If you find yourself flicking on every switch in your room until you find the right light, you’re not alone. Since the dawn of modern electricity, lighting has had a single mode of operation – select the fixture, or set of fixtures, and try to find the switch to turn them on. It’s funny to think just how groundbreaking the ability to dim that light was. Modern technology is turning this idea on its head with new technology to illuminate your home with precision and simplicity.
“The future of lighting is moving away from traditional switches or dimmers tied to a group of pot lights,” says Shaun Hart, owner of Simcoe Audio Video. Instead, smart homeowners use ‘scenes’ to strike the right tone. “Scenes like ‘home’, ‘cook,’ and ‘good night’ allow you to select any grouping of lights, and preset to the perfect light, colour, and brightness for the time of day and task at hand.”
When it comes to lighting automation and motorized shades or drapes, Shaun says Lutron is the trusted name. The company has developed three tiers of lighting control, allowing a perfect solution for every home, budget, and lifestyle.
“In addition to giving you hands-free and remote access to your home’s lights,” Shaun says, “smart lighting also adds a level of comfort and safety, as well as an aesthetically pleasing alternative to clusters of switches when designed properly.”
Using Lutron’s most basic solution, named Caseta, homeowners who only want to automate a few light circuits and devices can do so easily. Whether you wish to add a timer to your lights or operate a group of circuits while you’re away, it gives you a simple solution you can use at home and away.
“Whether you want to make it look like someone is home or illuminate your front entry so you never come home to a dark house, Caseta can be an incredibly cost-effective solution.”
For larger projects, RadioRA allows more options, flexibility, and customization. Here you can craft simple lighting scenes, and control your entire home’s lighting and motorized window coverings through a single multi-button solution. All while using sleek switches, dimmers, keypads, and remotes in various design aesthetics.
“It has fewer limitations than Caseta,” says Shaun. “You can tie everything together into a whole home solution.”
Then there’s HomeWorks, which redefines lighting automation expectations, with intuitive controls that adapt to the amount of daylight entering your home, the temperature of that light, and more.
“Unlike the other two, this system removes the wall switches entirely, replacing them with stunning, simplified keypads,” says Shaun. “HomeWorks requires careful thought and planning but is truly the best of the best in lighting and window coverings.”
No more ‘wall acne’. Instead, you have a high-end lighting control system that combines fixture and window covering automation seamlessly. Now you can add to the look and feel of your home by creating scenes that accentuate the atmosphere of each space independently, or with a single keypad on the wall.
Simcoe AV works with customers, designers, and contractors to find the best lighting system for every home. “Our goal is to create systems that make your life easier, safer and more beautiful.”
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE
