dimmer switch

If you think residential lighting control is only for the rich and famous, it’s time to refresh your view. “Simple, affordable, reliable” is how David Weinstein, vice president of residential sales at Lutron, characterizes the changes in the U.S. lighting control market over the past five years. What was once a custom product category catering to the top one percent of the population has widened to a broad spectrum of wired and wireless offerings ranging from do-it-yourself lighting kits to professionally installed solutions.

Get the Guide

CasaTunes Streaming Servers Does every member in your family share the same taste in music? Probably not. That’s why the CT-3 line of media servers from CasaTunes is so appealing. Each of the CT-3 servers delivers three simultaneous streams of audio, and they provide access to local music on Windows, iTunes, and networked Universal Plug […]

Get the Guide

Technology today is making a bigger impact on our lives than ever before and, in many cases, can establish a green footprint by reducing the amount of energy resources our homes use. Adding electronic systems to use less energy may seem contradictory. But there are many devices available now that can lead to a greener, more energy-efficient way of life. When these devices are combined and integrated with a smart home automation system, a sustainable ripple effect occurs, including positive effects on the environment and your wallet. The following smart home products exemplify how technology can enhance not only the comfort and conveniences in your home, but also make it a greener place to live.

Get the Guide

These in-wall light switches can automated hardwired lights, fans and more using your smartphone.

Get the Guide

One of the core features of any residential lighting control system is its ability to dim the intensity of your home’s lights. Doing so saves electricity, improves your home’s aesthetic qualities, and enhances the overall functionality of the lights. Ordinary dimmer switches are able to accomplish these tasks, but why not invest in a switch with the additional smarts to adjust the brightness of the lights automatically and offer other innovative features? The following 10 dimmers switches (in no particular order of importance) are some of the brightest stars in the home lighting market. Be sure to check them out when you’re ready to swap your home’s old light switches for something smarter.

Get the Guide

The surge in broadband households with Wi-Fi has opened up the possibilities for smart homes in ways not possible before. No longer do you need a wiring infrastructure running from a central controller to switches and keypads throughout the house to enjoy a more connected home. Wireless control via Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and other communications standards makes it possible to start building a DIY system for a couple of hundred dollars. They’re modular, too, so you can expand your system as budget allows.

Get the Guide

Wireless technology and this switch make accessing your Kichler Lighting easier than ever before.

Get the Guide

The oldest and largest category of light source, the incandescent creates light by heating a filament with electricity until it becomes so hot it shines. Incandescent lights waste a lot of energy as most of the electricity used to create illumination escapes in the form of heat. Over the years, numerous innovations have emerged to make incandescent lighting more efficient and to use less power, overall.

Get the Guide

While hiding technology is currently the trend in homes, it wasn’t so long ago that showing it off was de rigueur. “A little over a decade ago, the trend was that people who could afford technology preferred to show it off. They weren’t modest about being ostentatious,” says Mark Hernandez of New York City-based electronics integration firm Cliqk. Yet despite trends, some electronics gear features such incredible industrial design that hiding it would be sinful.

Get the Guide

Is there a particular architectural element of your home that you’d like to show off? Are there parts of the interior design that you find particularly beautiful? Maybe you have a collection of art that you’d like to showcase or an area of interest that demands attention? A lighting control system can ensure that all the favorite parts of your house are never lost in the shadows. They’ll make those features stand out for all to admire by simply illuminating them in a way that draws the eye and accentuates the positive.

Get the Guide