friendly and very helpful. Say hello to Esther.

We have been buying lighting fixtures from Nowell's for decades. We bought several more when they had a big sale that I thought was a "going out of business" sale. Glad to find out I was wrong! I was having a problem with a relatively new wall lamp. My bride contacted Juan and he came over after work and disconnected the lamp, repaired it overnight, and reinstalled it this morning. It was great to see his vintage pickup truck outside our home. Now that I know that the shop is still open I'm going to have to start dropping in to look for more lighting treasures for our Craftsman home. read more

Ten months ago I took my brass floor lamp to Nowell's, because the light would flicker and sometimes just go out unpredictably. Having been a customer twice before, I was confident to go there again. I explained the problem to Esther. She said that Juan would probably fix my lamp within a week or two. About ten days later I got a call to come get my lamp. Esther told me that it just could not be repaired, because the wiring was shot and it was too hard to pull it all out to replace. Because it's brass, less than ten years old, I did not follow their suggestion to just dump it. (I'd paid about $160 when I bought it new) so I took it home and just stopped using it. Imagine my surprise and delight this week when I tried The Lamp and Shade Shop on 4th Street in San Rafael where I'd first purchased this lamp a decade ago. The woman who runs that shop (and does the repairs) recognized the style and said she was confident what needed to be done. Two days later I picked it up, delighted to pay the $40 repair fee that was on the low end of her estimate. I love this place! I have no idea why Nowell's told me my lamp couldn't be fixed. I guess they just didn't want to bother with it. That old maxim, "Get a second opinion" also holds true with lamps! read more

It wasn't cheap, but they created a custom string of LED lights to hang inside my unusual Noguchi/Akari "light sculpture"--- a tall geometric columnar paper lantern for the living room. It looks great and the work was solid and just what I asked for. read more

This is the best lighting repair place ever. Juan somehow duplicated a no longer available internal part for my dining room fixture saving me from having to buy a new fixture, pay an electrician to install it and pay a carpenter to repair the old hole unique to this fixture. You may have to wait a little when you go in because they are the only place of this kind in Marin County but well worth the wait. read more

Juan is the guy you want to talk to if you care about quality and lighting. I bought a half-century-old brass light that needed a new canopy, and Juan refinished a very high quality brass piece to match perfectly. He genuinely loves lighting (he makes some of the pieces they sell) and the store is a treasure trove of vintage lights. My only complaint is that they don't have much (any?) mid-century for sale, as most of their merch seems to be 1940s or prior. But they are happy to work on it, so I was happy. read more

Nowell's Lighting - Juan refinished a brass canopy to match my vintage light and gave me all the hardware I needed to hang it. - Lighting Fixtures & Equipment Near Me - San Rafael, California

This is a great place. Not only do they have incredible light fixtures, but they repair your light fixtures perfectly. I brought in my hall flush ceiling light to Nowell's to have it rewired. My fixture is made of very expensive metals and I love it so. I was so very grateful that Nowell's was able to repair and update the wiring for me. The beautiful vintage light fixtures are a must see. I love this store and recommend it highly. read more

The switch, on my floor lamp, stopped working and I was left in the dark. Searching for "lamp repair near me" I came across Nowell's and I liked that they had been around a long time (previously in Sausalito). I could not have been happier! An appointment was made, in this Covid19 era, and I went knowing that I'd be protected. Best of all, I was told "come back in 30" and it will be ready"....and spot-on, it was! Thanks Nowell's! read more

I was in need of covers for two lighting fixtures. I needed to find them as soon as possible for a rental. I was referred to Nowell's from North Bay Lighting in San Rafael. I emailed and had phone calls back and forth with Esther, the daughter of the owner, Jose. The store was closed due to the coronavirus. Esther emailed me possible photos. I came in for the appointment following the restrictions under Covid-19. Esther instructed me on how to disconnect the fixture from the wall so we could make sure the cover was the right size for it. Once in the store she had a few options all ready for me to look at that turned out were too small a fit for my fixture. She then went to her showroom to find other possibilities. I was so happy with Esther's professional, knowledgeable, friendly, personal and helpful manner. She found a very beautiful one. Her father made new wiring for the fixture. I was very happy when I left. I installed the fixture and the coverings. Unfortunately I broke one of the coverings in the process. Back to the store and Esther's wonderful help. She found me ones that were so perfect in their color and their size. They were sturdier and even more special in their being hand blown. Jose did new wiring on the other fixture for me at the same time. I went away a very happy customer indeed. Esther handled the costs and the returns for me in a very reasonable way. Esther knows her fixtures and lighting and has the keen eye of a lighting designer. She is truly amazing. Once this Covid-19 is passed, I look forward to coming back to the store to find two sconces for my own living room with the help of Esther. I highly recommend Nowell's Lighting. They are the only lighting store I would use in the future. I found a gem. read more

Juan and staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The shop has a nice feel to it and I always enjoy walking thru each room looking at the merchandise... They did a very good job on fixing my atomic mid-century lamp at a reasonable price. I was so pleased that I brought in the lamp's twin for the same repair... Laurence read more

Another great haunt of Old Marin. I used to go here frequently with my mom as a kid. Before eBay, there was only Nowell's. It's a wonderful lighting store right across the street from Heath Ceramics. If you are in the market for old lighting fixtures made of really beautiful brass or if you need a glass shade for an old fixture, this is the place you want to come. They are so knowledgeable and so helpful. They moved... We have moved to 615 Irwin St, San Rafael, CA 94901. New location is now open for business Tue-Sat 9:30am to 5:00pm. Closed Sun & Mon read more

My expectations were far surpassed! We are restoring a Victorian house in San Francisco, and needed new light fixtures for all the rooms on the main floor. After considering many options, including vintage, as well as Rejuvenation we decided on Nowell's. The photos in their catalog are black & white, so it was a little difficult to take the leap of faith and order 6 fixtures. However, when we arrived to pick the fixtures up they were even more beautiful that I had imagined. The workmanship is exceptional, and the etched glass shades are gorgeous. I can't wait to hang these up in our house! Juan Pineda provided excellent customer service, and the turn around time was 3 weeks for 6 fairly complicated fixtures. I am very satisfied with my experience, and would highly recommend Nowell's as a resource - especially if you are looking for vintage style light fixtures. Again, the quality is really exceptional. read more

Nowell's is the only lighting store in Marin that offers authentic lighting --- lighting that has a sense of history and place. Forget Lamps Plus (disaster), and the other Marin lighting stores are very modern/bulk/China/catalog/EXPENSIVE/whatever. Nowell's globes and canopies (did I get that right.. the glass shades and metal bases) look "real" to me. I love poking around the various rooms savoring all the vintage styles. Juan the manager is attentive, and will try to make you anything you want down to the color of the metal finish. For a reasonable price, we've bought a few custom-made ceiling fixtures and I couldn't be happier with the results. This is the store is where I always seem to end up becuase I can put together just what I want. read more

This business is a hidden jewel! If you are looking for any type of lighting fixture, shade or glass replacement, this is the spot. Esther and Juan are knowledgeable, creative and incredibly pleasant to work with. read more

I took an antique pewter lamp of my mother's (that had been my grandmother's) that had broken into Nowell's on the recommendation of my neighbors on Next-door. Juan looked at it, and showed me that it had been soldered before - because it had originally been a candlestick, so wasn't used to the weight of the bulbs and the lampshade - and suggested a way to reinforce it and repair it, while maintaining the integrity of the lamp, and the value of the antique. He told me it would take several weeks to repair, but I got a call the next day that it was done. I couldn't even tell that it had been broken, as his repair was impeccable. I am BEYOND thrilled that my beloved lamp is now looking perfect, and works well. I cannot recommend Juan highly enough! read more

Its a small shop and has had a history long time location in Sausalito. As I said its a small shop eith a small official

Been using these guys for years now and really appreciate all they've done for me! I own a classic wood motoryacht from the mid 1960s, it has a lot of custom light fixtures that can't be replaced so as they succumb to one problem or another Nowell's rebuilds them for me. I have YET to have an issue (and being associated with a boat, there have been a number of bizarre ones!) that they haven't been able to deal with. Most involve rewiring and custom rebuilding, the work has always been thoughtful and meticulous and, again, much appreciated! read more

I was so happy to find the old Nowells from Sausalito is now in San Rafael! they did a beautiful job on repairing a lamp for me!! The wonderful thing is all the finds they have there. Beautiful antique lamps ....they have several rooms of amazing things. Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart- would love this place and you will too Check it out but give yourself at least an hour to look in all the rooms !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Had been searching for a particular lampshade and couldn't find what I wanted in any of the local lamp stores. Finally ended up at Nowell's. Services was excellent and they made me the perfect lampshade. Didn't cost that much either. I would recommend Nowell's without hesitation. read more

I went in about two weeks ago to scope it out. I was looking for a large pendant light for my dining room and we were willing to spend a bit to get what we wanted. I saw a couple of things I liked and was considering a custom job with a specific fabric. Juan convinced me that he delivered exemplary work and that it was worth the extra expense. My boyfriend was paying for the lamp and wanted to see what we were going to do. However, because of their limited hours of operation, he couldn't go in to look at the options. So, I called today to see if Juan would be available to chat with me and possibly loan me an model or sample fabrics, I was advised that he would be available. When I arrived, Juan wouldn't come to the front to talk with me and he conveyed to another employee that I was expressly forbidden from taking a sample. I expressed my agitation to the two employees that had come out from the back. Given that I had called in advance to confirm his availability, I considered this terribly rude. Perhaps more annoying, it turns out that Juan was welding and that he simply could not be bothered. Someone should show this review to Juan (or the owners) and let them know that customer service DOES matter. I saw no evidence that I was dealing with Michelangelo, and even if he was a master, it wouldn't excuse the bad behavior. I already found something comparable at Restoration Hardware and will not be wasting my time here. read more

Just went to Nowells ((for first time) in San Rafael. Had to match a 6shade glass piece - trying for days. Waited on by the Pinedas (father son and daughter in law. They were fabulous. All thre pitches in and found a match. Great customer service! read more

I wish I could love Nowell's, but I cannot. They have a fascinating array of vintage fixtures, but their service is less than desirable. I went in and ordered a very simple half-shade for a small sconce. I showed the Nowell's employee an example of the SIZE I wanted, which they had in stock, but I needed pleats on the shade, and a different color. He went through an extensive custom order book and filled out the form for the 3rd party purveyor. A few weeks later (as expected), I came in to pick up my shade. It was fully double the size of the shade I desired and had shown the salesman. Now, at first they tried to blame this on me, because evidently I hadn't described it well enough, but frankly, I showed them an in-stock exemplar and ought not be required to figure out their vendor's elaborate ordering conventions when they're filling out the form. However, they accepted that I wanted to re-order and did not charge me for that. They said they'd sell the wrong-sized shade in their shop. When the new shade came in, it was acceptably, if not perfectly sized. But then the clerk attempted to charge me extra shipping! Are you kidding? It's now 3+ months down the road from my order, I paid up front for the original order, was never told of any shipping charges, and they're going to charge me MORE? After about 15 minutes of "discussion," I was allowed to leave without paying extra (otherwise this would have been one star), and that pretty much occurred because I threatened to make them refund all my money and leave without taking the shade. They've certainly lost my business, which is a shame because a small, custom local business is so important. read more