Many factors go into getting just the right lighting for a room. Finding the perfect solution gets even trickier when designing a large space or multiple rooms. Some homeowners may be tempted simply to select the pendants and light fixtures they find aesthetically attractive, without considering the light source itself and how it will connect to the rest of their smart system. Meanwhile, improper or outdated switches can cause problems that will only become apparent after the lights have been installed.
In other words, lighting is complicated, more so than many folks realize as they begin to search for solutions. Here are a few tips for getting just the right light – and the most updated lighting abilities – that can be applied to any room in your home.
Enable Wireless Control of Lighting Fixtures
Lighting technology has evolved in leaps and bounds in recent years. The internet provides more capabilities in connection with anything electronic in a home, and your lighting is no different. This development means light sources can connect with your smartphone and gadgets, allowing you to regulate your lighting fixtures in a variety of ways. Want to regulate the lights in any part of the house, from just about anywhere? Install a remote switch to control your lighting while away from home. More households are installing wireless remotes to enable wireless control of pendants, chandeliers and other fixtures.
Use Motion Sensors Connected to Lighting in Strategic Areas
Did you know your lighting, indoor temperature and burglar alarm can all be installed on the same motion detector? A motion detector is an electrical device that uses a sensor to detect nearby motion. These devices are often integrated into a larger automated home system. This can serve many purposes, whether to perform a task automatically – such as illuminating an entrance for convenience and safety – as well as to alert the homeowner of movement in a specific space in their home.
Install a Whole-Home Lighting System
As smart home technology becomes more ubiquitous, more homes are installing a whole-home smart lighting system that will work from a single device each member can control no matter where they are. Instead of placing lighting switches and dimmers near the closest outlet, an smarter, easy-to-use system allows them to be more conveniently located, to be accessed through voice-activation or self-powered switches. Another benefit of a smart lighting system is that it can grow as your needs evolve, whether new members are joining the family or room conversions are changing your demands.
A home lighting control system can do many things to make the small things more convenient and enjoyable:
- Allow you to set the mood you want in seconds, without getting up
- Accentuate features throughout a room
- Illuminate preset pathways for increased safety at night
- Turn lights on and off randomly when you’re away
- Automatically increase lighting levels indoors and out as the sun goes down
- Enable multiple settings for each room
- Integrate with your shading, audio/video and other home systems
Install Smart Switches and Dimmers to Conserve Energy
There used to be one main type of old-school dimmer, that lowered or raised the lighting when pushed up or down. Today, more innovative products make it easier to turn on, dim and control a broad variety of fixtures so that fewer of them will be on full strength every time you’re in the room. With the kids and other family members coming and going, having this type of flexibility can potentially cut down a home’s energy use by up to 20 percent.
Use Ketra (Lumen) Lighting Technology
When you talk to a smart lighting expert, ask about the potential for incorporating Ketra lights into your home. Created by Lumen, these modern LEDs are based on some of the most advanced lighting technology on the market, making them the preferred bulbs of light geeks around the world. Want to create a more softened and aesthetically pleasing form of light, eliminating glare and harsh shadows? Ketra lights make it easier to avoid harsh lighting for a more diffused effect, and that’s just part of the allure. A single light can offer thousands of shades that shift in color temperature and intensity throughout the day.
There’s no one solution for everyone, which is why it’s helpful to partner with an expert who can direct you to the solutions that match your space and individual demands. A smart home lighting control system from MediaTech can grow as your needs and budget change. Start out with a single‐room solution, or let us help you design a whole‐house system. Call us at 630.444.0011 to set up a free consultation today.
