Crestron Home Automation and Lutron HomeWorks - A Happy Marriage
Crestron and Lutron are two big names in the luxury residential construction market (commercial markets, too). The name recognition of these two brands is nearly 100% among clients building new homes in our market areas of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
What there does seem to be confusion about is if the two companies are competitors, or, if you have to choose one or the other. Here is the definitive answer: Crestron is best known for home automation and Lutron is best known for their HomeWorks lighting control system. They work together perfectly, and the two are commonly integrated together. See the video clip below for a demonstration of the two working together.
A Crestron system can be thought of as "Grand Central Station" that ties together home subsystems such as lighting, audio-video, security, climate, pool & spa controls, motorized shades & drapes, and more. A Lutron lighting system is just one of potentially many subsystems that the Crestron system 'talks' to...you press a lighting preset on your Crestron remote, it 'tells' the Lutron system which preset you want, and the Lutron system obeys by selecting your desired lighting preset.
Technically, Crestron and Lutron are competitors in the field of lighting controls, as Crestron makes perfectly great lighting control systems of their own. With that being said, Lutron has well-established name recognition for lighting and they do an outstanding job of educating design professionals about their products and the benefits of lighting systems (energy savings, convenience, elegance, lack of wall clutter, etc). In the Los Angeles area, Lutron has tirelessly educated the top architects, interior designers, lighting designers, general contractors, and electrical engineers for years. Due to this, Lutron is often specified by the time the project is put out to bid. Plus, Lutron is known for lighting keypads that blend with differing interior décor, from contemporary modern to even the old 'push-button' style light switches of the early 1900's.
Likewise, Crestron has been known for over four decades for their excellent home automation systems. Like Lutron's name recognition for lighting, in Southern California at least, it seems everyone building a luxury home has either owned a Crestron control system or experienced one at a friend's home. Crestron offers a wide selection of home automation controls that are simple and intuitive to use in both in-wall and portable versions*. Like Lutron, Crestron controls can match with many different interior décors, including flush-mounting in such surfaces as stone and wood. Crestron does make an excellent lighting system, and there are certain synergies you get when combining home automation and lighting under the same brand. In the not too distant future we have a feeling that Crestron will be well-known for their lighting systems, too, amongst both the design community as well as potential clients.
The video below is taken in a Beverly Hills estate where we integrated a Crestron system with a Lutron HomeWorks system. This beautiful home was designed by Landry Design Group and built by Fort Hill Construction. It won four awards in 2010...Best Integrated Home (by CEDIA), Best Total Light Control (from Lutron) and two others for Best Media Room. Enjoy...
Another place to see a Crestron and Lutron system tied together is DSI Entertainment Systems' Los Angeles showroom located in the Design District of West Hollywood. You are invited to come in and play with both.
Though Crestron and Lutron are the two big names in luxury home construction, they are by no means the only home automation and lighti
ng control systems that work well together. You can choose a Crestron, AMX, Savant or Control4 home automation system and in most cases choose a Lutron, Vantage, or Crestron lighting control system and have the two communicate with each other**. These are all brands that DSI Entertainment Systems designs, installs, and programs...if you have any questions about the pros and cons of each, please give us a call at 866-692-8489, especially if you are building or remodeling a home in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, or areas nearby. To learn useful "Must Know Technology Tips" for luxury residential construction, download our free guide by clicking the orange box in this paragraph.
* Important note: a very significant factor in ease of use of both home automation and lighting control systems is how well they are programmed. Be sure to see sample of any prospective installers work before signing a contract with them.
** There are some exceptions to this, please call 866-692-8489 for more info.
Key Takeaway : It isn't a matter of Crestron vs. Lutron, both of these excellent brands can happily coexist in the same home. Crestron is a home automation manufacturer that does automation and lighting control systems where Lutron specializes in lighting controls and motorized shades & drapery.