Blog

Task Lighting is all about Form and Function

Lighting designers like to talk about layered lighting. What is it? Layered lighting is an approach that adds just the right amount of illumination to a space in your Park City, UT home, both for functional and aesthetic purposes. The three layers of lighting are ambient, task, and accent. 

Last month in this lighting series, we discussed ambient lighting. Ambient is the general lighting for a room, most often done with overhead lights like recessed cans. Task lighting is the light that focuses on an area to get work done, like a lamp on a home office desk or the pendants over the kitchen island. Finally, accent lighting is the light that highlights an object or area, such as shining a spot on artwork or light that highlights an arch. In this blog, stay with us below as we focus on task lights and lighting automation. Look for more on accent lighting in the next blog!

Ambient Lighting is the First Step in Home Illumination

Lighting is essential for function and utility in your home. But badly designed lighting will detract, while well-designed lighting can make even a mundane home dramatic. Your Park City, UT home is anything but ordinary, so imagine what it would look like with a great lighting plan. 

This month, we'll focus our blogs on how you can improve your home with the power of light. From good lighting design to home lighting control, the right light, properly applied and managed, can transform the way you live and enjoy your spaces. In the first of this three-part series, we'll discuss the latest options for ambient lighting, the first leg of the lighting design tripod. Ready to learn more? Please keep reading below!

Hint: It’s Not about Your Router

This blog is the third installment this month of our three-part series on home networks and connectivity. In the first, we discussed how popular consumer solutions like mesh networks and routers might not be the panacea that the marketing might imply. In the second part, we talked about our approach to connection speed and stability, particularly through the judiciousness of cabling and commercial-level components. 

In this last installment, we'll talk about Wi-Fi performance and how to maximize it in your Park City, UT home. Wi-Fi is the first thing practically anyone notices if it's slow, won't connect, or drops. Unlike some, we look at Wi-Fi as "last mile" connectivity. Not the last mile in terms of the internet connection into your home, but the last resort for connections. As we noted in the second part of this series, if it can be connected by cable, we do it. You'll get more stable connections, better speeds, and decrease the load on the devices that really need Wi-Fi, improving overall network performance. 

So, how do we do Wi-FI for home network installations? Keep reading below!

SEE ALSO: Home Networking Part 2: What Makes a Strong Home Network? 

Separate Components

If you are familiar with audio, you might know that audiophiles who demand high performance prefer separate components versus all-in-one systems. For example, it might be a separate phono amp for a turntable and separate preamp and amplifiers for a two-channel hi-fi setup. Typical home network solutions package everything into the router, including a switch for wired connections, Wi-Fi radios for wireless networking, and router and firewall software. Much like in audio, separating these components into better individual ones can yield higher performance. Also, similar to audio, you tend to find these separates as higher-end, pro-level equipment. 

Getting the Speed and Stability You Need

This post is the second of three this month on networking solutions for your home. In the first, we discuss why the latest consumer DIY-type products may not live up to their promise for improved networking. It’s clear that your demand for connectivity will only increase, and perhaps more rapidly than ever, as so many functions in your Salt Lake City home get plugged into the internet.

In this post, we want to talk more about our approach to networking and connectivity solutions. In this seemingly wirelessly connected world, we focus quite a bit on wiring and cabling. Why? A good wired network forms a strong backbone for your connectivity infrastructure. Keep reading to learn more below!

Get the Network You Need for the Modern Connected Home

Current research shows that the average American home has 15-25 connected devices. It may not sound like a lot, but that number can represent a strain on your network. Chances are your Bountiful home is anything but average, and you have even more connected devices with computers, tablets, smart TVs, smart speakers, and much more. 

During the pandemic, home networks were more strained than ever. As families worked, learned, and were entertained at home with heavy reliance on internet connectivity, Utah homeowners gained a new appreciation for the importance of robust connectivity. 

What can you do to ensure your home connectivity is the best it can be? Working with a professional network installation company like Show and Tell AV is a great way to start. In the first of this three-part series, we’ll explain our approach to robust connectivity for homes. Stay with us by reading below!