Smart lighting systems for seamlessly controlled dimming of all lights in a room or house

(20/12/2008)

Whatever your mood, get the lights in your favorite rooms looking their best by putting a lighting control system in charge. Dimming lights, as we all know, is conducive to relaxation and intimacy, particularly after a stressful day. Dimming is commonly available via single-light dimmer switches, but installing rows of dimmer switches to control larger areas is neither attractive nor efficient.

With smart lighting systems installed, seamlessly controlled dimming of all lights in a room or house is simplicity itself. 'Scenes' can be easily set and saved, then effortlessly recalled at the touch of a switch panel or remote control handset.

Small switchplates replace rows of multiple switches, and control entire groups of lights located in the same room or throughout the house. Smart lighting switchplates allow an owner to select sophisticated combinations of lighting events with one key stroke, rather than adjusting half a dozen individual dimmer switches anytime the lighting needs to be changed. This ‘single-touch’ operation affords benefits for every major room in a house.

Switch plates are available in a variety of stylish polished and brushed metal finishes, designed to match existing switchplates and sockets, and many feature an infra-red receiver window to enable control by remote handset unit. The elegant new Eclipse range of switchplates features polished stainless and frosted glass in a contemporary design.

A multipurpose family room is an ideal place to add smart lighting control. Light levels can be dimmed for watching a movie on television, or raised a little for viewing sports programs or children’s cartoons. For reading DVD titles and adjusting equipment settings, the remote allows users to easily raise light levels for a moment. Reading, entertaining friends, or hosting a family gathering can all require different settings for various room lights.

A Futronix Enviroscene 805 dimmer is an excellent choice for this purpose, installed as a whole-house lighting control system, with local switchplates for selecting room lighting scenes. This system can set and recall a generous 20 scenes, fading gently from one scene to the next so the change is subtle to the eye. With scenes easily selectable at the touch of a button, even guests can select ideal mood lighting for any moment. Of course, the supplied infra-red remote control handset can be used to cue lighting scenes from anywhere in the room.

For bedrooms, individual lighting scenes allow for setting scenes for reading, sleeping, romance, cleanup and even lighting a path to the bathroom. Again, the Enviroscene system is perfect for this application. Your master bedroom – as the place where you begin and end your day – is also a logical place to locate a master switchplate for a system that can control all the home’s lights. With an Enviroscene or PFX System installed, every light in the house can be dimmed or turned off from one location before going to bed, leaving preprogrammed security lights switched on. Other bedrooms – such as children’s bedrooms – can also be linked into a Futronix system, providing night-lighting, morning wake-up lighting, and other benefits.

A master bathroom should ideally be a place of retreat and relaxation. Dimmed lights are beneficial for a relaxing bath – and for peace of mind in a wet area, the ideal lighting control is an extra low voltage switchplate linked into a whole-house system based on an Enviroscene or PFX System. This means that there is no live mains power behind the unit to short if water splashes onto the switchplate, while the owner can brighten or dim lights over the vanity, illuminate wall sconces, and dim overall bathroom lighting. Polished stainless switchplates are recommended for bathrooms for ease of maintenance. Lighting in other bathrooms can also be programmed into a Futronix-based whole-house lighting control system to provide similar features throughout the house.

Kitchen areas typically feature fluorescent lighting under countertops, with halogen or low voltage lighting over kitchen or dining table area providing atmospheric lighting for family or intimate dining. A single-room P400 or P800 dimmer can control task lighting for areas requiring bright lighting at sinks, work areas and appliances, with dimmable lighting in snack-bar or dining areas.

A smart lighting control system can evoke the ambiance of a major movie theatre at the press of a button. Futronix digital lighting control systems offer superb solutions for dedicated home theaters, with full dimming and multi-scene capabilities, plus the optional advantages of control of audio and visual systems, screen lifts, drapes and curtains. From opening credits to closing credits, emulate commercial cinemas in every respect – close room drapes, fade lighting in and out, open and close screen curtains, all with appropriate sound effects from the AV systems – then start the movie! All controlled by Futronix digital systems, with integrated control from a single universal remote handset.

The Home-Icon TouchScreen Controller can provide all these features when integrated into a whole-house lighting control system based on Enviroscene or PFX Systems, or a Futronix P-800 dimmer can provide control for a stand-alone home theatre lighting system.

The den or study is a room where daily stress is laid aside for a while, and personal pursuits come to the fore. Such a retreat may well feature hi-fi systems, TV’s or plasma screens, easy chairs, mini-bars and libraries. Dimmed overhead lights and a few soft table lamps can create a soothing ambiance for listening to music, or a brighter scene is conducive to reading the latest news or finishing paperwork. A P-Series dimmer is ideal for lighting these rooms, or control can be integrated into a whole-house system with the Home-Icon TFT Color TouchScreen controller.

Selecting the ideal lighting control system - lighting control systems fall into two main categories – Whole-house or Single-room systems. A whole-house lighting control system – such as the Futronix Enviroscene or PFX System – commands lights throughout an entire home, including outdoor entertaining and garden areas, and security lighting.

The PFX System is one of the most advanced dimming systems available, typically controlling large commercial and hotel lighting installations. When installed in sizable luxury houses, the quiet and reliable PFX manages lighting usage, increases functionality and provides the ultimate in user convenience. The Enviroscene is an affordable intelligent dimming system, ideal for luxury residences and apartments. Built around a range of standard modules, Enviroscene systems are flexible and powerful enough to control lighting for an entire house.

With whole-house lighting control systems, one or more master switchplates may be installed in the main foyer, master bedroom or kitchen, but should be capable of controlling lights in every room of the house. Control of the entire lighting system is also possible, from any room, using any pre-programmed universal remote handset. Whole-house systems are particularly useful in large homes where turning off lights manually before leaving for work or going to bed is a chore. They are also ideal for homes with open floor plans or for those who use the entire house for entertaining, and – in conjunction with in-built timer systems – for creating a realistic impression that a property is occupied during extended vacations.

Related categories:  Lighting control system   Residential