By Lynne Stambouly, Light Lady at Illuminated Lighting Design Services Lighting has always shaped interiors, but today it does far more than illuminate a space. It influences mood, health, productivity, and circadian rhythm. We are living in what can only be described as the golden age of lighting, a moment in time when technology finally allows light to fully support and enhance interior design intent. Yet, despite these advancements, a critical disconnect remains: Interior designers understand what lighting should do but often lack the technical knowledge to bring those ideas to life. Here’s where systems integrators have an unprecedented opportunity to step in, align early, and elevate the entire design process — without stepping on designers’ toes.

By Anthony Savona Lightapalooza 2026 has just ended, and I will need a little time to process all I learned, which I will provide in a full wrap-up article. Until then, here is a list of ten things that leapt out at me while I was there, in no particular order.

High-performance eero networking solutions, including Wi-Fi 7 and PoE systems, are now available to Blackwire dealers.

Collaboration expands Legrand | AV’s RackLink Cloud to support third-party AV and UC devices through Xyte’s Connect+ ecosystem.

The Veranda 4 Series is a range of energy-efficient HDR10-compliant, 4K60 TVs designed for outdoor environments in full shade.

New Ethernet-enabled gateway simplifies commissioning, reduces system costs, and expands native control integration.

Includes a new, proprietary 3-channel active “Amp-Pack” that features balanced input, user controls, active crossovers, and three power amp channels.

The SCDT is available in multiple projection surfaces and sizes.