Savant Lighting + Pictures

Happy Friday!  

From my last post, I received a few questions about the stairwell lighting and its control functionality.  Originally, I was going to just add a few pictures to the previous post, but it can be hard to explain with just pictures.  Here is brief overview of our Savant lighting and its control function.  I hope this will help answer your questions...but if not...as always reach out to me and I go into greater detail.  

The lights we control via Savant are:

• All Outside Lights
• Living Room
• Dining Room
• Man Cave
• Stairwell
• Kitchen (all)

Savant can be customized to control how little or how many lights your heart desire.  As mentioned in this post, Savant is one of many home automation systems on the market to fully control your home (security, lights, music, television, window shades, etc.).  Check out their site to learn more about the features.  Savant requires an authorized Savant Integrator to get things started for you.  There may also be components that you need to purchase, but again, everything depends on how much you want your Savant system to control.  For example, we thought it would be best to not include rooms like the pantry for lighting automation.  As we enter the pantry, we flip the switch.  Saying that, we do know people who literally do not touch one light switch in their entire home!  So again, as little or as much as you want!!!  

Savant System

The system is controlled via the app on our iPad, cells, and computers.  We decided to use iPads as remotes so there is one in every room with a television.  Using a LaunchPort allows us to have a 'home' for each iPad while charging it as well.  Works great!  There is no need to find a plug to charge your iPad, and because they are logistically located, it makes it easy to grab the 'remote' off the wall and go.  Your iPad will sit inside the LaunchPort sleeve and magnetically attache to the wall holder/charger.    

As I mentioned, the system can control as much as you want!  Savant controls our television and media options as well.  Through the app, you can customize the view with actual pictures of your rooms and create "scenes" for your home.  This is totally up to you and is not needed to work properly.  It just gives an added touch of customization. 

Savant Pro App

iPad charging on wall

LaunchPort magnetic holder/charger

Our Savant rooms in app (pictures taken a while ago, so not the most recent view)

Some of our Savant services

Lighting

For the lighting, specifically the stairwell lighting, we did not add any additional lights to this area.  What we wanted to do (before guests came for the Thanksgiving holiday) is add some path lighting to prevent the possibility of someone falling up or down the stairs.  Now since I am very honest...I have fell both up and down our stairs...a number of times!  LOL  It was funny, but not so funny if your mom or grandmother was to fall.  To help us, we simply added Lutron Occupancy Sensors to both stairwells that would detect motion and turn on the lights to our settings.  With these sensors, you can customize how long you want the light to illuminate and to what brightness percentage.  They also work well with Savant!  I can't remember what percentage we have the lights set now, but originally it was too high.  As soon as we walked near the stairwell from waking, those bright lights would blind us.  A quick adjustment, and we were good to go.  It's also important that while some adjustments can be made by you, others will require the Savant Integrator.  So keep that in mind as you plan your automation.

There could be a service charge if you need the Savant Integrator to visit multiple times. 

As mentioned in this post, we have Lutron switches inside the home for most switches, including the some not on any type of automation schedule.  Legrand is the other brand we've used in the garage, bedrooms, and soon the bathrooms.        

Savant Occupancy Sensor

Standard lighting in stairwell

Lutron switch

Lutron switch options

Lutron switch options

Lutron rocker (pantry)

Lutron switch (lots of colors and textures to pick from)

If you are thinking about adding some automation to your home, my only advice would be to plan out what's important to your needs and build from there.  You can always do things in a phased approach so you can see what works best for you.  It also helps your pockets because as you know, these little projects can add up quickly!  

Have a great weekend!

xoxo