You’ve likely noticed that the number of types and colors of lightbulbs has risen dramatically. Your options when it comes to lighting are staggering. But do you know how those options can help you live better?
An integrated home lighting system is much more than the old notion of a few lamps set to a programmable timer. A comprehensive custom lighting system allows you to control lighting levels and even colors in multiple rooms. You can program the system to turn one set of lights on 30 minutes before you arrive home from work and another to turn off one hour after you have gone to bed for the evening. With a home programmed with “geo-fencing,” you can even have your home’s lighting “know” (via your smartphone) when you’re in the neighborhood.
A professionally installed home lighting system doesn't have to break the budget. Lighting systems are often extremely adaptable and can be added to over time. In addition, lighting systems that incorporate dimmers can help lower energy costs (and CEDIA integrators know the tricks when it comes to preventing issues like the annoying flicker that sometimes occurs with dimmed LED bulbs). Using a system designed to turn off lights automatically when no one is in the room is another way to reduce energy consumption and save money, or act as a home safety device. And systems that include an astronomic time clock will turn on outside lights 10 to 15 minutes before sunset.
A qualified CEDIA integrator can work with new or existing homes to design and create a lighting system to fit your family’s needs.
Outdoor Lighting
A home’s patio, pool, or porch has become another room for many, and lighting can be key to creating a beautiful space for entertaining or relaxing. The right lighting can create mood and drama around a home’s outdoor spaces — and bright exterior lights that detect motion can be a tremendous security feature, deterring unwanted intruders.
The combinations and applications of a home lighting system are numerous. Consult a CEDIA member integrator for tips, ideas, and design information.
Indoor Lighting
The range of bulbs — from type to color — and fixtures is astonishing. Lighting’s a great way to create mood, help those with vision problems see better, and can even improve a person’s sleep cycles and general well-being (ask a CEDIA expert about circadian rhythms and bio-metric lighting). Fixtures and bulbs that are programmed to dim, brighten, or change color at specific times or in conjunction with specific “scenes” — say, programming your home’s lighting to dim while soft music’s playing at the end of your day — may be controlled from a variety of sources. If you’re lighting a media room or home cinema, your CEDIA integrator can ensure that the lights that allow you to move about a room safely won’t interfere with the images on the screen. And your home’s lighting system can recognize your smartphone when you’re within a certain radius of the front door — or flip on brightly if there’s motion nearby.