More Focus on How Fixtures Fit Into Your Daily Life 

In the past, conversations surrounding lighting fixtures often focused on materials or CRI. Of course, the fixtures themselves and how they look and act still matter, and we’ll highlight some of those trends here. But the biggest trend this year is how those fixtures fit into an overall smart home ecosystem. Particularly in their role in lighting scenes that highlight architectural features and streamline daily routines. 

However, for that integration to work, lighting shouldn't be an afterthought. It’s important to collaborate with integrators like Sierra Integrated Systems during the blueprint stage to merge aesthetics and technology early in your project. 

Employ Fixtures as Purposeful Design Aspect

Even though we’re focusing on functionality and lifestyle integration, there are still some stylistic tips to consider when it comes to your lighting fixtures. In a layered lighting design, there are fixtures for ambient, task, and accent lighting. In some cases, you want fixtures to stand out, and in others, you want them to disappear.

For the former, 2026 has introduced some distinctive material trends. We’re seeing more decorative fixtures of mixed metals and organic textures—like sculptural hand-blown glass chandeliers. These double as artistic statement pieces when they’re not in use. On the other hand, you want a more subtle approach for ambient lighting. Architects and interior designers often create ‘quiet ceilings’ with small, trimless recessed lighting that stays out of sight. 

Integrating Fixtures With Your Automation Systems 

The real change we see in 2026 is more thought about the fixtures’ role in the home. They should be part of specific lighting scenes with dedicated purposes. These scenes dictate which fixtures to activate and how they should be used. Below are some examples of common lighting scenes: 

Transforming Homes into Brilliantly Illuminated Smart Homes

As electrical contractors who create immersive smart homes, we thought it was time to dispel some of the myths surrounding our line of work. What do electrical contractors do in a day, and how does it affect your lifestyle? Do they simply pull wires and try not to electrocute themselves? 

You may be surprised. 

Keeping Packages Safe and Secure with the Latest Security

From holiday returns to post-Christmas sales and colder weather that makes people less likely to monitor their front doors, January in Reno brings a perfect storm for porch piracy. According to research from Capital One Shopping, more than 228,700 people in Nevada had at least one package stolen during a three-month period in 2024. Additionally, Nevada residents are 75% more likely to experience package theft than the average American.

In response, homeowners are turning to smart security cameras, video doorbells, and motion-activated lighting to provide peace of mind over the holidays and beyond. 

Here, we’ll explore why these systems are the go-to for protection against porch pirates and how they integrate into a smart home for the ultimate defense. 

Experiencing Peace of Mind Through Today’s Technology

With the recent arrival of winter, homeowners throughout our area are preparing for the potentially severe storms and the power outages that accompany them. The winter ski season also marks the peak period for vacation rentals, prompting consideration of how to keep a smart home up and running when renters and visitors arrive.

Some of the equipment and capabilities homeowners consider essential include security cameras and remote access, which let them view their property from a distance and check in on connected devices, such as thermostats, lighting, and shades. 

So, how do you ensure you’re never caught off guard by a tech failure, camera outage, or unexpected glitch? For many, the answer is to invest in a service plan, the foundation for automation and security systems. 

Here, we’ll explore their benefits and features and why homeowners look to these solutions for peace of mind during the winter months and beyond. 

Early Integration of Motorized Shades Optimizes Functionality and Design

Custom motorized shades have become extremely popular in smart home upgrades. These automated window coverings offer convenience, beauty, and enhanced security, effortlessly managing natural light and privacy. 

While battery-operated systems are available, the most reliable motorized shades are hardwired. For those building new homes, the ideal time to integrate this technology is during the initial design and planning phase, when open walls make it relatively easy to run the necessary wire. 

Unfortunately, with everything going on in new builds, window coverings often become an afterthought. Here, we’ll explore the reasons why early integration is essential to the functionality and aesthetics of motorized shades.

How Whole-Home Audio and Home Theaters Make All the Difference

We all have our favorites—those holiday classics we can’t wait to replay as we decorate the Christmas tree or join family and friends for a toast to the season of giving. Do you have specific songs you enjoy when cooking holiday treats and others when unwrapping gifts? Do you watch Elf on Christmas Eve and White Christmas on Christmas Day? 

For many, the holidays are all about tradition and making memories with those they love. Are you ready to make this season’s memories the ones that last throughout the coming year? 

If you’re ready to experience the magic of the season in stunningly brilliant images and sound, it may be time for an audio-video upgrade; specifically, a whole-home audio system or dedicated home theater. 

Here, we’ll explore why these two masterful home entertainment systems are some of the most popular additions as the holiday season approaches. 

Create a warm, festive ambience with a button press.

When the holidays roll in, your lighting sets the tone long before the first carol plays. A soft dim, a gentle shimmer, a hint of color—these simple tweaks can turn everyday rooms into welcoming spaces guests gravitate toward. Think of light as your paintbrush: you can wash a room in cozy warmth for cocoa by the fire, then add a little sparkle to make the evening feel special. 

With today’s smart lighting solutions, it’s easy to shift from candlelit comfort to playful, party-ready hues without dealing with tangled strings. In the blog below, we’ll focus on small adjustments that make a big difference, so you can enjoy a home that feels festive, relaxed, and beautifully “you” all season long.

Supporting Designers in Creating Optimized Home Entertainment

Home entertainment has transformed over the last decade, going from TVs in dens to immersive, sensory experiences that transport you to another realm. Today, advanced entertainment rooms are among the top home design trends, alongside spaces that offer a spa-like luxury oasis. 

If you’re a designer, you’ve undoubtedly come across clients who have requested the conversion of a basement or spare room into a home theater or media room. Here, we’ll explore the differences between these two popular renovation projects and the essential elements to consider when undertaking their design and integration. 

What to Know About the New Operating System & Interface

If you’re currently using Control4 OS 3 in your home, you’ve likely come to appreciate its intuitive interface and handy control of lights, climate, security, and entertainment. But OS 3 debuted in 2019. If that’s the last time you upgraded, you’re missing out on Control4’s new X4 interface. With X4, the bar for smart home convenience and customization just got much higher.

So what’s new, and why should you consider upgrading?

Smart Shades Protect Homes While You’re There or Away

Life in Northern Nevada offers breathtaking views, and, unfortunately, growing concerns about property crime. Homeowners in the Reno area are becoming more proactive about securing their spaces, and while alarm systems and surveillance cameras often top the must-have list, there's another tool worth considering: motorized shades.

Of course, automated window treatments offer convenience and style, but they also play a strategic role in privacy and protection. By integrating these stylish smart home solutions into your security plan, you gain an intuitive layer of defense that fits effortlessly into your day-to-day life. Keep reading to learn more.

Crafting Stunning Backyards Begins Early with Sierra Integrated Systems

Outdoor lighting belongs in the first draft of a design plan, not the final walkthrough. In our local high desert landscape, homeowners regularly gather outside to unwind, entertain, and take in the scenery. 

Lighting plays an essential role in extending those moments into the evening hours. Strategic illumination supports aesthetics, usability, and security, and with intelligent control, these benefits are fully realized when integrated at the earliest design stage. 

Our team partners with architects, builders, and designers to craft stunning Nevada homes. Learn how we use lighting to help your clients enjoy their dream homes.

The Hidden Network That Underpins Your Smart Home

Low-voltage wiring was once mainly associated with security alarms and basic intercom systems. Today, it's become the backbone of modern home living, powering everything from lighting control and whole-home audio to smart thermostats and integrated security cameras. This specialized infrastructure carries data, control signals, and intelligence throughout your house—separate from the standard electrical power that runs your appliances.

While your outlets depend on high-voltage electricity, your smart home's brain operates on an entirely different system. Understanding this hidden network of low-voltage wiring can mean the difference between a home that works beautifully for decades and one that needs constant troubleshooting.

Outdoor Audio Brings Backyards to Life

Music and entertainment elevate our everyday lives, becoming an essential part of the experiences and memories we come to cherish in our homes. Taking that experience outdoors extends the enjoyment, turning ordinary activities into something more. Summer is twice as fun with music playing behind every garden party, barbecue, and afternoon by the pool. 

With today’s outdoor audio systems, exceptional experiences are born. 

Here, we’ll explore two of the brands that offer ideal solutions for Reno’s climate: Sonance and Sonos. 

The Power of Circadian Lighting and Tunable Ketra LED Fixtures 

Most people think about lighting in terms of brightness or décor. But the right lighting can also affect how you feel—whether you’re trying to stay alert through a long workday or relax before bed.

Your body naturally responds to light. Light mimicking the sun can help you wake up, concentrate, and sleep better at night. On the flip side, the wrong type of lighting at the wrong time can throw off your internal rhythm, leaving you groggy in the morning or wired at night.

This is where lighting designed with wellness in mind comes into play. You can support your body's natural rhythms by adjusting light intensity and color temperature throughout the day. In this blog, we’ll explore how circadian lighting works and why it’s essential for luxury homes.

Not With Hidden In-Wall Speakers.  

When homeowners think about bringing multi-room audio or surround sound into their luxury home, a common concern is: Will I have to sacrifice my interior design for visible speakers and wires? After all, you didn’t spend time choosing the perfect marble slab, custom millwork, or handcrafted wood paneling just to clutter it with bulky audio equipment.

But the good news is you don’t have to. Today’s high-performance audio solutions have come a long way from the clunky black boxes of the past. Brands like James Loudspeaker and Wisdom Audio have completely transformed how sound integrates into interior design. 

With options for in-ceiling, in-wall, and even completely invisible speakers, you can enjoy immersive audio in every room without ever disrupting your home’s aesthetics.

Revamp Your Home Theater for Football Season!

Are you getting ready to build the home theater of your dreams? The one you’ve put on the back burner and finally decided, “It’s time!” 

There’s no better home entertainment than a home theater that aligns with your vision while providing the best possible experience—images and sound that captivate and carry you away. 

Achieving this state of total immersion requires video so lifelike that you’re no longer relaxing in a recliner. Instead, you’re on a passenger liner amidst storm-tossed seas or in a plane hurtling toward the Pacific Ocean. 

So, how do you get to this level of realism? 

One word: madVR

madVR is the most advanced, highest-quality video processor. What’s interesting is that in the massive decisions you’re faced with when designing a home theater, few consider the video processor. And yet, it is one of the most essential pieces of equipment for those who want the ultimate immersive experience. 

Whether watching the latest blockbuster or cheering on your favorite team with friends, a great video processor will transform the moment.

Experience Peace of Mind 24/7 with Smart Security/Surveillance

Among all the smart technologies available for your home, one of the most essential is a security/surveillance system. Today’s home security offers comprehensive protection, a significantly different technology from its predecessors. 

How do these systems work, and what do they manage? Today, they integrate with nearly every smart device, from audio and video to lighting, thermostats, smart door locks, garages, and motion sensors. You can manage them all right from your smartphone or mobile device, no matter where you are in the world. 

Here, we’ll explore the peace of mind that comes when a smart home works together to protect your home and family 24/7.

Why You Should Engage a Low-Voltage Contractor Early in the Design Phase

A low-voltage electrical technician plays a critical role when incorporating smart home technology. Unfortunately, integrating home automation is far too often an afterthought, resulting in costly change orders, incompatibilities, and delayed and over-budget projects. 

When low-voltage contractors are not involved in the early stages of a project, low-voltage technicians are unable to execute the project effectively, and the aesthetics, performance, and the client’s overall experience suffer. Here, we’ll explore why involving low-voltage contractors in the earliest design stages ensures a seamless outcome, maximizing functionality and design. 

Why Early Technology Planning Creates More Successful Luxury Homes

In luxury home construction, timing is everything. The decision of when to consider home automation can make the difference between a seamlessly integrated smart home and a patchwork of technology solutions. At Sierra Integrated Systems, we've seen how incorporating technology planning during the blueprint stage leads to superior results for both the homeowner and the build team. When technology becomes part of the design conversation from day one, it transforms from an afterthought into an integral aspect of the home's functionality and aesthetic.

Experience Immersive, All-Encompassing Music and Sound

Are you still taking your Bluetooth with you when you head to your backyard? Or maybe you're listening to the big game or your favorite music via an older one-directional under-eave speaker. For those of you who haven’t looked into outdoor audio for some time, prepare to be amazed. 

As outdoor living became a way of life and homeowners wanted the same level of entertainment to extend to their outdoor areas, some of the best audio manufacturers responded. The result? 

No more bulky equipment or one-directional sound that’s barely heard in some areas and blasts eardrums out in others. Today, you can have the same even coverage across your entire property, hearing every note through a wide dynamic range—the reproduction of sound as your favorite musicians intended. 

Let’s see how it’s done.