Illuminations Lighting Design’s services and creative solutions will bring a whole new level of living and business experience to clients in any walk of life or occupation. Our goal is to enhance homes and buildings and fill landscapes and interiors with the only thing in existence that occupies space without consuming square footage - light. Contact us so we can create such an experience for your unique reality regardless of industry, vocation, lifestyle, personal tastes, or personal faith.
Electrical Contracting Services
Regardless of the size, age or complexity of your home, the professionals at Illuminations Lighting Design will get the wiring done right the first time. Since 1980, Illuminations Lighting Design has built and nurtured a reputation for unparalleled performance, reasonable rates and fast, friendly service in the demanding custom home market. Our experienced staff of seasoned electrical professionals and licensed electricians are dedicated to providing solid electrical solutions that incorporate innovative Houston home construction techniques and "State of the art" new home wiring methods.
Landscape Lighting Design Services
The average homeowner already has an eye for aesthetic and artistic value; otherwise they would not have invested in a quality home that reflects good taste. Many lighting companies fail to recognize this fact. ILD takes a completely different approach based upon respect for client intelligence. We know that when a client calls our office, that person already has a general vision for landscape lighting design fixed firmly in mind. We then take that general vision and initiate a process where that vision becomes a concrete reality.
Fine Art & Display Lighting Services
Illuminations Lighting and Design services Houston and Greater Texas residents with the very best in display lighting and fine art lighting. Residential art lighting design requires precision and thorough consultation to determine photometric, wattage, and voltage measurements to ensure reliable, safe illumination of creative masterpieces. ILD consultants have proven their value time and again in this respect, and have earned the trust of eclectic communities in both public and private spheres.
When Illumination Lighting and Design wires a new home, we don’t just lay the copper and turn on the lights. We thoughtfully plan and implement the wiring of every new home to meet the needs of daily life and to cover all bases in the event of an emergency. Why not call us today and experience the peace of mind and excellent service we can contribute to your life’s dream?
Illuminations Lighting Design
607 Durham Drive
Houston, Texas 77007-5316
(713) 863-1133 Main Line
(800) 863-1184 Toll Free
(713) 863-0044 Fax
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and residential lighting plans in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.
Labels: Electrical Service, Houston Electrical Construction Experts, Houston Electrical Contractors, houston landscape lighting, Houston Lighting Design Company, Houston Lighting Services
Residential electrical contractors are very different from a commercial electrician because of the enormous differences between homes and commercial environments. Homes are built very differently than office buildings, warehouses, and factories. Wiring in commercial structures always requires insulation in the form of armor coating and pipe conduits.
Homes do not require all of this. As a result, residential electrical contractors use different materials such as low voltage and romex wire for residential service installations. They face different structural challenges, too. In residential environments, you will find a blend of simple and complex challenges. Custom homes with over 5,000 square feet of floor space typically represent the most complex environments. Residential wiring specialists have to have a clear understanding of architecture and construction in order to know how to approach each house as its own unique work environment.
Each set of challenges is relative to the age of the home, its original wiring design, current appliances in use, and indoor and outdoor lighting equipment. All of these things tie into the central hub of the electrical service panel. This panel controls the distribution of power to every electrical system and component in the home. Very few older homes have dedicated circuits, so the first thing a residential electrical contractor will investigate is the age of the house. This will provide an understanding of what service panel upgrades will be required to create more efficient and safe home environment.
This is why we cross train our residential electrical contractors in architectural and construction theory. This helps them understand the many different evolutions that home electrical wiring has undergone over the past few decades. Our electrical service specialists can go to any home in Houston, find out when it was built, and know at a glance what needs to be done to make it fully compliant with current fire codes and energy efficiency standards. Older homes will no doubt need interior light fixture retrofits and dedicated circuits to curb excessive power consumption.
Newer homes are built to be more friendly to energy efficient appliances and lighting. Most are constructed with crawl spaces built into the attic so electricians can move around easier. They are also built with better insulation. New homes now use tankless solutions to generate hot water, and they are built in anticipation of new home wiring runs so there will be minimal cutting of walls and ceilings. Residential electrical contractors who are understand these new building styles can quickly spot the opportunities in non-invasive upgrades and can upgrade your wiring and lighting without making a mess or damaging your home in the process.
Many of the nicest homes in Houston, however, are not that new. Take a drive through River Oaks, Memorial, West University, or Bellaire and you will see many mansion-sized homes that were built in the 50s and 60s. These houses are masterpieces of architecture with wiring that is sorely outdated in many cases. Fortunately, though, our residential electrical contractors know just how to upgrade electrical services in these homes without damaging their structure and diminishing their value.
Typically they begin by getting rid of the old water heater (which is a power hog) and installing a tank less hot water solution. They then look at all important electronic components and systems in the home (such as stereos, computers, home theaters, and HVAC systems) and install dedicated circuits to provide more efficient and stable flow of power to the equipment. Our residential electrical remodeling contractors also install commercial grade surge suppressors to protect your investments against transient power surge, and they install natural gas home generators for permanent, whole-house emergency power backups.
We always offer our clients the options of better house lights and landscape lights to further beautify their homes and yards. These systems consist of primarily low voltage landscape lighting fixtures that do not cost that much to run. Security lights can be installed with to provide you with an extra line of home defense against potential burglars.
Regardless of the nature of the electrical upgrades or electric repairs recommended, we always work with the goal of saving you money on power cost and making your home a safer place to live.
Since 1980, Illuminations Lighting Deign has grown to include a team of over 50 talented and dedicated employees. Specialty divisions have been created to focus on such disciplines as lighting design, electrical contracting, landscape lighting and home automation. Having specialists in each of these disciplines, while remaining true to the mission of offering home owners the "complete picture" of lighting design, is key to continued success at Illuminations Lighting.
We invite you to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 or locally at 713-863-1133. We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and house lighting plans in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Labels: Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston Electrical Panel Upgrades, Houston Electrical Repairs, Houston Emergency Backup Generators
What is Residential Transient Voltage Surge?
It is a spike in electrical voltage that exceeds 2000V and 100 amperes in current. There have been a number of documented instances where TVS has been as high as 20,000 volts and has exceeded 2,000 amps in current. You can only imagine how devastating this can be to anything electronic in your house.
What causes TVS?
Transient voltage surge is precipitated by two categories of causes.
Lightning
When it strikes high power lines or transformers, it can travel up to 3 miles with enough force to destroy every major appliance in the home. While this is a major cause for concern, it is not the only concern to consider when gauging the level of protection needed to protect home electronics. Many forms of equipment can cause power fluctuations that will similarly damage sensitive electronics, climate control systems, and data lines coming into the home.
Electrical devices
Many devices in your home can actually cause transient voltage surge. The electric motors in refrigerators and air conditioners can precipitate an incident. Ballasts in fluorescent lights can trigger it. Even portable power tools can trigger TVS. Perhaps the most overlooked, but nevertheless common cause is faulty wiring in the home circuit panel.
Lightning has never struck near my home, but I do have many of the devices you have mentioned. How can I find out of any of them are causing TVS?
Relatively low power surges often damage equipment rather than destroying it outright. You may notice high performance equipment that is supposed to perform at exceptional standards suddenly experiencing unexplained downtime or a noticeable drop in quality. This often occurs high-end stereo and television equipment, but you may also notice it in your AC, your kitchen appliances, your phone system, or your computer and peripherals.
What do I do if I see clear evidence of transient voltage surge?
Do not try to troubleshoot it yourself. Investigating circuitry can be dangerous, or perhaps even deadly, without extensive training and experience in electrical engineering. Call Illuminations Lighting and Design and request a visit from one of our licensed electrical experts. We will run a series of tests on your home circuit panel and compile a quality assessment report on your home wiring. If we find any problems, we will recommend a professionally configured, custom-installed home surge suppression system.
That already sounds expensive. Why can I not just install AC surge suppressors on all my equipment and appliances?
There are two reasons not to do this. First, the average retail AC suppressor cannot withstand the power of a full-on assault from something like a lightning strike. Second, not everything in your house runs on an AC circuit. Your phone and data lines, for example, are different types of circuits that can and will blow out from TVS.
How expensive do you think it will be to lose your computer, all of your data, your television and stereo, and possibly your AC system all on the same bad day?
What type of surge suppressors do you recommend then?
Commercial, specification grade surge suppressors are the most reliable protection for your home. Many different types and sizes exist to protect the many types of circuits that constitute the entirety of your home electrical network. Our work as electrical engineers consists of matching the most appropriate suppressor to a specific circuit type, power load, or device type to ensure maximum protection. This layering of multiple device types is called whole house surge suppression and is an electrical design specialist of Illuminations Lighting and Design.
Contact Illuminations Lighting Design (713) 863-1133 and schedule an onsite evaluation of how to best protect your home and electronics investments. Labels: Advanced Electrical Installations, Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston Residential Surge Protection, Transient Surge Protection Systems, Whole House Surge Protection
To get superior results when lighting your art collection, we recommend you obtain your art lighting fixtures and art lighting design services from ILD. The type of equipment we provide is high-end, sensitive, and requires considerable technical and design expertise to select, install, and maintain the appropriate high quality art lighting fixtures.
Our first priority is to make sure that your artwork lighting fixtures are performing at optimal levels. We have seen, in many cases that the integrity of some lamps will gradually deteriorate and depreciate. On MR16 lamps, for instance, this degradation causes color to shift either to the red or green end of the spectrum. People typically do not notice this shift, because the change is so subtle and gradual that their eyes adjusted to the change daily without ever consciously being aware of the deterioration. It is for this reason that we recommend you have a trained professional periodically examine your artwork lighting and test your equipment for this deterioration and upgrade to a better, more efficient replacement when necessary.
Many times as well, we run across clients who have installed high voltage art lighting fixtures. This is often done by people who purchase retail-grade equipment themselves and hire an electrician to install it. The problem with high voltage equipment is that it does not have the same lamp selection as line voltage fixtures use for fine art lighting applications. Low voltage lights generally have better beam control, far less UV radiation, and consume much less power than high voltage equivalents.
If you upgrade now, you will start saving you money on electrical costs in two respects. Cooling costs will be lower if the room temperature remains at a lower constant. Power bills will also decrease because there is less electricity consumed by the lamps themselves.
Low voltage recessed art lighting equipment has become so effective that manufacturers now make a plethora of art lighting fixtures in low voltage models. Everything from optical framing projectors, eyeball fixtures, recessed art lights, pinhole lights, and even track lights can now be obtained in low voltage models. We advise that if you are using any high voltage lights that you upgrade now to more current, more energy efficient low-voltage fixtures. You will both recover your investment through power cost savings, and you will be able to light your paintings for longer periods of time without fear of heat buildup. For those with track lights, you can even upgrade the fixtures without having to replace the track itself.
Because so many of the systems we service have been not really been strategically designed, but instead piece mealed over time, it is not unusual for us to encounter a mixture of specification grade and retail grade art lighting fixtures in a single room. As a professional lighting design firm that maintains a relationship with art lighting manufacturers, we are always happy to help our clients select and replace inferior grade products with high-end upgrades. This saves corporate art consultants and art curators a tremendous amount of money in cumulative replacement costs. Specification grade fixtures usually feature a longer lamp life and a more predictable performance curve. By upgrading the entire system now, you will only spend money in the form of a onetime purchase. Over time, you will get money back through the savings you accumulate by minimizing constant equipment replacements.
We always save our clients money by giving them as much direct control as possible over their picture lighting fixtures by installing lighting control systems. Lighting control can be placed completely in the hands of the end user and combined with other light sources in the building to create scenes and added convenience. ILD represents a number of home automation control manufacturers whose advanced, whole house lighting control technologies will allow you to set any light level you wish for both groups of lights and individual lights. This creates a multiplicity of luminance layers and effects.
Both specification grade art lighting fixtures and advanced technical services are much more affordable when managed under an interior lighting maintenance service agreement. Both curators and private art collectors can depend on receiving all of the above benefits more consistently and at better labor rates with a marginal investment in consistent, periodic visits by an Illuminations art lighting designer.
ILD is a premier fine art lighting company in Houston Texas. We have worked for and lighted some of the world’s most prestigious public and private art collections including works from renowned artists such as Chagall, Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Rockwell, Salvador Dali and Rembrandt. By calling upon the most innovative artwork lighting techniques in the world, you can rest assured that your treasured pieces will shine as brightly as the artist’s true vision. Visit our testimonials page for customer feedback.
Simply stated, our staff is Illuminations Lighting Design's greatest asset. We are fortunate as an electrical contractor to have built such a highly skilled workforce of craftsmen and mechanics who enjoy what they do. Working with integrity and efficiency, they will treat your home with respect while ensuring the job gets done right. Their pride, persistence, quality and determination are the hallmark of Illuminations Lighting Design's tradition.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and lighting design in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.
You can reach us toll free at 800-863-1184 or locally at 713-863-1133. Labels: Art Lighting Consultants, Artwork Lighting Experts, Custom Art Lights, Fine Art Lighting Equipment, Houston Electrical Contractors, Phantom Contour Projectors
Illuminations Lighting and Design offers employment and job opportunities for Houston, Texas journeyman and apprentice electricians with outstanding skills in communications, superb creative design ability, and demonstrable computer literacy. Unlike staffing-agency or temporary employment in Houston, TX, Illuminations Lighting Design recruits and hires direct.
As a multi-disciplinary electrical, landscape lighting, and home automation consulting firm, Illuminations Lighting Design develops highly individualized, custom lighting, electrical design, and home automation systems for upscale residential and commercial clients throughout Houston, Texas.
About Illuminations Lighting
We are an exceptional organization looking to add impeccable personnel that will both develop within our team and later work to develop our team. Employment opportunities currently exist in each of our five major disciplines as well as other areas within the company.
Employment Contact Us Form
Home Automation Technician
Residential Apprentice Electrician
Residential Journeyman Electrician
Residential Service Electrician
Tree Climber
Warehouse & Assembly
Houston Electrical Jobs
We want to educate you and train you (on our dime, with your investment of reasonable time) in an area of specialization that you can then offer service to our community of clientele.
Trabajos Electricia en Houston
Journeyman Landscape Electrician
Audio Visual Employment
Electrical Construction Jobs
Empleo habil de Comercio
Skilled Trade Employment
Electrical Technician Jobs
Moving from one of these cities to Houston Texas?
Austin Texas
Beaumont Texas
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Illuminations Lighting and Design offers a wide array of outstanding benefits in addition to generous pay and potential to advance employment. The Houston, Texas Medical Center and its world-famous treatment and care lie within the reach of every single staff member. We have medical and dental benefits and provide paid sick leave for every person, regardless of position or rank. All Houston, Texas employment opportunities at ILD include company-paid training in product development and installation, and every position rewards dedication and labor with paid vacations and merit-earned pay.
We invite you to view all the specific job postings in each of our five major disciplines, and contact us today. Call us at 713-863-1133 or toll free at 800-863-1184. Employment in Houston, TX has never been brighter than it is today at Illuminations Lighting and Design.
Labels: Electrical Job Openings, Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston Texas Employment Opportunities, Landscape Lighting Jobs, Skilled Employment Houston Texas
Your yard and landscape are just as much a part of your home as your house, so planning your landscape lighting should be done with as much care as you have taken to light your home’s interior. Covered patios and porches, and outdoor entertaining areas may need indoor lighting techniques such as recessed down lights and wall box dimmer controls that allow you to adjust light levels, show off the structure, and make your home a lighting gallery. Setting the tone between the threshold of your home lighting plan and your outdoor lights in such a manner will establish the conceptual and emotional foundation of your design plan that will then extend into the green, open landscape of your yard.
You should develop a landscape lighting plan that uses a combination of light and shadows.
Homeowners often mistakenly think that shadows are a bad thing when planning a lighting design. They believe the purpose of lighting is to get rid of all the dark spots in an area. The opposite is really true. Landscape lights best used to create a healthy balance between light and shadow. Depending on the degree to which you vary the contrast of these two elements, you can create all sorts of luminary effects and differing states of mind. Bathing dark places in your yard in soft ambient lighting mimics the effects of moonlight and is highly romantic. Outdoor path lighting provides a visual aid to trip hazards and other obstacles in the garden. Up lighting ornamental statuary and structures will help create an elevated sense of emotion apropos to outdoor parties. Hidden lighting inside shrubbery and flower beds will create a mystical effect where objects seem to glow with a light of their own. How you plan your outdoor garden lighting will really depend in the end on how you plan to feel when you look out of your window at night, or entertain family and guests outdoors. Begin by evaluating plant materials, flower beds, trees, and gardens. These are elements that create shadow, and they make for excellent guidelines to follow when laying down the basics of an outdoor custom home lighting system.
Think of layering the light when you are developing a plan for illuminating your landscape.
ILD landscaping lighting professionals recommend four distinctive layers of luminance, some of which will distinctly overlap one another; and others of which will blend and synthesize together. Every landscape lighting design is different and has to be planned around the unique dimensions of a yard and its contents. Fountains, sculptures, rock formations, bridges, and ornamental structures provide ideal accent and feature lighting opportunities. Tree lighting with mercury vapor tree lights creates pools of artificial moonlight, and is a favorite design theme among ILD clientele. Depending on the overall mood you wish to create, any number of light fixtures types can be used to light these objects. You may want to install fixtures that are completely hidden and only illuminate objects of interest, or you may go the other route and use highly visible, decorative lights that add an additional aesthetic to your yard. If you are unsure of what type of fixtures to use, call an outdoor lighting contractor like Illuminations Lighting Design and request a consultation with one of our professionals who can explain the benefits of specialty commercial grade fixtures made especially for what you have in mind.
Illuminations Lighting Design is the only "One Stop" destination for lighting design, engineering, landscape lighting services and installation in the state of Texas, and remains unrivaled by any lighting firm in the United States for lighting that is art. As homes grow larger and needs become more complex, having a single resource provides home owners with peace of mind. This translates into a smoother process, reduced costs and a better product.
Where is your landscape lighting design studio located?
We are located in the heart of Houston just west of Downtown at the corner of Durham Drive and Blossom Street, which is located between Memorial Drive and Washington Avenue in the Rice Military Subdivision.Although we are located in Houston Texas we 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 713-863-1133 or 800-863-1184, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.
Labels: Austin Landscape Lighting, Houston Electrical Contractors, Landscape Lighting Consultants, Landscape Lighting Professional, Landscape Outdoor Lighting, Planning Landscape Lighting
Illuminations Lighting and Design offers the Houston Home Construction company a subcontract resource in home wiring, home controls, and home lighting that is multi-dimensional and multi-specialized across the board. Working with ILD can make both the architect’s and the general contractor’s job much easier, because there are several things we can do under their invoice that can fulfill the most robust demands of the particular and eclectic Houston homeowner.
Houston Home Construction Companies can subcontract ILD for advanced electrical wiring services.
Custom homes normally feature very spacious floor plans and ornate interior lighting designs. They also tend to house very expensive audio-visual equipment and top-of-the-line appliances. This equipment requires dedicated circuits be installed in order to power and protect it from power fluctuations and surges. Home theater and whole house audio, for example, are rising in popularity and require both dedicated circuits and sophisticated controls to operate. The best time to install these systems and control is when the new home is built. Many residents also want to have Lutron lighting controls and home automation networks installed in their new home when it is built. Houston construction companies can bring in our new home wiring and home automation team for any and all of these projects.
Houston Home Construction Companies can contact ILD to install sophisticated power protection and backup systems.
Houston home construction companies must safeguard electrical components and lighting equipment with backup power systems that will not only protect home equipment in the event of a power failure, but also maintain basic home functionality in the time of a crisis. Whole house surge suppression is the homeowner’s best line of defense against power surges. It will protect the circuit panel and the interior wiring from overload in the event of a power surge. If the entire neighborhood suffers from a blackout, the home needs a second line of defense—the electrical generator. We install any number of electrical generator types and sizes in new homes that will power a portion of the home or even the entire home itself for a reasonable period of time until inclement weather passes or the municipal power grid is restored.
ILD partners with Houston Home construction companies to give the builder’s clientele the very best interior lighting systems possible.
Custom home owners choose the very best floor plans in order to live the most eclectic and personalized lifestyles possible. The home is a sacred retreat from the traffic jams and busy pace of Houston office life and therefore very much a personal, private space. Home construction companies may contract ILD to design and install house lighting systems that make both the exterior of the house and the interior of the living space shine with a light that is special and unique to the lifestyle of the homeowner. Our access to all types of specification grade fixtures, along with proprietary art lighting and display lighting fixtures, makes us a one-stop resource for any Houston home construction company or interior design firm that is called upon to develop a new living experience with light.
ILD will integrate and/or automate home systems at the request of the construction company.
As the complexity of new home architecture increase, the many subsystems that make a house into a home require both more advanced controls and more integrated functionality. For example, a whole house audio system needs to be connected to a network that will not only control the choice, distribution, and volume for the music, but will also create complimentary lighting that compliments the mood and tempo of the selection. This is tantamount to a technological integration of sensory experience that requires sophisticated lighting and home theater control systems to be installed and wired properly. Many homeowners would rather minimum of automation for these controls, choosing to rely upon manual controls to choose their own system settings. Still others prefer that their home construction company build their residence with as much automation as possible. In either case, ILD home system integration experts can fulfill these requirements under the umbrella of the general contractor.
Houston landscapers and construction companies can come to ILD for advanced and cost effective Landscape Lighting Design.
The architecture of most custom homes is very ornate and often reminiscent of earlier historical periods and/or classic motifs. Ideally, the surrounding property this architectural uniqueness as much as possible, and it should strive to unify the presentation of the dwelling with the geometry, balance, and aesthetics of Nature itself. Lighting is essential to creating this unity, as house lights and landscape lights can be balanced and timed in such a way as to create an outdoor living experience equivalent to that within the home. Houston home construction companies who are building new houses on large lots are encouraged to consider our landscape lighting services as a finishing touch to architecture, wiring, and home lighting customization.
Proven Success
For 27 years now, ILD has worked with Houston home construction companies and home remodeling firms to help the custom homeowner enjoy the most technologically sound and aesthetically pleasing home lighting and control systems possible. Our staff has been cross trained in landscaping, art theory, interior design, and basic principles of architecture and is intended to function hand in glove with the general contract invoice any Houston home construction firm. Call us at 800-863-1184 today to talk about your next project.
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.Labels: Electrician Jobs Houston Texas, Home and Garden Landscape Lighting, Home System Integration, Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston Home Construction, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor
Why is home system integration necessary?
Today’s large, custom homes feature complex floor plans and sophisticated electrical systems that makes it all but impossible to conveniently control the many sub systems within a home from multiple access points. The sheer size of some homes precludes the convenience that smaller homes offer of having all controls located in the kitchen or living room. Eclectic architecture and advanced electronics require a central controller with a variety of touch panel and remote controls that give the homeowner access to lighting, climate control, security, and audio visual equipment from any point in the house, at any time.
AMX home system integration combines the benefits of technology with the convenience of human thought and command and brings a number of unique, specific benefits to today’s eclectic homeowner.
How does home system integration control audio/visual equipment?
ILD home lighting control and electrical specialists install AMX touch panels throughout the home, creating multiple zones of distributed audio and video. This creates separate, customized A/V environments, each one of which is unique to a particular area of the home. In the living room, for example, we can program audio distribution feeds to play soft music in the background of conversation. In the home theater, we can program the system to supplement the score and/or soundtrack of the movie with appropriate background music. For parties and celebrations, we can program the system to play music from a particular era, or music of a particular type favored by the majority of the guests.
How can AMX home system integration make my home more secure?
By combining the ability to see an approaching stranger, dialogue with the stranger from a point of safety, allow/disallow access to the home, and notify authorities if necessary. ILD can configure the system to automatically control shades, doors, and gates at certain times of the day and night. Security camera surveillance monitors the property and alerts you when someone approaches the front gate. The phone system can be linked to the intercom to allow the homeowner to question the visitor before deciding whether or not to grant access. One touch control panels placed in secure areas of the home can either be used to grant access or notify authorities to the presence of an intruder.
This is all well and good, but I travel too much to make much use of this convenience.
AMX home system integration is built with the travelling homeowner or owner of multiple houses foremost in mind. You can access any residence remotely over the Internet to communicate directly with their AMX technology. When you are travelling, you can log in and monitor their home from a hotel or a laptop with Wi-Fi connectivity. If you own more than one house you can manage all of your properties throughout the day through this technology.
Does home system integration offer control over home lighting?
Yes. We can set your system up so that the same set of lighting fixtures can generate very different lighting levels and effects with AMX controllers. Everything from relaxed evening lighting, romantic mood lighting, and bright lights for family gatherings and celebrations can be accessed with one touch convenience.
Can I control my HVAC system through home system integration controls?
You can either control HVAC operations directly or have the system automate its activities for maximum efficiency. AMX home system integration allows homeowners to do exactly that. ILD professionals can pre-program the system with settings that reflect individual preferences in temperature and ventilation. Different settings can be created for different rooms of the house, keeping costs at a minimum in rooms that are used less frequently than others. The system can also monitor each room in the home and make sure that the desired temperature is maintained.
What can you tell me about your lighting design firm?
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.
Where are you guys located?
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.Labels: AMX Lighting Control Systems, Home Automation Specialists, Home System Integration, Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston System Integrators, Lutron Homeworks Lighting Controls
Why should I install eco-dimmers when I already have a lighting control system?
You will have greater flexibility with your lighting control system. Dimmers allow you to manually intervening in the pre-programmed lighting sequences and make fine-tuned adjustments at will. You can either do this to achieve more specific ambiance suitable to a certain special occasion, or you can manipulate lighting levels to blend with natural light coming in through your windows. Dimmer controls in the kitchen, for example, allow you to set lighting levels to a soft glow that compliments the growing light of the rising sun. If you are hosting a party in the dining room, you might want to dim the lights for a special moment, such as blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. It is even possible to control the entire house with a more sophisticated lighting control system.
Install a dimmer in your kitchen, for example, and you can brighten lights at breakfast or when preparing meals, and lower them to catch up with your family over an evening snack. In the bathroom, a dimmer means you don't have to begin your morning routine in full bright light, but rather in a soft glow to help you ease into your day. Dim the lights in your dining room or living room you can create the perfect atmosphere for entertaining friends.
How do dimmer controls work?
Incandescent and halogen bulbs produce light by passing current through a thick metal wire called a filament. When the filament heats up, it produces light. This is not the most efficient way to produce light, and it has its drawbacks. A great deal of current has to go into the filament to heat it to this level, and the heat itself deteriorates the filament over the course of time.
Dimmers actually interrupt the current to prevent as much heat, and therefore light, from being produced. This happens to fast for the eye to see, so the rather than the light going on and off, it simply appears to emit less illumination. If you are remodeling or involved in new home wiring, now is a good time for considering a Lutron dimming system.
How much energy does a dimmer switch save?
Dimmers on the average have saved people a minimum of 5% on electrical costs. New eco-dimmers by Lutron have improved this minimum considerably. With the new Lutom home lighting control dimmers, you can expect to reduce your electrical consumption, and therefore power bills, by a minimum of 15%.
If you are using older model dimmer controls, consider the fact that upgrading to new eco-dimmers will rapidly recover your investment through additional savings.
How much money can I save with eco-dimmers?
Lutron estimates approximately $40.00-$150.00 per dimmer over a 5-year period. Of course, this number varies on how many bulbs you control with the dimmer, the type of lighting control system you install, how often you have your lights on, and the degree to which you dim them.
Are there green benefits to using eco-dimmers?
Yes. By regulating incandescent lights more efficiently, eco-dimmers reduce CO2 emissions. In fact, if every home in the U.S. had only one Lutron wall box dimmer installed, it would eliminate CO2 emissions equivalent to that of 370,000 vehicles.
Landfill waste is also reduced thanks to eco-dimmers, because they will extend bulb life up to 10 years.
Is a dimmer difficult to install?
No, it does not take advanced electrical installation skills. but it is best to have a professional install your dimmers in conjunction with a lighting control or home system integration network. Contact ILD for a free evaluation on which of our many system integration packages will best meet the needs of your home and lifestyle.
Where are your main offices?
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 713-863-1133, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.
Labels: Energy Saving Switches, Houston Electrical Contractors, Lutron Dimmer Switches, Lutron ECO-DIM Home Lighting Controls
What does home decorative lighting accomplish?
Indoor decorative lighting enhances the interior features of your home without overpowering the general, functional lighting you require for daily life and home security. Within your home’s interior, decorative lights should accentuate key elements of interior design and distinguish works of art and specialty displays with an aura of significance. Interior decorative lighting can also be used to create positive emotions and states of mind by complimenting special activities, celebrations, relaxation, and home entertainment. Lighting controls and dimmers are important elements of interior decorative lighting because they allow for multiple themes and effects to be created with a single group of fixtures.
What should I look for in a home interior lighting designer?
Find a company that knows interior design, first of all. Because the interior of a home contributes so much to the essence of a person’s unique, individual lifestyle, lighting designers should start by assessing the home’s existing interior. The dimensions of any given room and its respective furnishings should be studied to locate patterns of symmetry, pattern, and color. The design and height of the ceiling is also crucial to home decorative lighting because it functions as a dual source of both direct light and indirect light.
Are fine art and display lighting considered decorative lighting?
Yes, but they should be treated as separate elements from the rest of the home interior and be lit with specialty art lights and display lights. Display cases for collectibles and fine art require special fixtures, lenses, and lamping configurations to effectively light the subtleties of fine oil paintings, rare antiques, and special edition collector’s hardbacks. Recessed art lighting fixtures must also have special UV and infrared filters to protect oils and canvases from the harmful effects of invisible light. As a general rule, retail picture lights do a very poor job of dissipating heat and should be avoided. We recommend using either recessed halogen lights with UV filters or a specialty art projector for filtered, adjustable light. Display lights also need to be adjustable in order to balance with general lighting in the room. The best display lights are typically linear light strips with lighting control system that allow light levels to be controlled at will by the homeowner.
What else can decorative lighting be used for?
Home decorative lighting plays a major role in establishing a positive frame of mind. Every home has certain rooms that are used for special tasks, and other areas used specifically for relaxation and entertainment. The den or bedroom is a preferred reading place. The kitchen and adjoining dining area is usually favored for social gatherings and festivities. The bathroom is the mainstay for personal grooming. The home theater is the place for high-tech escape from the mundane drudgery's of society. These are but a few examples of what we mean here by activity-specific locations that create a unique mindset in a person. Every one of these locations is also prime real estate for interior decorative lights. LEDs are excellent home theater lighting and supplemental reading lights, and they use only 20% the electricity as incandescent fixtures. Cabinet and under cabinet lights in kitchens can cast a special glow over the counter top for a cooking demonstration, birthday party, or wedding celebration. Cove lights in living rooms, foyers, and kitchens can shine light up the walls wrap around the edges of the ceiling, replacing dark shadows with ambient fields of radiance.
How many decorative lights do I need?
You don’t need that many actual decorative lighting fixtures if you install a Lutron Grafik Eye system. Lighting control systems allow for the same basic group of decorative home lights to produce multiple lighting levels and special lighting effects. With user friendly wall box dimmers and hand held remotes, you can highlight part of the room, all of the room, or create any mood you wish with selective control of specific fixtures. Pre-programmed themes can also be loaded for one-touch lighting control.
How can I learn more about decorative lighting techniques?
Click here to read more about Houston home improvement remodeling, home electrical generators, advanced electrical installations and lighting design services by Illuminations Lighting and Design.
Where are your main offices?
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 713-863-1133, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.Labels: Advanced Electrical Installations, Home Decorative Lighting, Houston Electrical Contractors, Lighting Designers Houston
