Simplifying Life Through Technology

Lighting Design Vs. Lighting Control

• SoundVision LLC

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On this episode of “SoundVision Tech Talks,” Mark, Eric, and Andrew sit down to discuss the difference between Lighting Design and Lighting Control.

Great lighting doesn’t call attention to itself, it simply makes your home feel right. Comfortable. Balanced. Effortless. But that feeling doesn’t come from fixtures alone. It comes from the relationship between lighting design and lighting control. In this episode, we break down what those terms really mean. 

Lighting control is about how you interact with your lights: keypads, dimmers, scenes, and automation. Lighting design is about where light comes from, where it lands, and how it supports the way you live in a space. On the control side, we compare wireless systems and panelized lighting, discuss keypad strategy, and address the practical benefits of consolidating switch banks into clearly labeled, scene-based interfaces. 

On the design side, we break down layered lighting and explain how reliance on recessed downlights flattens spaces and creates glare. We discuss ambient levels, task lighting angles, accent placement for texture and art, and decorative fixtures that enhance the room. We walk through how thoughtful lighting transforms everyday spaces. Kitchens and bathrooms get special attention, including smarter recessed layouts, shadow-free counter lighting, face-side illumination, and low-level night scenes that improve usability and comfort.

We also cover human-centric lighting concepts such as color temperature tuning and circadian considerations, common causes of flicker in residential projects, and strategies for retrofitting existing homes without invasive construction. Real-world examples include backlit architectural materials, motion-triggered night paths, and knowing when fewer fixtures deliver a better result.

This episode reinforces a simple idea: control simplifies interaction, design defines performance. When both are planned with intention, the result is a lighting system that looks refined, functions effortlessly, and supports the way people actually live.

Key Topics:

  • Defining Lighting Control vs. Lighting Design
  • Wireless vs. Panelized Control Systems
  • Keypad Strategy and Switch Reduction
  • Layered Lighting Fundamentals
  • Fixture Placement and Design Intent
  • Circadian Considerations and Night Modes

To learn more about Lighting:

https://www.svavnc.com/lighting

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Contact Us Today:  (704) 696-2792 Ext. 1 | Info@svavnc.com | soundvisionlkn.com

SPEAKER_00:

My three and three buddy is in here today.

SPEAKER_02:

That's ridiculous and it doesn't make any sense.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um Houston saved me from being in the bottom of the barrel by myself.

SPEAKER_00:

So uh I actually I only I I did watch the Panthers game and then I watched parts of the other games. I think I saw the end well, I definitely saw the end of the Buffalo game. I definitely saw the end of the Philly San Francisco game. Uh I did not see one second of the Patriot uh uh game, which was awesome because it sucked.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, and then except for one sack was absolutely amazed. The guy came right through the middle, wrapped up Herbert, nobody was around, wrapped up, slammed him to the ground. Like it was it was a pinnacle sack. That was the best point of that game.

SPEAKER_00:

Throwing him around like a rag doll. Yes, Rocky Four reference. Um yeah, so I like the last night. The I I I was watching the hurricanes, and then after before going to bed, I was watching a football game. It was not even like a game. I mean, the Steelers suck, they're terrible. I mean, I thought the Panthers are Panthers are terrible. No offense, Panthers. But the but uh like we're mildly they're just not maybe they're good, but not competitive with Houston because it was embarrassing.

SPEAKER_02:

The only reason Houston won was their defense, their offense did absolutely nothing last night.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow, and we are so so we watch so I watch the all the Keynes games and we have a group chat with about six or seven of us, and one of us, one of the guys is a buddy of mine from high school, college, and he's uh just a humongous football fan. Also use cage fan. So, like during the the Keynes chat, he goes, by the way, football update. And he says, I'm sorry, uh it's shit. I just forgot his name. Who's the quarterback for Houston?

SPEAKER_02:

For Houston is um oh god.

SPEAKER_00:

The guy we were supposed to draft, yeah. Uh Michael Pennick, I know he's in Awana.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm I'm trying to think of um Sh uh sh no, not Schab.

SPEAKER_00:

He's from Ohio State.

SPEAKER_02:

Whatever his name is doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_00:

Good man. He's like uh he's uh he's fumbled four times, he's lost two of them, he's thrown an interception. I'm like, wow! Well, at least it's exciting.

SPEAKER_02:

There his center was throwing the ball willy-nilly. Like a lot of the fumbles were not him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. At one point he was standing there and the ball came winging past his head. He wasn't even like doing a count. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00:

Anyways, yes. That's not what we're in here for, uh, Andrew. No, you need to you need to take control, big dog. You need not let us just go willy-nilly. Throwing him around like a ragdoll. You're having fun. Have you seen Rocky Four? You've never seen Rocky Four? No. Would is it probably was not no no, it's that I'm gonna say something and I know I'm wrong when I say it. It is not the movie that brought into basically a movie is just a a uh music video. Because there was a lot of 80s movies, Breakfast Club and stuff like that, where the music is not only integral, it was like almost like you were watching a video during the movie. It's the montage. It's the it's the montage, yes. Yes, but I think Rocky Four took it to like an completely different level because I can't remember another movie before it that it was essentially like 70 to 80 percent of the movie is played behind music that you know makes it feel like it's a video. Is that fair?

SPEAKER_02:

I'm trying to remember which one four is.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh Ivan Drago, I must be. That's four? Yeah, that's four.

SPEAKER_02:

But yes, I agree wholeheartedly that was the greatest montage in the history of 80s movies.

SPEAKER_00:

And if you and that is a workout scene at least worth seeing. Man, I don't well, you know what's funny about that movie, and since you haven't seen this, Andrew, and you're looking like you're so interested in me about to tell you this. In that movie, one of the one of the the the sort of the things, it was very political, and one of the things was Ivendrago, um Dolph Lundgren is Russian, and behind the scenes, the it's like he's taking steroids, but like they're saying he's all natural and everything, right? And then there's this one scene where they have like a needle and it's going into his arm, you know, like the needle steroid thing. And I'm thinking, that's hilarious because Stallone's been on steroids for like 65 years. I mean, talking about hypocritical. So, and another little one aside, then we got to move on. But um, in that movie, one thing that did happen, I don't know if you know this. Uh, Dolph Lundgren actually knocked out Stallone. He had to go to the hospital. He was in the hospital for like a week or two or something. I did know that, yep.

SPEAKER_02:

He hit him so hard.

SPEAKER_00:

He hit him so hard, he literally knocked him out. Damn.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Get control of this train, Andrew.

SPEAKER_02:

I feel like there's like two people in this company you can get control of, Mark, and you're not one of them.

SPEAKER_00:

That is not true. Which one are we doing first?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh let's start with lighting control and lighting design.

SPEAKER_00:

Andrew sounds way excited right now. Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, can't you tell? I can. Um, okay.

SPEAKER_02:

This seems like a rushed endeavor.

SPEAKER_00:

A rushed endeavor.

SPEAKER_02:

Because I was brought into this this morning, and then 15 minutes ago, Michelle didn't like the content. So it just it to me, it just seems like this is a not ready situation if I've ever seen one.

SPEAKER_00:

No, we're just gonna do one. We'll just do one, see how it goes. Okay. We're just in the boys' club room right now. Dog pound. Metro Bistro.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh god. Okay. So we're gonna discuss today the difference between lighting control and lighting design. Um some key points we have so basically it's focusing on um fixtures.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, no, we got it. We're good. Just let us roll.

SPEAKER_01:

Let's talk lighting then, guys.

SPEAKER_00:

So today we are very excited because we have our design engineer, Eric Bassingwaite. Kristen loves it when I enunciate words like that. But you need to with your name.

SPEAKER_02:

Not necessarily. My father can't say the th in our last name, so he says Bassingwaite. It's his name. Yes. But it's actually the incorrect way to say it.

SPEAKER_00:

All right. Well, that's cool. All right, so bassing thwaite or bassingweight, whichever one you prefer. Uh, so Eric does designs here, not only proposals, but he is uh really gotten incredibly uh talented with doing the drawings, which we do for lighting design. Well, actually design and control, right? Yes. So he is the perfect person to help today talk about the difference in lighting control and design.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. So, Eric, in your eyes, how would you describe to our listeners the difference between design and control when it comes to lighting?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, specifically, lighting control is just controlling the fixtures that already exist that we honestly didn't have any like the designer, the home interior designer placed them, the electrician installed them, and we're just going in behind to control them and you know get them onto our automation system. Um, whether that be just changing out the switches so that there are better switches that they can use on an app or integrating it into a full system where you have scenes and you know everything that you can, you know, press one button and you know affect the whole house.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so quick high level. Uh when we come in and we do control, we can do that one of two ways. We can do it wireless or we can do it wired. Wireless means that we're literally replacing switch for switch. So you have a switch in the wall, we're gonna take it out, we're gonna put in one that is uh smart, if you will, and and can uh but it doesn't do anything physically different than what the switch was before. It can just be commanded and have scenes or whatever. Uh wired means that we are literally putting in uh panels, we call them keypads, and those keypads are wired back to a uh a panel, which is where all the lights are wired back to as well. In either case, that can be done with the fixtures that are just put in the house that normally come with it, or there can be some design efforts, and that's where the kind of the difference lies.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm actually gonna slightly disagree with you there. Well, thank goodness somebody does. If you go into the realm of panelized lighting, you're starting to step into design because now we're literally thinking of I do not want a four-bank, five, six bank of light switches when I enter my kitchen or when I enter my front door. I'm specifically thinking panelized so that I have a single keypad, so it's a very clean look. So you're really getting into design at that point.

SPEAKER_00:

So you are a hundred percent right. I just smacked my own hand. Uh that is correct. And and the the replacement of those banks of switches, most commonly front door, kitchen, owner suite. Yes. Where you walk in and you've got three, four, five switches. Most people don't even remember which does which, they just throw them all on, all off. Anyways, you can replace all that we call it wall acne. You can replace that with just one, like almost like you have one switch, but it's a keypad, has nice engraved buttons, and those buttons could be each light, but nobody does that. It's a scene, it's entertain, it's uh cooking, it's nighttime, it's relax, it's whatever you want it to be, and that commands the various lights how you want them.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and I think it's important um to bring up that they how design and control go hand in hand because you can control all the lights all day, program all day. But if the lighting isn't done, I don't want to say properly or well designed, you you know, the outcome is not gonna be what you want.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, the layer. So so give a quick example. Like in a normal new construction home, it's very common, I shouldn't say normal, but it's very common to see you go into a room and it's got a bunch of can lights in the ceiling just shining down. And that's fine as far as tasks and it's fine as far as lighting the room. But that's it. Maybe, maybe you put some lamps in after you move in. That's the only thing that you get, or maybe there's a fan, a light in the fan. But when we design, Eric, how is that different than what I just described?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, basically what you described is what we call four cans and a fan. And that's every room, there's four cans and a fan, and everything's symmetrical and everything's based upon a square room. Um and so it's like that's fine. It does light the space, but it doesn't give the space any zhuzh, if you will. Um and the other thing that Mark had talked about is like, okay, that's fine for task lighting, but honestly, it's also not fine for task lighting. Think about a kitchen. If you've got an island in the middle of the kitchen and you just circle the island with lighting and you're standing at the sink or the stove, you're blocking the light that's behind you. So you've effectively blocked your own task lighting. So it's not good task lighting. It's literally that's not that's where design comes in. I need to design this space so it's not just yeah, four, six, eight cans in a ceiling pointing straight down at where you're standing. Because that's not at full intensity. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

So uh and and at a very uh usually like a kind of that blue-white mid-afternoon color temperature. So when we talk about layers, we're gonna, we're gonna, and we talk about design specifically, we're gonna add these layers. What is a layer? That could be under cabinet lighting, that could be toe-kick lighting, that could be uh linear around the top of the cabinets, or that could be very specific lighting to accent something. We've been talking about tasks. It could be for cooking, so it's maybe over a cooking space. It certainly could be art. It there's uh any number of things that can happen, but imagine a space that's lit up by multiple lights that aren't shining down on you. So, and and that typically it kind of evokes uh a better feeling when you're in the room, when the design is better. Uh, it it's very health um oriented where it it helps from health. Uh by we we talk about circadian rhythm, which is basically just following the sun's path, right? Eric, yes. Yes.

unknown:

Thank God, Eric chimed in.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh, and and so that during the middle of the day, you do want to be awake. You do want that white blue light, you do want that 3,000, 4,000 Kelvin uh, but uh on either end of the day, you don't want that. You know, think about waking up in the middle of the night, you got to go to the bathroom, and you walk in, you turn the light on, boom, it's like the sun's in there. It's like the worst thing in the world. So, one of the one of the things that we do a lot of times is we'll have a motion sensor. So you walk into the bathroom and the light comes on at like 10% and it's at like 1800 Kelvin, so it's that warm firelight, and you just walk in, go to the bathroom, and leave. You don't even have to touch anything. That's design.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. Um to dive more into the layering aspect, we can go back to the kitchen. Um, in the kitchen, think about like a fairly standard kitchen has an island in the middle, and so you want to highlight the entertainment space of the island. So most people do pendants hanging, and that lights the seating portion of the island. But some of these islands that we work with today are pretty big, um, and they'll have a sink on the other side, a prep area. But the problem is you end up getting cans in the ceiling and then those pendant lights, so it doesn't put any light on your work area. So that's where we tend to put focused light directly above those areas so that you have task lighting. Um, our lighting in the ceiling, which goes around, you know, because every designer wants that typical, you know, I lost the word, the symmetrical. Sorry. Lost the word there for a second. Every designer and every homeowner wants that symmetrical, all lights in a single row. But the when we do a kitchen, we will do the can lights in a row, but we'll take that center one that is over the stove and we'll kick it forward. So what I talked about before, you're not blocking your own light. So now the light's coming from above and in front of you and not behind you. Because again, you don't want to be cooking on a dark stove.

SPEAKER_00:

Now, two points there. That that also comes into play. I know in master baths, especially for ladies that want to light their face while they're doing their makeup. That's another little trick. Uh, that we take into account in that's design. But you also mentioned uh I don't know if you said uh what type of countertops, you just said countertops. Is it true that you can literally light countertops?

SPEAKER_02:

100%. If you have a I'm not gonna say the right word here, a trans, not completely transparent, but translucent. Yes, if you have like a um an onyx or a marble type where you can see through it, you can backlight the countertop. Um you put uh it's a sheet of light basically, and it goes down, and then you put the countertop on top of it so you can backlight the entire countertop, which is cool. It's not great for task, but it's another, it's another layer.

SPEAKER_00:

And if you've never seen this, uh we that we also do it in in walls, like sometimes there's uh there these walls in bathrooms uh that that's uh you can do the same thing. But imagine like a very veiny uh granite or something that uh that is porous that you can uh that the light can emanate through. It is uh it's like nothing you've ever seen. I mean, it's crazy cool.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, it's absolutely stunning, it's a beautiful design. Um, one of the interesting things for me that if I had the resources right now to build my own house, I honestly don't know if I would have any can lights. I I agree actually, I could completely light my entire house with no downfiring lights. Or if they are, they're very specific, like they fire from the ceiling, but they're gonna hit the wall, they're not gonna go straight down onto my head. Now, as somebody who wears glasses, every time you walk around in downlighting like that, it just reflects off your glasses. So I would literally not have a can in my house.

SPEAKER_00:

I I said I agree, and actually I disagree. I I'll go back. I I would I I've had a uh recent um thing in my basement where I I actually did not have any down lights, any can lights for a couple of years, and I thought that would be okay, and it and it wasn't. They we do need them for certain things. There's a pool table, so something like that, or just areas like we have a card table or something, and if we're gonna play games or whatever, that that's important. So I think they have their place, but I do agree with Eric that they don't need you don't need them to have light in a space to live comfortably. And I would also uh agree that it doesn't it rarely does it need to be the primary light, right? Supplemental, sure, uh or or specific, but not primary. You know, we one thing I want to bring up before we leave is um the control systems, because we talk about we're talking a lot about design, um, and the control systems complement the design certainly control systems working with other uh whether it's an older system or a not designed or an improperly designed system, uh, can't fix them. Right? They they'll work, but they can't fix them. So here's a classic example. This is an old one, but it still happens. Uh, you know, if you have um kind of cheaper uh bulbs, uh they tend to flicker at as they dim down. They they may say they're dimmable, uh, and but as they dim down at a certain point, they'll they'll start to flicker, which is unbelievably annoying. Yeah. I actually have this at our beach house. I when we moved in, do a quick tangent. We moved in, all the light bulbs were like the 3,500, like you walked in. I it drives me crazy. I can't stand that. So I said, Oh, I'm just gonna go to you know, uh uh big box store and buy a ton of uh I don't know, the 22,1800, 1700, 2500, whatever it was, 2700. And I did. But I bought the cheap ones, and now literally just randomly, they just flicker. Oh god. They just randomly flicker all the time, all over the house. And it's like, you know, is it a ghost? Uh so lighting control can't fix that, correct?

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Well, something with that, you know, people will say, hey, I I have an old house that I've lived in for 20 years and the lighting was put in in 1937, you know, I'm stuck with that, right? No, you are not. We can, without tearing up your home and ripping everything out, we can replace the basically the inner guts of the light to get you brand new lighting and swap out the switches to give you control of that brand new lighting. So just because your house is old or everything's existing, you know, that doesn't mean you're left out of the you know technology boom. You know, we so boom. In that aspect for what he's saying, we can fix it. Um, now if something's just, you know, if something was designed improperly and the lighting is just, you know, wonky, you know, without cutting drywall, we wouldn't be able to fix that. But honestly, I can fix anything in your house if you want to pay for it.

SPEAKER_00:

Eric thinks he can fix anything in your house. Come to us, we will fix it. Lighting wise.

SPEAKER_01:

Lighting wise, there you go.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, this is good. This has been good. We uh really hope that the idea was to give a a kind of a high level well, we we drilled down a little bit on lighting design and lighting control and the the specific differences between the two. So we hope we did that. Absolutely it's

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Mark DiPietro

Host
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Michelle Ferlauto

Host
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Andrew New

Producer