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here’s the 5:08 coming through the hallway.” — Karol Tager, Belle Maison
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signals
ing properly, view it remotely, and have a map
view to see if certain lights are actually on.”
Designers can create multiple preset
lighting layouts or “scenes,” each intended for
a specific activity and zoned for the appropriate location. “Just recently,” says Le May Madden, “we did a lighting layout for a client who
was having a wedding in the gardens, so we
programmed a scene that he would be able to
have for a special event or party.”
By incorporating varied light sources,
colors, and wattages with astronomical clocks,
system settings can dim or brighten throughout the evening as indoor activities and
existing natural light change. “We determine
what lighting will go on initially,” says Le
May Madden, “and as it gets darker, we will
add lighting, so that eventually there’s a full
lighting scene.” Beyond ambience, she notes,
these controlled systems make lighting worry-free. “The owners have a keypad, and all they
have to do is hit a button.”
In today’s environmentally sensitive
framework, consumers are aware that customized systems can also reduce energy use
and light pollution. While street lamps and
blaring parking-lot lights present the bulk of
the problem, residential outdoor lighting also
can contribute, mostly by putting light where
it is not wanted or needed. “Light-pollution
[control] is being considerate of the direction
of light,” says Le May Madden. “I can’t tell
you how many clients have complained about
neighbors’ lighting, whether from glare or reflections that cause light trespass.”
Peter Strasser, senior technical director
for the International Dark-Sky Association
based in Tucson, Arizona, concurs. “A homeowner doing something for light-pollution
control is a gesture, at best,” he says, “but as
far as light trespass and for be-
for more details, ing a good neighbor, it’s a very
see important thing to do.” For him,
resources it is a quality-of-life issue for
homeowners. “Livable ambience, with soft
lighting that creates a friendly, welcoming
space, is the feel you want to have, not excessively bright, glaring fixtures.”
If done well, an outdoor lightscape will
provide security, safety, and beauty. With
controlled systems, energy waste is reduced
and intrusive light won’t bother you, your
neighbors, or nearby stargazers. At last, when
it comes to lighting your home’s exterior, the
sky really is the limit.
