In the last CEDIA Integrated Home Market Analysis, one of the standout findings was that lighting and shading had leaped from comprising 2 to 3 percent of integration companies’ revenue to 12 percent. This dramatic increase reflected a smart home category that had come into its own.
Low-voltage lighting that integrates seamlessly into home automation platforms has allowed integrators to create more holistic environmental controls. Meanwhile, smart shades have gotten more sophisticated with longer battery life and a wide array of design options to suit any aesthetic. Integrators, alongside interior and lighting designers, have leveraged these technologies to create intuitive solutions. Automated lighting and shading can transform a space on command, even supporting more productive waking hours and more restful nights.
Because humans respond to visuals, emerging lighting and shading solutions have an outsized impact on the homeowner experience. Sometimes they’re the main goal of a smart home technology project. The 2023 CEDIA Smart Home Award winners in the Americas region demonstrate a trend in the power of lighting to create exceptional at-home experiences.
Winner for Excellence in Lighting
Historic Music Room by TSP Smart Spaces
This project is unique because it’s a blend of 19th century architecture and innovative smart home lighting. The homeowners wanted lighting that would accentuate the beauty of the room while making it usable for every member of the family. They also wanted to integrate the lighting into their existing smart home infrastructure throughout the 15,000-square-foot property.
The integrator worked with lighting design partner Fourth Dimension Lighting to create a solution that not only illuminated the space, but also highlighted the unique art and architectural details. Using a combination of Lutron Palladiom shades and fixtures, they designed a system that disappeared into and transformed the space. Remarkably, because this project was executed during the Covid-19 pandemic with minimal contact, the lighting designer relied solely on virtual walkthroughs and architectural plans, never stepping onto the property themselves.
TSP Smart Spaces used DMX lighting control to create automated color and brightness levels that adjust and turn off based on time of day. The homeowner can manually set scenes or control the lighting from the Savant Pro App or the Lutron Maestro wall controls. The solution complements the unique features of the space without detracting from the historic aesthetic or damaging the delicate plaster-on-masonry architecture. This investment will allow generations of family members to enjoy this beautiful space without strain.
Highly Commended – Integrated Home – Luxury, Americas Region and Highly Commended – Excellence in Documentation, Americas Region
Beyond Reproach by La Scala
Many luxury homeowners want a technologically sophisticated home with analog aesthetics. When executed to perfection, this combination feels like magic: an environment that subtly changes throughout the day to meet the homeowners’ needs with the inviting warmth of a classic estate.
For this whole-home integration project, La Scala’s aim was perfection in every detail. La Scala provided a full Crestron CLX centralized lighting control system with 100 controlled lighting circuits. The integrator paid meticulous attention to control design, creating custom keypad layouts and occupancy sensor programming to reflect how people move through the space. The keypads are thoughtfully laid out so that when an occupant reaches for one of the Horizon lighting and shading control keypads, their fingers always naturally find the right button. LED feedback colors indicate button states like fan speed, so the occupant never has to guess. In some areas of the house, La Scala deployed custom brass analog switches to better complement the space design.
This attention to detail extends to the way the lights turn on and off. Though lights are set to automatically turn off in unoccupied spaces, it’s a gentle 15-second fade. Brightness settings vary automatically throughout the day. Even the Crestron control panels have automated “light” and “dark” modes so they’re easy on the eyes regardless of ambient light.
Winner for Excellence in Lighting, Americas Region
Loving the Landscape by ETC Florida
The right lighting can also transform a home’s exterior. The owner of this Florida estate charged ETC Florida with giving his home a commercial-quality landscape lighting makeover. Having invested in a spectacular modern property with striking architecture, sumptuous landscaping, and a bold collection of sculptures, he wanted the space to be as stunning at night as it is in the Florida sun.
Highlighting these diverse features was complex. ETC Florida had to assess plant growth patterns to select the proper lighting fixture positions and run infrastructure underneath a driveway to establish lighting options on both sides of the property’s access road. Where they encountered uncrossable boundaries, they used downlights affixed to 50-foot palm trees to illuminate the area.
Ultimately, ETC Florida used 249 Coastal Elite lighting fixtures to take this property from hidden retreat to illuminated oasis, creating the standout visual impact the client was seeking.
The increasing prominence of lighting within the smart home industry isn’t just a statistic; it’s a transformative movement. As demonstrated by the 2023 CEDIA Smart Home Awards, the integration of advanced lighting solutions is an art form that deeply influences homeowner experiences. Integrators, working together with designers, are shaping spaces that cater to the human need for visual appeal and ambiance, ensuring that homes are memorable as well as smart. As the industry continues to innovate, homeowners can expect more stunning transformations that seamlessly merge technology and design.
