Lutron manufactures two major lines of home lighting controls designed to control lighting at the individual room level. Lutron also engineers whole house lighting control systems, which we will deal with in a separate article on our site. Today’s article focuses only on the two most prominent lighting controls for homes: the Spacer System home light control designed for multiple lighting scene selection, and the GRAFIK Eye preset home light control. Lutron home light control is intended to reflect personal ideals, lifestyle habits, and home entertainment activities, and they are intended to seamlessly integrate into the interior architecture of even the most custom homes.
Spacer System
The Spacer System provides the advantage of home lighting control through an infrared remote unit that manipulates several lighting circuits linked in tandem by a wireless master controller. Because it takes a “less is more” approach to equipment in general, it represents an excellent retrofit option for homeowners on a budget, because Spacer System home lighting control dimmers can replace existing dimmers and communicate via the wireless master controller.
Spacer System dimmers can control the lighting levels of any and all fixtures in the room, including ceiling lights, accent lights, table lights, and floor lamps. You can create any particular scene appropriate to the master bedroom, den, home entertainment center, or master bath, and then save them in your controller. The system will store up to five lighting scenes per room, providing one-touch access to different levels of task lighting for activities, accent lighting for ambiance, or a subtle touch of both.
GRAFIK EYE
The Lutron GRAFIK Eye home light control system is designed to allow instant switchover to any number of preset lighting scenes. It is based on more advanced technology than the Spacer System ,and it is generally recommended for larger, custom houses and lighting control systems integrated with home automation networks, whole house audio, home security, and high-end home theaters. It also continues to gain momentum in the commercial lighting world, where it is becoming a polar source of boardroom lighting and hospitality lighting applications.
When an authorized Lutron Dealer such as ILD configures your GRAFIK Eye or Homeworks system, we subdivide the lighting circuits in the room to create “lighting zones.” This allows your home lighting control system to then turn certain lights on at full power and leave other lights only partially powered on, or not powered on at all. This variation in lighting intensity is the key to creating subtle and complex lighting effects and themes within a room. The intention in each case is to match areas of brightness and shadows to the pace and nature of activities transpiring in that room. This not works to facilitate the activity on a functional level, but it also helps create an emotional tone congruent to the activity itself.
To switch to a different lighting theme, simply press a button on your infrared remote, and your home automation control system will automatically go to the next scene. The GRAFIK Eye can also be programmed to do this automatically, manipulating both indoor and outdoor lights at various times of the day, evening, or night. You can automate it to turn lights on and off at different times of the evening, such as sun down or just after dark. This high level of control is beneficial to both home entertainment and home energy savings. Home Theater users rely on GRAFIK Eye home dimming controls to lower the shades and dim the lights when movie time rolls around. People who like to host parties find that varying the lights can create everything from relaxing ambience to intensity for games and lively conversation. To change the lighting theme, simply press a button on your infrared remote.
Call a Specialist to Help You Decide!
While these controls are designed for maximum user friendliness, it takes an authorized Lutron reseller like Illuminations Lighting Design to correctly design, install, and configure either system in today’s sophisticated residential space. Call 1-800-863-1184 for a free estimate on either one of these fantastic room-based home lighting control systems, and let one of our lighting control experts develop and install a system ideally tailored to your personal home, lifestyle, needs, and desires.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting, electrical service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters, emergency generators, surge protection systems, phone systems and lighting control systems.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Call us today at 800-863-1184, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.Labels: Electrical contractor Houston Texas, Home Automation Lighting Systems, Home Lighting Controls, Lutron Dimmer Switches, Vantage lighting controls
Home automation wiring combines the very best in technology with the most creative and custom solutions available to today's sophisticated and busy homeowner. Home automation wiring links vital home systems and entertainment features directly to a central computer that allows for single-point access to the many different elements of quality home living. As life becomes increasingly hectic, the home becomes more of a sanctuary and the one environment that the individual has direct and unilateral control over. Wiring the home for automation not only makes things more efficient, but also empowers the individual with a sense of control not only over technology, but of personal freedom and choice which can seem a bit elusive at times in today's unstable and chaotic times.
Illuminations Lighting and Design maintains a fully trained staff of certified electricians who know the ins and outs of electrical wiring and home automation systems. Since we work in the most exclusive neighborhoods of Houston such as River Oaks, West University, Tanglewood, and the Memorial Villages, we routinely encounter custom homes with unique architecture that calls for home automation wiring that the standard generic equipment of retailers simply cannot adequately or safely deliver. Our goal is to provide each and every homeowner with structured wiring that will accommodate future upgrades and home renovations and expansion. Before laying the wire for the home automation, we carefully calculate the many variables that compose the system and install cable plant design based upon the client's unique automation requirements. While almost all of our systems utilize home automation controls by manufacturers such as Lutron, Vantage, and AMX our home automation wiring layout is tailor-made for the architecture of the house and the individual tastes of the homeowner.
ILD knows that entertainment matters to its clients now more than ever before. As increasingly larger numbers of people entertain friends and family at home, they need increasingly sophisticated technology to deliver a superior audio/visual experience. Few of our competitors can deliver the level of customization we routinely employ to the benefit or our many satisfied clients. Even fewer can design automation systems that will anticipate and adapt easily to new technologies. We take a very active and forward-looking approach to home automation wiring that distinguishes us in this marketplace and provides the customer with the most adaptable system congruent with present and anticipated future technologies. We centralize low voltage solutions that accommodate current audio/video demands and leave room for future upgrades. We further enhance these layouts with high cables for speakers, high definition video, phone systems, intercom systems, and security cameras. Knowing that technology changes very rapidly, we wire home automation systems with high end low voltage cabling that offers the very best interface for anticipated technologies that could appear on the market at any time.
ILD prides itself on the level of satisfaction we deliver daily to clients throughout Houston and Greater Texas. As our communities continue to show every growing interest home automation, our specialized blend of creativity and technologically savvy proves increasingly valuable in this unique and rapidly evolving industry. Call us today at 713-863-1133 to see what we can do to take your life to a whole new level.
Labels: Home Automation Lighting Systems, Home Lighting Controls, home theaters, Houston Texas Contractors, Lighting and Home Automation, Lutron Homeworks Lighting Controls
Home automation represents a rising and rapidly evolving industry. Home automation installers are highly trained professionals who are equally savvy as technical experts, licensed electrical contractors, and creative designers. Illuminations Lighting and Design, Houston's premier lighting design and electrical consulting firm, heads up the city's most impeccable home automation department, with installers trained and cross-trained in every nuance of equipment selection, installation, and project development strategy.
Home automation clients can be new homeowners or existing homeowners who decide to take their lifestyles to the next level. Often we encounter new clients who have already installed or had installed a measure of home automation from either a retail source or a competitive entity. The first thing these clients usually tell us is that their existing home automation network fails to deliver control over every element of life. A client with a state of the art home theatre system may suddenly realize he or she has to get up and walk across the room to close the shades or dim the lights. Clients hosting parties at home quickly realize that remote control of the air conditioner would not only add convenience to the event but help them save on energy costs as guests fan the doors all night and move back and forth between the home theatre, the garden, the patio, and the spa. Such integrated and centralized control is the difference that sets a custom home automation project by ILD apart from competitive entities specializing only in the equipment itself or limited home automation installation specific only to segments of the lifestyle rather than comprehensively accommodating the entire lifestyle.
When our home automation installers step into such an arena, they carefully evaluate existing technology and retrofit the very best in new technology for a home automation network that leaves room for future growth and evolution of technology. Since most home automation installation in today's market requires customizing or creating a home theatre system, we require all of our home automation installation consultants to train and certify in high-end home theatre systems by Sony, Boston, and Vienna Acoustics. This way, our clients are assured that every element of living is not only automated, but also fully optimized to manufacturer standards and equipment specifications.
ILD's home automation installers spend many years in training and continuing professional education programs to develop the knowledge base required to meet the high demands of this intense, technically demanding industry. Additionally, each ILD technician mentors as an apprentice under a veteran technician to learn the proprietary methodologies exclusive to Illuminations Lighting and Design. The result of our intensive training and apprenticeship programs is a knowledgeable, experienced team of home automation installers whose expertise in current and upcoming technologies enable us to install home automation networks that are completely unique and individualize to each specific client we service. The safety, reliability, and exceptional value of our work are backed up with tangibles every time at the end of the day. Our home automation installation specialists carry design certifications and undergo frequent cross-training with other industries such as architecture, construction, and landscaping as well to ensure that our solutions truly address every aspect of home build and home living.
Throughout Houston and now Greater Texas, our division of home automation installers is rapidly gaining not only notoriety, but also an outstanding reputation for being the single source of the most comprehensive home automation designs that apply only the very latest and advanced technology in a one of kind design. Best of all, our home automation installers are good communicators and even better listeners who know how to make a project not only a technology upgrade, but a lifestyle upgrade as well that exceeds the expectations of clients. Call today 713-863-1133 to see what our team can do for your world starting now.
Labels: Home Lighting Controls, Home Theater Experience, home theaters, Houston Texas Contractors, Lighting and Home Automation, Lutron Homeworks Lighting Controls
As a Houston based company, Illuminations Lighting and Design services a broad segment of the Houston homeowner community. We routinely encounter extremely large and custom homes and unique architecture throughout the many neighborhoods we service. As such, home automation for Houston clientele has to be a custom science congruent to the diversity of the marketplace. As an unzoned city, the diversity of floor plans we frequently find even in smaller neighborhoods such as the Upper Kirby district requires further innovation in home automation design and installation. As a vendor of cutting edge technology from every major manufacturer, and with a trained staff certified in both residential and electrical contracting, we specialize in a level of home automation consulting, creative solutions, and equipment installation unparalleled in the Houston marketplace and quite possibly any marketplace throughout the Lone Star State.
Spanning a geographic area second only in size to Los Angeles, Houston requires a significant commute to work from almost any location on the city map. As such, Houstonians fight traffic delays and road construction daily both to and from the pressure cooker workplace of the world's energy capital. When they return home, they want stress relief, convenience, and entertainment on demand. The home automation systems we install for these individuals must reflect both downtime and unique personal lifestyle to truly accommodate client needs. Setting the right mood after returning home from an exhausting day in the office requires one-touch control of one's automated home lighting system. With Vantage lighting products, ILD clients can choose between keypads or touch panels and give themselves control of both brightness levels that set mood and lighting scenes that reflect activities, function, decorative themes, and private events.
Many residents of large and custom homes especially like the interactive home automation available through AMX, Vantage and Lutron controls, where a central processor ties together a series of touch pad or key panel controls, giving one the ability to manipulate light in individual rooms or select whole house lighting scenes. Another popular option for Houston homeowners is wireless home automation systems that require no rewiring within the existing architecture. For smaller homes we normally install a Lutron RadioRA system, and for larger or custom homes we utilize the Lutron RF system. Both home automation options utilize a special radio frequency to communicate between controls and devices, and their ability to adapt to existing wiring eliminates damages that can result from cheaper materials and generic installs.
Once the lighting sets the mood, it is time to truly unwind to some music or watch a movie favorite in the comfort and privacy of the home. For family members that want to watch the same movie from the privacy of separate rooms, we can install a home automation system with multiple TV's, DVD players, and media rooms throughout the house. We can then configure the very same home automation system to simultaneously manage musical selections, distributing both control of music sources and volume levels to LCD keypads placed in as many rooms of the house the owner desires. For this level of sophisticated entertainment, we often recommend that the overworked Houston homeowner invest a bit more in quality downtime by upgrading to a custom designed and installed ILD home automation theatre system replete with options ranging from multi-screen output, high definition projectors, shades automatically responsive to movie start times, and theatre screens that cover entire walls and output surround sound quality equivalent to the best movie houses in town.
As Houston continues to grow and its international business community continues to diversify into new industries and marketplaces, increasing numbers of Houstonians will come to value the uniqueness of a home automation system custom built from the ground up by Illuminations Lighting and Design. After fighting the detours, the heat and humidity, and the traffic jams, don't you deserve the best we have to offer? Contact us today at 713-863-1133 and let us assure you that you do.
Labels: Home Lighting Controls, Home Theater Design, Houston Home Theaters, Lighting and Home Automation, Lutron Homeworks Lighting Controls
AMX is a worldwide leader in advanced control and automation technology for commercial and residential markets. In Houston Texas, Illuminations Lighting Design is the "GO TO" home automation company and authorized dealer for AMX controls.
AMX hardware and software products simplify the way people interact with technology when Illuminations Lighting Design is at the helm. Products such as touch panels, keypads and handheld remotes allow the technicians from ILD to customize resource management tools - as well as making the overall AMX end-user experience intuitive and simple. Let's take a look at one of the most exciting hand held remotes from AMX:
MIO-R4 (FG148-04)LCD TOUCH PANEL DISPLAY
The AMX Mio Modero R-4 Hand Held Remote combines all of the great features of the stylish Mio Modero R-series but is also equipped with a full-color LCD Touch Panel and ZigBee wireless technology, giving it a virtually unlimited coverage area, two-way communication and unlimited control of devices. Signals are transmitted through walls, ceilings, etc. with a range of up to 100 feet indoors (dependent upon conditions); however the R-4's coverage area can be extended to almost any distance by using AMX NetLinx Repeaters. And with ZigBee, any number of R-4s can be used within the same property without interfering with each other.
A TOUCH OF BEAUTY
The R-4's 2.4-inch full-color, active-matrix TFT LCD Touch Panel comes ready to control any device connected to the AMX Control System. It's like having a full-size AMX Touch Panel in the palm of your hand giving you instant system control just by touching any of the animated or static icons on the touch panel. With ZigBee two-way communication, you'll also be able to receive device status confirmation and dynamic lists such as artist, album, song or movie title.
UNLIMITED CONTROL
The R-4 includes 29 hard buttons and 2 LCD touch panel buttons to give the user thousands of options for managing all of the operating functions of each device. In the center of the remote resides a large circular chrome button that acts as a simplified navigation tool - up, down, left, right and select. Positioned adjacent are two square, chrome buttons programmed to change channels and adjust volume levels.
SPECIFICATIONS
2.4" color active-matrix TFT (240 x 320 pixel resolution)Viewing Angle: +/- 60 degree horizontal, +/- 60 degree vertical Display colors: 64K (16-bit color depth)Brightness: 100 cd/m2Contrast: 350:1
PUSH BUTTONS
29 hard buttons, 2 LCD buttons
SUPPORTS
Unlimited number of devices connected to the AMX control system
CUSTOMIZATION
Multiple languages supported for Touch Panel and Engraved Buttons
LANGUAGES SUPPORTED
English
Spanish
French
Italian
German
Many more...
RF TRANSMISSION
ZigBee 2.4 GHz, 2-way network communications
RF TRANSMISSION RANGE
100 feet indoors (extendable using AMX NetLinx Repeaters)
4-WAY BACK LIT SYSTEM
Capacitive Touch
Tilt Switch Push Button Touch Screen
WEIGHT
.65 lbs (25g) with battery
POWER
Mio Modero Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery12-18 VDC Power Supply for recharging battery
DIMENSIONS (HWD)
9.5" x 2" x .74" (241.3mm x 50.8mm x 18.8mm)
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
Operating Temperature: 0 degrees to 50 degrees C
(32 degrees to 122 degrees F)
Storage Temperature: -10 degrees to 70 degrees C
(14 degrees to 158 degrees F)
Home automation, done well, can certainly make your life easier - it can also make your life a lot of fun! Contact Illuminations Lighting today at 713-863-1133 .
Labels: AMX control systems, Home Lighting Controls, Lighting Automation Controls, Lutron Lighting Control Systems
Females traditionally dominate the decorating of a home and males tend to get the garage and outdoors. On everyman's wish list is to have a few areas that is for males only. In his dreams of dreams he would love to have a custom home theater, a four-car garage and a workshop to tinker in. Often one room has to be used for several functions, an office combined with a billiard room and a male only retreat. It is time for the man to come out of his shed!
Here at
Illuminations Lighting Design we specialize in creating environments that men can appreciate and enjoy. You know, a sound system in the cabana, a big screen television in the master bedroom, a dimming control system for the home or just a hand held remote of his own. Our
Cedia certified designers know how to make the man of the house feel like a king!
Men typically want electronic toys and gadgets that are fun to operate. Sometimes dad only uses these toys with the other family members sneaking in to play around. But make no mistake, these are dad's toys and you better not mess them up. Simple to use remotes or
touch screen panels can make even the most complicated
audio/video system a snap to operate.
If you would like us to discuss a home theater design, create a home theater or discuss a special room for you,
contact us at 800-863-1184 or visit our website at
http://www.illuminationslighting.com/.
Labels: Energy Saving Lighting Control, Home Lighting Controls, home theaters, Houston Residential Electrical Contractors, Lutron Homeworks Lighting Controls, Whole House Audio Video
Lutron manufactures two major lines of home lighting controls designed to control lighting at the individual room level. Lutron also engineers whole house lighting control systems, which we will deal with in a separate article on our site. Today’s article focuses only on the two most prominent lighting controls for homes: the Spacer System home light control designed for multiple lighting scene selection, and the GRAFIK Eye preset home light control. Lutron home light control is intended to reflect personal ideals, lifestyle habits, and home entertainment activities, and they are intended to seamlessly integrate into the interior architecture of even the most custom homes.
