Lighting control
What is lighting control?
At its simplest form, lighting control is turning on or off a lighting fixture. Lighting control is energy control: The simple "toggle" type wall switch in your house is a simple form of lighting control. Where it gets interesting is when we can make any switch in your house control any light in your house--not just turning it on/off, but making it gradually dim or brighten the light (or any group of lights), or turn the light on or off after a preset length of time.
Whole house approach
The whole house approach is when lighting for the entire home is managed by a central system. This type of system was once a luxury only the wealthiest homeowners could afford. However, CentraLite has made this kind of system affordable for the average homeowner. Lighting programs can be designed to manage lighting for different times of the day, special events or occasional occurrences. Often, other devices, such as security systems, cameras, motorized blinds control, etc., are connected to the centralized system.
What can it do?
Want a switch by your bed to turn on every single light in the house? Lighting control can do that. Would you like a switch by your garage door set to turn off the garage lights after three minutes (after you've loaded all the kids in the car, and have pulled out of the garage)? Lighting control can do that, too. With CentraLite products, programs can be saved to manage lighting at different times of the day, special events or occasional occurrences. Additionally, other devices, such as security systems, cameras, motorized blinds control, can be integrated with our lighting systems.
Impact is undeniable
"Lighting is extremely important and easy to take for granted because it's always just there," stated Chris Casson Madden, interior decorating guru, in a recent article for HGTV. "It wasn't until college and I began studying photography did I gain the necessary respect for lighting and realize how it affects not only the look of a person or room, but how it can be used for full dramatic effect to create ambience, mood and mystery."