How Layered Lighting Transforms Daily Experiences

Your kitchen at 7 AM tells a different story than your kitchen at dinner time. When thoughtful lighting control guides these transitions, each moment feels natural and intentional. The soft glow above cabinets welcomes early risers, while precise task lighting preps workspaces for morning routines. Integrated lighting control does more than illuminate—it shapes how we experience our homes throughout the day.

Modern lighting design weaves together multiple layers of light, each serving distinct purposes while contributing to the whole. By orchestrating ambient, task, and accent lighting through intelligent control systems, we create environments that respond to our natural rhythms and enhance our daily activities. Let’s explore how modern lighting design and control positively impact daily activities in your home. 

Discover the Luxury of Lutron’s Rania Lighting

Think about the rooms where you spend most of your time. Your kitchen, where morning coffee turns into evening meal prep. Your living room transitioning from energetic family time to relaxed evening unwinding. Now, imagine if the lighting in these spaces could perfectly match each moment, supporting the rhythms of your days and enhancing every activity. We're not just talking about illumination—it's about choosing lighting that actually improves your daily life.

As we embrace the new year, there's no better gift to give yourself and your family than the perfect light for every moment and season. Read on to see how Lutron's Rania LED lighting system, integrated with HomeWorks lighting control, is an investment in both luxury and well-being; transforming your most-used spaces into perfectly illuminated environments that adapt to your needs throughout the day.

In December 2015, Alter Brewing launched its taproom and production facility in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, Illinois, during the height of the craft beer boom, when the number of U.S. craft breweries surged from 2,400 in 2012 to around 8,200 by 2019. With such rapid growth, Alter Brewing realized it could no longer rely on distribution alone to meet its business goals. To adapt, the company pivoted toward hospitality, opening its first restaurant in May 2020 in St. Charles, IL.

Despite opening during the pandemic, the new location began to thrive as COVID became a concept many were ready to put in the rear view mirror, according to Alter Brewing President Ken Hendricks. “Restaurants became beacons of gathering and socialization with unwavering support from the community,” he said. Encouraged by this success, Alter Brewing expanded further, opening a second restaurant in Oak Brook, IL, in December 2022.

However, inflationary pressures in 2023 and 2024 presented new challenges. “Cost inputs surged as the spending power of our core guests declined,” Hendricks explained. “In short, folks simply couldn’t afford to come out as frequently as they wanted.” With consumer spending habits shifting, Alter Brewing recognized the need to adjust its strategy again. 

“Great beer and great food in a great location isn’t enough,” Hendricks said. “As people became more discerning with their spending, we needed to enhance the experience we provide. And, as sports fanatics, we want to offer the best sports viewing in the area.”

Ambiance with Excitement 

How HTSA Membership Benefits Clients Through Advanced Training, Premium Partnerships, and Industry Leadership

Since 1966, Barrett's Technology Solutions has maintained a commitment to excellence in home technology across Chicagoland. Starting out as an electronics retailer, we have seen vast changes in the industry and grown and evolved with it through many disruptive technology cycles and fundamental business model revolutions. As an industry leader, we understand that staying ahead requires more than just keeping up with technology—it demands continuous learning, strong industry partnerships, and access to the latest innovations. That's why our membership in the Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA) plays such a key role in helping us deliver exceptional solutions to our clients.

Elevate Your Clients’ Chicago Luxury Homes with More Efficient Technology Integration 

A genuinely sophisticated home is no longer defined solely by its architectural excellence or interior design. It should be an environment capable of anticipating a family’s needs and delivering unparalleled comfort, all while being energy-efficient. 

As we step into 2025, our trade partners’ clients in Chicago are increasingly seeking homes that combine elegance with intelligence, and that's where Barrett's Technology Solutions comes in.

Take Your Home Security from Basic to Brilliant

'Tis the season for holiday deliveries, festive decorations, and, unfortunately, opportunistic porch pirates. While Union Pier's location along Lake Michigan makes it a wonderful place to call home, even the most peaceful communities aren't immune to package theft and property crime. But today's sophisticated security camera systems do more than just deter would-be thieves—they transform your property into an intelligently protected sanctuary with crystal-clear video monitoring, AI-powered detection, and seamless integration with your Savant smart home system. Keep reading to learn how to elevate your home security with the latest technology.

Photography by ©2024 Norman Sizemore

How the Nexthaus Alliance Is Building Passive Homes Through Sustainable Design

Building a sustainable luxury home requires far more than standard construction methods and materials—it requires a carefully orchestrated collaboration of experts dedicated to environmental responsibility. Around the Chicago area and Lake Michigan, the NextHaus Alliance is proving what's possible when forward-thinking professionals unite around this mission. 

As a key member of the alliance, Barrett’s Technology Solutions works with an elite group of Chicago’s best home design/build firms. Founder and Architect Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, is renowned for his commitment to sustainable architecture, and Berliant Builders is highly experienced in environmentally friendly construction. Interior designers Janet McCann and Lauren Coburn bring their aesthetic vision and expertise, and Bob Hursthouse of Hursthouse Landscape Architects provides outdoor and landscape design, installation, and maintenance. The result? Homes that minimize their environmental impact while still offering the modern technology, aesthetics, and conveniences that high-end homeowners expect. Let’s explore the NextHaus Alliance’s impact in more detail below. 

See the Light Year-Round

The holiday season inspires the family, or dad, to light up the outdoor trees and more. Seeing the lights as you come home each day brings small sparks of joy. Well, that doesn’t have to be a seasonal event anymore. Imagine stepping into your outdoor sanctuary as twilight falls, and with the touch of a button, your landscape transforms into a canvas of vibrant, customizable light.

WAC Aspire’s Colorscaping technology offers an unparalleled experience that turns luxury landscapes into immersive environments brimming with beauty, mood, and energy.

Here’s how this advanced lighting solution elevates the ambiance and brings outdoor experiences across your Chicagoland home to life. Keep reading for more!

Create the Perfect Festive Atmosphere Throughout Your Home

The holidays are a time when music brings magic into our Illinois homes. Whether it's the soft carols playing as you decorate the tree or upbeat classics during a holiday party, the right soundtrack sets the perfect mood. A whole-home audio system lets you create that magical atmosphere throughout your Burr Ridge home—no more switching between different speakers or adjusting multiple volume controls. Crystal-clear holiday music flows from room to room, making every festive moment more special. Here's how to make the most of your whole-home audio system this holiday season.

Today's Multi-purpose Media Spaces Make It Your Choice

What’s the difference between a media room and a home theater? In your home, you get to decide. Some like the traditional home theater, a room purpose-built to deliver a cinematic experience at home. Others like a multi-purpose media room where the family can watch a movie, Dad can host friends for NFL Sunday games, Mom can binge the latest Netflix can't-miss series, and the kids can engross themselves in their favorite games until parents pull them away. So whether you call it a home theater or a media room for your Burr Ridge, IL, home, it's a place for immersive entertainment with the best audio and video experience in the house. Let's explore the current trends in multi-purpose media rooms below. 

Create Your Ideal AV Setting

A home theater is more than just a place to watch movies—it’s a space where you can immerse yourself in the action and enjoy your favorite films, shows, and sports events in unparalleled comfort.

The perfect home theater design is key to creating an ultimate viewing experience that rivals any commercial cinema. Below, we explore the essential elements to consider when transforming your Chicago, IL, home theater into the entertainment space of your dreams.

Keep reading for more!

The Power of Limitless High-Quality Content for Your Home Entertainment

 Many homeowners throughout Chicago, IL, are turning to custom home theaters for their home entertainment. Custom home theaters are designed for the activities that you and your family enjoy. For many, that means creating a space where you become immersed in the latest blockbuster. Others may love their own personal big screen to binge-watch their current series, play a round of Fortnite, or relax amidst high-fidelity surround sound of their favorite tune. 

Custom home theaters are designed to help you escape into new worlds. With a large selection of content in the best formats available, it’s easy to find the best film, music, or song to create the ideal entertainment haven in your home. 

And that’s where Kaleidescape comes in. 

This movie server upgrades the experience by bringing the best images and sound to the screen. We’ll explore the benefits of this technology here. 

Yes! Let Barrett’s Technology Solutions Incorporate Innovative Tech into Union Pier Properties

Imagine a home that perfectly aligns with your schedule. It can adjust the temperature based on your personal preferences and adapt the lighting and shading to create the perfect ambiance—all while saving energy and reducing your monthly utility bills. 

While this may seem too good to be true, luckily, it isn’t. It is the modern luxury experience home automation companies like Barrett’s Barrett’s Technology Solutions can offer. We expertly blend convenience, elegance, and sustainability into one seamless technology experience. Adding a smart home system improves your life in Union Pier and makes your home more energy-efficient.

Let’s explore the topic below.

Create the Ideal Home Audio-Video System

Selecting the right audio-video system is crucial for creating the perfect home entertainment experience. However, with so many options on the market, choosing the best setup can be overwhelming.

To help you navigate the decision-making process, we've put together a Q&A addressing the most important factors to consider when selecting a home audio-video system. Keep reading for more on creating the ultimate media space for you and your family!

Chicago's Top Technology Integrator Recognized for Its Commitment to Excellence 

Each year, CEDIA honors integrators, manufacturers, and individuals who have made significant contributions to the custom technology industry. The awards go to those who elevate the standards of home technology integration. While there are some for specific installations (like media rooms or smart homes), we're proud to announce our recognition for our standout services across the board.

Barrett’s Technology Solutions was named the winner of the 2024 Excellence in Business category, which recognizes companies that showcase strong business practices, outstanding client service, great workplace cultures, and strategic planning. 

"Barrett's has been a proud member of CEDIA for many years, and we are truly honored to receive this prestigious award," said Barrett's President, Brian Perrault. "It stands as a testament to the hard work our team puts in every day, as well as our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and ongoing support to our clients." 

An Inside Look at Barrett’s Technology Solutions’ Exclusive Lighting Lab Event for Chicago’s Top Designers and Architects

When creating a truly extraordinary living space, lighting is everything. This is not just mere illumination; lighting sets the mood, creates ambiance, and brings out the best of a home's architecture and decor. At Barrett's Technology Solutions, we understand this, and that's why we created a unique demonstration experience showcasing the latest technology and techniques in lighting control systems and design. 

Recently, we hosted a two-day event that brought together top architects, designers, and contractors from the Chicago area to discuss the latest innovations in lighting. In this blog, we’ll take you behind the scenes of this exclusive event and show you how Barrett’s is helping our clients and partners take full advantage of lighting technology in their projects. 

Explore Hidden Technology and Séura Mirror TVs

As we head toward 2025, the interior design trend known as minimalism continues to redefine our living spaces. As it reshapes toward a more personalized approach, with some bright and bold designs displacing neutral creams and whites, today’s minimalism is a combination of functionality, serenity, and beauty. It’s about living a joy-filled life and surrounding yourself with the things that you love.

The challenge for interior designers is technology. The convenience, comfort, and incredible experiences home technology provides are hard not to love. Yet, as the possibilities in home entertainment explode and more smart devices for home solutions enter the market, AV and automated systems begin taking over the once-clean lines and elegant simplicity of luxury homes. 

At Barrett’s Technology Solutions, we’re committed to providing our clients with the latest technology that defines ease of living and enjoyment while retaining their homes’ aesthetics. You can live a life filled with the benefits of automation, stunning images, and breathtaking sound in every room of your home. The key is hidden technology.

One of our partners and favorite brands in this space is Séura Mirror TVs. Let’s explore what they offer homeowners in Union Pier, MI. 

Managing Your Home’s Energy Effortlessly

Savant is a luxury home automation platform known for its customization and the ability to scale up for large luxury estates. In 2021, it came out with Savant Power and changed the face of smart home energy systems. 

The Savant Power System is the ultimate smart energy management solution for your Chicago, IL, home. While several of these systems are on the market, Savant Power has given homeowners control at the circuit level and, as Savant does, created scenes that let homeowners direct their energy at the touch of a button. Let’s explore what this means and why it places Savant at the top of the pack.

SEE ALSO: Barrett’s: Your Elite Smart Home Company Partner in Chicago

Managing the Power Grid

Numerous systems, like Savant, offer solar power and battery storage. As the sun creates energy, it’s stored in batteries, enabling homeowners to use its power when it best suits them. Green energy becomes available 24/7, accessed with the tap of an icon on a smartphone app.

Controlling Your Home’s Energy Usage

Savant goes a step further by using sensors and controllers built into smart modules that are inserted into your home’s existing circuit breaker. Via the Savant app, you can see which circuits use the most energy, including how much each appliance uses, and turn them on and off from anywhere.

Protect Your Wisconsin Home While You’re Home or Away

Peace of mind comes from knowing that your high-end lake house in Lake Geneva, WI, is secure. At Barrett's Technology Solutions, we understand the unique needs of luxury homeowners who rent out their properties, and we offer security camera systems designed to protect valuable assets while blending seamlessly with a home's aesthetics. 

Discover how our advanced solutions can safeguard your rental property and provide the ultimate comfort and convenience.

Enhancing Your Home Aesthetics with Thoughtful Lighting Design

Lighting is crucial in home aesthetics, influencing how your living spaces feel and function. DMF Lighting offers innovative solutions that enhance both the beauty and practicality of your Oak Brook, IL, home.

Understanding the "zones of vision" principles can significantly improve your overall lighting design, creating better, more functional living spaces across your property. Want to learn more about creating this ideal lighting design and setup? Read more below!