Architectural Lighting That Transforms Space
Fixture specification, layer design, and scene programming — not just switches on a wall. We work with your architect and interior designer to create lighting that defines every room.
More Than Lighting Control
Most integrators install switches. We design the light itself. Every room gets a layered lighting plan: ambient, task, accent, and decorative. Every fixture is specified for color temperature, CRI, beam angle, and dimming curve compatibility with your Lutron system.
We coordinate directly with your interior designer — aligning fixture selections, finishes, and placement with the overall design vision. The result is lighting that looks intentional, feels natural, and performs flawlessly under automated control.
Our lighting design service covers everything from initial fixture selection through final scene programming. You don't need a separate lighting consultant.
WAC Lighting
Premium architectural LED for residential and commercial. Recessed downlights, linear fixtures, track heads, under-cabinet LED, and landscape luminaires — all with Lutron-compatible dimming drivers. WAC's Gemini and Aether series deliver exceptional beam quality and color consistency across your entire home.
MP Lighting
Canadian-made architectural LED built specifically for harsh climates. Exterior bollards, step lights, path lighting, tree uplights, and marine-grade accent fixtures. Designed for Atlantic Canada's salt air, freeze-thaw cycles, and coastal humidity. Our go-to for exterior architectural lighting.
Ketra by Lutron
Full-spectrum tunable white and full-color LED. Color temperature shifts automatically throughout the day — energizing 5000K cool white at 8 AM, warm 2200K amber by 9 PM. Vibrancy mode enhances color rendering beyond what standard LED achieves. One of the only dealers specifying and installing Ketra in the Maritimes.
Colorbeam DMX
Architectural RGB and RGBW accent lighting for coves, niches, and home theaters. Controlled via Control4 DMX driver for seamless integration with your scenes.
Fixture Schedules
Every fixture specified by room — model, wattage, color temp, CRI, trim finish, beam angle, and dimming compatibility. Delivered to your architect and electrician as a construction document.
Scene Programming
Scenes designed around how you live — morning, cooking, dinner party, movie, reading, entertaining, wind-down. Triggered from Lutron keypads, Control4, phone, or voice.
Light That Follows Your Day
Ketra's full-spectrum tunable white technology shifts color temperature throughout the day — energizing 5000K cool white in the morning, warm 2200K amber by evening. No bulb swaps, no compromises. The most advanced residential lighting technology available, integrated with your Lutron HomeWorks system.
Circadian Lighting: Light That Supports Your Health
Your body's internal clock — the circadian rhythm — is regulated primarily by light. The color temperature and intensity of your home's lighting directly affects your sleep quality, energy levels, mood, and cognitive performance. This isn't marketing — it's decades of neuroscience research.
Morning (6–9 AM)
Cool white light (4500–5000K) suppresses melatonin and signals your body to wake up. Higher intensity in bathrooms and kitchens triggers cortisol production — the natural energy hormone. You feel alert without caffeine.
Midday (9 AM – 4 PM)
Bright, neutral light (4000–4500K) sustains focus and productivity. Home offices and work areas maintain energy-supportive levels. Task lighting stays crisp for detail work.
Evening (4–9 PM)
Warm light (2700–3000K) begins the transition. Overhead dims, accent and decorative layers take over. Your body starts producing melatonin naturally. Dinner feels relaxed. Conversation flows.
Night (9 PM+)
Amber glow (2200K) with minimal intensity. Hallway path lighting, bedside amber. Blue light wavelengths eliminated. Your brain gets the signal: time to wind down. Sleep quality dramatically improves.
With Ketra by Lutron and Control4's Daylight Agent, these transitions happen automatically — no manual adjustment, no apps, no thinking about it. Your lighting follows the sun.
The Layers of Great Lighting
Professional lighting design uses four layers — each serving a different purpose. When they work together, the room feels alive. When one is missing, something feels off but you can't explain why.
Ambient
The base layer. General illumination from recessed downlights, cove lighting, or indirect fixtures. Sets the overall brightness and mood of the room.
Task
Directed light where you work — kitchen counters, reading areas, vanity mirrors. Under-cabinet LED, pendant fixtures, adjustable heads.
Accent
Highlights art, architecture, and texture. Wall wash, picture lights, shelf lighting, exterior uplighting. Creates depth and visual interest.
Decorative
The statement pieces — chandeliers, sconces, pendants. Selected for aesthetics and coordinated with your interior design palette.
Our Process
How Lighting Design Gets Done
From first conversation to final scene — a single team handles it all.
Design Brief
We review your floor plans with your architect and interior designer. We discuss room functions, design intent, and how you actually use each space throughout the day.
Fixture Specification
Every fixture selected by room: model, color temperature, CRI, beam angle, trim finish, and dimming driver. Delivered as a formal fixture schedule construction document.
Lutron Coordination
All fixtures cross-referenced against the Lutron compatibility database. Dimmers specified per circuit. HomeWorks or RadioRA 3 system sized for your zone count.
Scene Design
We map scenes to how you live — morning, cooking, dinner party, movie, reading, wind-down. Each scene is a deliberate composition, not just a dim level.
Programming & Tuning
Scenes programmed and refined on-site after installation. We tune dim levels, transitions, and timing until every scene feels right — in the room, under the actual fixtures.
Lighting Design Connects To
Lutron Control →
Every fixture we specify is designed to work with Lutron dimmers and keypads.
Motorized Shading →
Daylight and electric light work together through coordinated Lutron scenes.
Control4 Scenes →
Your lighting design comes alive through programmed scenes — automated by time, event, and occupancy.
Electrical Infrastructure →
Circuits designed for your lighting plan — dedicated, properly loaded, and dimmer-ready.
Common Questions
Lighting Design Answers
Do I need a separate lighting designer, or does Wadden Electric handle design and installation?
We handle both. Our lighting design service covers fixture specification, layer planning, Lutron compatibility review, and scene programming — all under one roof. We coordinate directly with your architect and interior designer throughout the process. You get a complete fixture schedule construction document, not a verbal recommendation. Start a conversation →
What is CRI (Color Rendering Index) and why does it matter?
CRI measures how accurately a light source renders colors compared to natural daylight. A CRI of 100 is perfect. Standard residential LED often falls in the 80–85 range — colors look slightly washed out or off. We specify fixtures at CRI 90+ for most interior spaces and 95+ for kitchens, art display, and vanity areas. At CRI 95+, food looks more vibrant, artwork looks true, and skin tones look natural. The difference is immediately visible.
Is Ketra tunable white lighting worth the premium over standard LED?
For primary living spaces, yes — if the circadian benefits matter to you. Ketra runs at a premium over standard LED fixtures, but it's the only lighting technology that genuinely shifts your body's daily rhythm by mimicking natural sunlight transitions. For clients who struggle with energy levels, sleep quality, or seasonal mood changes, the results are tangible. We're one of the only integrators in Atlantic Canada specifying and installing Ketra.
What's the typical lead time for lighting fixtures in a custom build?
Standard architectural LED (WAC, MP Lighting) typically ships within 2–4 weeks. Ketra fixtures run 4–8 weeks. Custom trim finishes and special orders can extend to 10–12 weeks. We coordinate procurement as part of our design service — fixture schedules go out early in the construction timeline so nothing delays drywall. We manage the ordering and track delivery.
Can lighting scenes be reprogrammed after installation?
Yes, and it's straightforward. Lutron scenes are programmed through the Lutron app and Composer Pro — dim levels, transition times, and button assignments can all be adjusted remotely or on-site. If your preferences change after you've lived in the space, we can revise scenes in a service visit. Most adjustments take under an hour.
Design Your Light From Scratch
Work directly with our team to specify every fixture and program every scene.
Get a Lighting Design Quote →