For around 10 months out of the year, the exteriors of many Northwest Indiana homes sit quiet and dark in the evening hours. The holiday season of bright lights and colorful displays has passed, and now this vibrant decor is shoved away and stuffed in boxes until next year.
This doesn’t have to be the case — just because the winter festivities are behind us doesn’t mean houses have to dull their sparkle. Redwood Landscape and its sister company Lumin8 Outdoor Lighting are here to help with inception lighting, making sure buildings of all kinds can shine bright all year long.
Inception lighting is a newer style of lighting made with Bluetooth Mesh technology and data nuggets. This technology allows the lighting to last eight hours a day year-round, an added bonus given Northwest Indiana’s many changing seasons.
Redwood offers many unique features with its inception lighting, so whether you’re looking to decorate for an upcoming holiday, show support for your favorite sports team, or just add a bit of color to your overall design, there’s definitely an option to celebrate in style.
“You can set it on a timer, and you can set it to different holidays,” said Amber Gruszczyk, who runs Lumin8. “There are many colors to choose from on the color wheel to decorate for any holiday. Right now, I have it set for Arbor Day in my office, which is green and blue and white, and I have the lights set on a timer to turn on at 8 a.m. when I get here – it's pretty awesome!”
Colors and styles of lighting can all be controlled from a mobile phone app. This makes it convenient to change your settings without having to brace extreme temperatures or climb great heights just to make a few adjustments.
On every inception lighting project, Gruszczyk installs and walks the user through the app to answer any questions they may have. There are also in-app tutorials and articles to help troubleshoot issues if needed.
“With the inception lighting, you can go onto your Bluetooth through an app that is installed on your phone and pick any holiday you want and any color match that you want and change it up. You can have it flicker, do a candlelight setting, spark, and all sorts of different things,” Gruszczyk said.
Additionally, while still in development, Redwood is working on adding a Wi-Fi gateway for inception light users. This will allow users to control their lights anytime, anywhere, as long as there’s an internet connection.
Businesses and commercial buildings can also join in on the inception lighting fun — it’s not just limited to homes! Having joined the Redwood and Lumin8 team just last fall, Gruszczyk was in a sweet spot to learn more about inception lighting during a busier season. This led to an opportunity to work directly with one of Redwood’s clients, Marina Shores Yacht Club in Portage, and Gruszczyk was able to be a part of creating a display that will leave her and the client feeling illuminated for ages.
“We did the yacht club right around Valentine’s Day, and it looks really awesome, but there were some glitches. I had just gotten certified and taken the classes, so I was able to go out there and troubleshoot it,” Gruszczyk said. “I put in some data extenders and it's working beautifully now. Being able to help the customer and seeing what an awesome atmosphere it brings to the community was pretty fun.”
To make the magic happen, the lights are installed along the building’s facial or gutter line. Redwood’s team puts the tracks along the roof line with a strong 3M adhesive, alongside brackets and screws if needed, to keep the lights in place. This installation method allows the lights to stay secure for 10-plus years at 80% brightness.
Once the tracks are up, the next step is to install the nuggets, which are on one-foot wires that connect to one another with the option to go up to 400 feet on one power box. When the nuggets are intact, the final step is to add a waterproof cover available in five different colors — black, gray, beige, white, and brown — to match fascia siding and gutters of any kind.
The option to get a quote is just as simple as the installation process. Simply call (219) 741-2250 or email info@redwoodlandscapenwi.com, and Gruszczyk or another sales representative will be sure to get back to you within 24-48 hours of your inquiry. Price is measured by the linear footage configured during an estimate. Once the green light is received, and as long as it’s above 50 degrees, the Redwood team can get to work. The process typically takes just one day but may take up to four for larger projects when more intricacies are involved.
She and her team can't wait to get started on lighting up your home or business today.
“It's a memory and a feeling that you can't explain. It's amazing to be able to be part of that with people,” Gruszczyk said. “Within our customer service, we want to give people that great, genuine atmosphere.”
For more information on Redwood Landscape and Lumin8, visit redwoodlandscapenwi.com.