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Biophilic Lighting Design in Luxury Spaces

February 26, 2024

Daylight brings homes to life, dissolving the boundaries between indoors and outdoors and infusing spaces with the most dynamic, powerful source of light available to us.

 

Author

Lutron

Date
02.26.24

Read

15 minutes

15 Min

Biophilic design and natural light

Our connection to nature is both biological and emotional. Not only do we feel calmed when we sit by a fire or watch the sunset, but the presence of nature also supports creativity and well-being. Despite the restorative qualities of the outdoors, in the US, we spend most of our time indoors.
 

Entryway with biophilic design, balancing natural and electric light over a plant displayThrough the use of organic materials and patterns, biophilic design can evoke a direct connection to nature.

Fostering Connection with Nature

By using strategies such as biophilic design, which introduces aspects of the natural world to the indoor environment, we can bring nature into our homes. Biophilic design has gained popularity in recent years—according to a recent trend report by Lutron, 87% of US homeowners say connectedness to nature is important in their home designs.  

Lutron has been designing lighting control and shade solutions that bring the outdoors in for decades. Because we understand that natural light plays a fundamental role in shaping how we feel in our homes, we developed products–like automated shades and integrated Ketra Natural Light–that enhance the impact of natural light. 

Chandelier and roller shades in dining room balancing view preservation and daylight control
Automated roller shades with open weave enabling view preservation during the day
Automated roller shades with intelligent hembar alignment in a home office setting.
Chandelier and roller shades in dining room balancing view preservation and daylight control
Automated roller shades with open weave enabling view preservation during the day
Automated roller shades with intelligent hembar alignment in a home office setting.

Natural light can transform spaces

Throughout the day, the sun's shifts in intensity and color temperature can affect our energy levels and moods. In the morning, sunlight is warm and white, with a lower intensity that eases us into wakefulness. By midday, the light is bright, bluish-white, and energizing, and at the end of the day, it returns to a soft amber that relaxes us and prepares us for rest. Ideally, designers should aim to replicate this light pattern indoors. 
 

A barn house showing three layers of light with ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting throughout space

A barn house showing ambient lighting layer through downlights and daylight, task lighting layer with pendants, and accent lighting layer through sconces

A barn house showing ambient lighting layer through natural daylight and task lighting layer with pendants

 

Ketra is a state-of-the-art LED solution that can precisely mirror the sun’s natural fluctuations in intensity and color temperature. Ketra’s Natural Light produces accurate white light that rises and falls with your daily rhythms, according to your geographic region. 
 

Using automated shades to harmonize daylight and electric light

As sunlight changes throughout the day, it can sometimes become too direct, and cause heat gain or glare as it enters through an unprotected window. Lutron shades can automatically adjust to maintain a comfortable, natural light in your space. Automated shades are like a dimmer for the sun—they allow us to experience the benefits of daylight in the home while preserving comfort. We can fine-tune daylight to any activity or mood at the touch of a button or with preprogrammed shading scenes.
 


 

For example, in a penthouse in Austin, Texas, with floor-to-ceiling views, designer Merrill Alley was tasked with creating a design that would foster a sense of well-being by harmonizing natural and electric light. She paired Ketra lighting with Lutron Palladiom shades in a sheer fabric to preserve views even when the shades are down. The shades are scheduled to adjust based on where the sun falls throughout the day, creating a comfortable, natural environment.  
 

Seaholm Penthouse

Designer Merrill Alley worked with the homeowner to create custom lighting scenes such as “Natural” and “Relax,” tuning the light’s color temperature and intensity with shade position. The system can operate on a preprogrammed schedule based on the owner’s daily routine, or lighting and shades can be manually changed with a button press on a keypad or through the Lutron app.

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A man using a phone app to control natural lighting scenes with shades.
Sheer roller shades balancing natural light and view preservation in living room.
Natural
Relax
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Experience natural light and automated shade features virtually

Until now, to demonstrate the power of Lutron natural light control designers had to bring their clients to a Lutron Experience Center. The new Luxury Experience App makes it makes it possible to recreate the experience virtually, bringing an immersive showroom to your iPad. The LEX app was created to support the way we do business today, with client meetings that can happen anywhere, at any time. The app makes it easy to explore and interact with Lutron's Luxury portfolio and go behind the scenes of Lutron Luxury projects.

Experience the range and beauty of Ketra Natural Light show as the light changes throughout the day in sync with the sun. See how you can use features like vibrancy, warm dimming, and full-spectrum high-def color to curate a mood or atmosphere. Lutron shades come in a wide variety of colors, styles, and textures—browse through the expansive shade portfolio to find styles and features for any project and discover the technology and craftsmanship that make Lutron an industry leader. You can even assess how shades will impact visibility using the roller shade openness simulator—with preset backgrounds or your own.

Connect to Extraordinary

Explore Lutron’s Luxury Experience app to see how custom lighting scenes can transform a space.

Download the Luxury Experience app on iPadOS 16.4 or later or book a demo at one of our Lutron Experience Centers.