Why You Should Get a Head Start on Planning Your Lighting

Get Greater Freedom on Keypad Models and Placement 

If you are building or renovating, your lighting plan probably begins with fixtures: where the pendants hang and which rooms get recessed cans. The question that shapes daily life gets far less attention. How will you turn those lights on and off every day? Without a plan, the answer is often a bank of six switches by the front door and a walk across a dark primary suite to reach the last lamp. 

Good lighting control solves both problems, but only if you make the choices before drywall goes up. At that time, you have greater flexibility in what keypads to choose and where they 

should go. After drywall, every change means opening finished walls.

Plan the Controls Before You Choose the Fixtures

A good lighting design has two primary components: your lighting schedule and a control plan. 

Most people are familiar with the first. A fixture schedule that tells your electrician where the lights will go. The control plan tells you how you will live with them. Think about a typical day in your house and how you use your lights: the first lights come on at 6 a.m.in the bedroom, then to the bedroom for breakfast prep, then to the garage before work, and so on until you end up back in the bedroom after a long day. 

Each moment points to a keypad location, which means each needs a black box and a wire path planned out for lighting. One well-placed keypad can replace a wall of switches. A single press sets the dinner scene in the great room, and a Goodnight button turns off the first floor while dimming the stairs.  

Bring your technology partner to the table alongside your architect and electrician so the keypad layout and circuit plan align with the rest of your plans from day one.

Control4 Lux and Lutron Alisse Keypads Compared

We also want to work with your interior designer and architects to find keypads that best match your architectural features and overall style preferences. We primarily work with Control4 Lux and Lutron Allisse keypads for this.

Lux by Control4 is a collection of keypads and dimmers. Buttons are backlit and laser-engraved with icons or text, and faceplates come in 19 designer colors, including metal options such as Satin Nickel and Venetian Bronze. Lux keypads come in wireless and wired versions, which helps in a remodel where new wire is hard to pull. Because Lux is native to Control4, the same keypad also starts music or arms the security as part of a preset scene. 

Lutron Alisse takes a more crafted approach. Each keypad is machined from solid brass and finished by hand in one of 11 finishes, from Aged Brass to Matte Black, with halo-lit round buttons and custom engraving. Alisse is a wired keypad that only works with Lutron HomeWorks, so you’ll need to work with a certified dealer for installation.  

How to Choose the Right Keypads 

Start with the platform. If your home runs on Control4 for entertainment and security, Lux keypads keep every control in a single hardware family and a single app. If your lighting design is complex and your designer wants solid brass, Alisse on HomeWorks fits the brief. Control4 can still bring those lights into the app and remotes your family already uses.

Then look at the construction stage. Wireless Lux often avoids new wire runs during remodels with closed walls. A new build with open framing can take a wired Alisse layout without having to patch walls. Ask your builder when rough-in begins, because that date sets your deadline for choosing a keypad.

Finally, treat keypad finishes as part of your interior design. Put them on the same schedule as door hardware and cabinet pulls, and have your designer approve them together.

If you are planning a new build or a major renovation, contact our team to schedule a private consultation or a showroom visit. We will review your plans and help you choose the best keypad options. .