If you've started looking into smart lighting, you've probably run into two names from Lutron: RadioRA 3 and HomeWorks. Both are smart lighting systems that replace a wall full of switches with a few clean keypads and programmable scenes. Both run lights and automated shades from the same buttons. So which one belongs in your home?
The short answer: it depends on the size of the house, the stage of the project and how far you want the design to go. Here's how we help clients decide.
What they have in common
Both systems include:
Engraved keypads. Buttons labeled "Entertain," "Dinner" or "Goodnight" instead of rows of anonymous switches.
Scenes and schedules. One press sets every light in a room. Schedules can turn on the porch lights at sunset and off at bedtime.
Lights and shades together. Lutron motorized shades tie into the same keypads and scenes, so "Morning" can raise the shades and "Movie" can lower them.
The Lutron app and voice control. Run the house from your phone, or by voice through a system like Josh.ai.
Either one can also be part of a larger control system, so lighting joins music, TV and climate in one app and one remote.
Intelligent Morning & Night Light Scenes
Both systems are programmable, so your lighting can follow your day. Two examples:
Morning. At the time you choose, the kitchen and breakfast area come up to a bright, comfortable level, the motorized shades open and the hallway lights you need are already on. Breakfast starts in good light without touching a switch.
Night. One press of "Goodnight" turns off the lights throughout the house and lowers the shades. A dim path light can stay on between the bedroom and the kitchen or bathroom for late-night trips.
Run these scenes from a keypad, the app or your voice, or let them run automatically on a schedule. We program them around your routine and adjust them as you live with them.
RadioRA 3: from one room to the whole house
RadioRA 3 is the system we install for anything from a single room up to a whole home. It's a good fit when you want to:
Start with a few rooms. For example, the kitchen, the family room and the primary bedroom. You can add rooms later.
Upgrade a finished home. You don't need to be remodeling to add RadioRA 3.
Get the essentials done well. Engraved keypads, scenes, schedules, shades and app control, without designing every detail from scratch.
HomeWorks: for larger homes and custom projects
HomeWorks is Lutron's flagship whole-home lighting control system. We recommend it for larger homes and custom projects, often during new construction or a major remodel, when the lighting is being designed alongside the architecture.
HomeWorks makes sense when you want:
Lighting planned room by room as part of the home's design, with your architect and interior designer.
Custom keypads chosen to match the finishes in each room.
The full Lutron design range, such as Ketra tunable lighting, which shifts from crisp daylight tones to warm evening light, and Palladiom keypads and shades.
Already have RadioRA 2?
RadioRA 2 is the system that came before RadioRA 3. If your home has it and you're ready to upgrade, we'll look at what you have, recommend RadioRA 3 or HomeWorks, and set up the new system with the scenes your family already uses.
Questions that help you choose
When we meet with clients, we start with a few questions:
How big is the project? A few rooms or a whole-home upgrade can point to RadioRA 3. A large custom home can point to HomeWorks.
Are the walls open? If you're building or remodeling, it's the best time to plan lighting in depth and pre-wire for it.
How involved is your designer? If an architect or interior designer is specifying fixtures and finishes, HomeWorks gives them the most to work with.
Do you want tunable lighting? If Ketra is on the wish list, we'll design around HomeWorks from the start.
There's no wrong answer. The right system is the one that fits how you live in the house.
How we design and install it
As a licensed C-10 electrical contractor, Homi Home Automation handles both the wiring and the programming, so you're not coordinating an electrician and a separate integrator.
Consultation. We walk the house and learn how you use each room.
System plan. We recommend RadioRA 3 or HomeWorks and lay out keypads, scenes and shades.
Installation. We install the dimmers, keypads and shades and handle all the wiring.
Programming. We set up your scenes and schedules and engrave the keypads with names that make sense to you.
Training. We show everyone how it works, then fine-tune it as you live with it.
See more about our intelligent lighting and automated shades work.
Start with a free design consultation
Homi Home Automation is based in Sherman Oaks and designs lighting control across the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. We work with you, your builder and your designer so the lighting fits the room and the system fits how you live.
Book a free design consultation or call (818) 245-5201.Josh.ai
