Luxury Smart Lighting Control Systems for Custom Homes

Yes. We regularly take over Lutron systems installed by other companies, including situations where the original dealer has retired, closed, or simply stopped returning calls.

We hold Lutron HomeWorks certification, which gives us access to the programming software for older HomeWorks generations. That matters more than it sounds: the design software for HomeWorks Illumination is distributed by Lutron only to HomeWorks certified dealers, so a firm without that certification cannot obtain the tool, let alone open your project file.

The first step on any inherited system is locating and verifying the original project file. A system with its file intact is a straightforward engagement. A system without one is a larger project, and we will tell you that honestly before starting.

HomeWorks is the panelized platform. Dimming modules live in panels, wiring runs back to those panels, and a processor coordinates the system. It is specified on new construction and gut remodels where walls are open, and it scales to whole estates including lighting, shading, keypads, and integration with automation platforms.

RadioRA is the wireless retrofit platform. Devices communicate over Lutron Clear Connect RF, so the system goes into a finished house without opening walls. RadioRA 3 is the current generation and handles substantial homes.

The decision usually comes down to whether walls are open and how large the system is. We assess both against your drawings rather than defaulting to one.

Yes, through whichever platform you already use. HomeWorks works with Amazon Alexa, with Siri through Apple HomeKit, and with Google Assistant. The Alexa integration exposes up to 100 keypad buttons, and a button can be a single light or an entire scene, so one phrase can move lights, shades, and temperature together.

For natural language control, Regent5 is a Josh.AI dealer. Josh.AI handles conversational commands rather than rigid phrases, which is what most people actually mean when they ask for voice control, and it integrates directly with Lutron lighting and shading.

One thing worth understanding: voice sits on top of the scenes we program. The quality of voice control depends on how well the underlying scenes are built. We design the scenes first and expose them to voice second.

Yes. The HomeWorks QSX processor contains Apple HomeKit technology, so Siri controls lights, shades, and scenes directly. On older HomeWorks QS systems, HomeKit support comes through the Lutron Connect Bridge rather than the processor.

Using the Lutron app you select which devices are exposed to HomeKit, up to 150 lights and shades, and those appear in the Apple Home app, in third party HomeKit apps, and to Siri, where they can be built into scenes alongside other HomeKit products. We configure this during commissioning rather than leaving it to you afterward.

Cost depends on the number of controlled loads, whether the house is new construction or a retrofit, how much motorized shading is included, and which keypad line you choose. Palladiom keypads with custom engraving and metal finishes sit well above standard styles, and on a large estate the shading package often exceeds the lighting control package.

Those variables move the number far enough that any figure quoted before we have seen your drawings would be misleading. We price against your actual fixture schedule and plans. Bring your drawings to our San Carlos design center, or send them over, and we will walk you through the options and what each one costs in your house.

Start in the rooms where color actually matters, usually a kitchen, a gallery wall, a dressing area, or anywhere artwork is displayed. Ketra is specified fixture by fixture rather than as a whole house decision, so it is normal to put it where it earns its keep and run standard Lutron dimming elsewhere.

The practical first step is seeing it. We keep two dedicated Ketra rooms in our San Carlos design center where you can watch the same finishes and the same artwork under changing color temperature, which is the only honest way to judge whether it belongs in your house. From there we work from your fixture schedule and ceiling details, and we confirm the lighting will run on HomeWorks QSX so Ketra scenes sit on the same keypads and schedules as the rest of the house.

When installing Lutron keypads, we work from how you actually use each room rather than a standard template. We start with temporary keypads marked up on site, so button assignments are tested in the house before anything is committed. Palladiom keypads are available with custom engraving and metal finishes where the keypad is meant to be seen. Engraved keypads take roughly three to five weeks to arrive, and we install them once they land.

Every keypad style, finish, and engraving option is on display and working in our San Carlos design center. Choosing finish and engraving in person, against the actual fabric and under the actual light, removes most of the revision cycles that otherwise happen after installation.

Lutron luxury lighting systems such as HomeWorks QSX and RadioRA 3 offer a level of performance and customization far beyond standard smart lighting or DIY solutions. These systems provide centralized control of every light in the home, ultra-smooth dimming down to one percent, and direct integration with motorized shades, keypads, and whole-home automation platforms including Savant and Control4. Unlike off-the-shelf products, Lutron systems are professionally designed, commissioned, and serviced, and they are specified around the architecture rather than added to it afterward.

Zigbee and Z-Wave operate their networks a little differently. Zigbee can support far more devices at any given time, while Z-wave is more limited. While both ensure all your smart home devices work together, the small differences are what can help you choose the right system for your home.

Lutron’s RadioRA is designed for a whole home system. The best part about it, is how flexible and scalable the components can be. Finding the right authorized installer is the first step to designing your customized RadioRA system.

When it comes to smart lighting, there’s a lot of options to choose from. We personally love Savant light bulbs, which work seamlessly with the Savant app. Ketra makes a wonderful lighting system, with tons of versatility. Philips Hue is one of the most common smart lighting systems, and comes at the lowest price. Definitely do some research before seeing which one is right for you!