Interior

Illuminated by Merlin Light ®

Art has the unique ability to transform a home—shaping mood, reflecting personality, and elevating the character of a space. But even the most remarkable piece can only reach its full potential when it is lit with precision. At Adaptive Design Group, our mission is to ensure that every artwork, sculpture, or cherished collection is not just seen, but experienced. That is why we rely on one of the industry’s most advanced tools for art illumination: the Merlin Light® optical framing projector.

Unlike general-purpose light sources, framing projectors are designed specifically for works of art. The Merlin Light® system allows our designers to shape light with extraordinary control, directing a crisp, clean beam exactly where it needs to be—without spill, glare, or distraction. It transforms art into a true focal point, enriching contrast, revealing texture, and preserving the integrity of color in ways that traditional lighting simply cannot achieve.

Enjoy your art with clarity when its Illuminated by Merlin Light ®

But the technology is only part of the story. What makes art lighting successful is the collaborative process behind it. Our professional lighting designers work directly with homeowners, interior designers, and sometimes even art consultants to evaluate the architecture of the room, the placement of each piece, and the intended emotional impact. Walls, niches, alcoves, and unusual display surfaces all influence how light behaves. We study these conditions carefully before determining fixture placement, beam angles, and control settings.

This meticulous approach ensures that each piece is celebrated exactly as it was meant to be. A painting can be elevated with dimensionality that draws the viewer in. A sculptural form can gain depth and drama through subtle highlights and shadows. Even collections displayed along a gallery wall can gain cohesion when lit with consistent intent. The result is not only beautiful—it is respectful to both the artist’s vision and the homeowner’s investment.

Great art deserves great lighting. With Merlin Light® technology and our integrated design process, we bring museum-quality illumination into the home, transforming living spaces into curated environments of expression and meaning.

If you’re ready to showcase your art with the level of precision and respect it deserves, reach out to us to explore how professional illumination can elevate your collection.

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Picture your style enhanced by Adaptive Design Group. We bring your custom home to another level of illumination and highlight the unique attributes that make your house a home.

Contact us regarding your custom home project: adaptivedg.com

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Our hearts are with the people of California during this incredibly challenging time. The wildfires have caused unimaginable damage, and we deeply empathize with those who have lost homes, businesses, and loved ones.

We stand in support of the first responders, volunteers, and residents as they navigate this crisis.

As we go into our 39th year in business, Adaptive Design Group has established itself as a premier provider of tailor-made lighting solutions
that elevate both the aesthetic and practical aspects of luxury custom homes. By consistently adopting the latest technologies and innovative designs, we surpass the expectations of our sophisticated clientele. Our dedication to quality and innovation guarantees that each project reflects our expertise and passion for lighting design. Here’s to a beautiful 2025!

Contact us regarding your custom home project: www.adaptivedg.com

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Adaptive Design Group will transform your home bar and wine rooms with such bold elegance that you’ll choose to celebrate New Years’s Eve in the comfort of your home.

Contact us regarding your custom home project: www.adaptivedg.com

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As the holiday season draws near, we at Adaptive Design Group want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to each of you. This year has been filled with incredible collaborations, and we are truly thankful for the trust and support you have extended to us. Working alongside such talented businesses has not only propelled our projects forward but has also enriched our journey in so many ways.

Contact us regarding your custom home project: adaptivedg.com

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Experts with Light and Technology

At Adaptive Design Group, we believe that lighting design is far more than the placement of fixtures or the programming of controls—it is an art form supported by deep technical expertise. Our team blends creativity and engineering with equal precision, allowing us to design environments where light does more than illuminate a space; it shapes the experience of living within it. When we say we are artists with light and experts with technologies, it is because our work requires both imagination and mastery.

Architectural lighting design begins with understanding how light behaves—how it interacts with surfaces, how it affects perception, and how it influences emotion. Our designers approach every project with an artistic sensibility: studying composition, balance, contrast, and narrative flow. We consider how layers of light can guide movement through a home, define the purpose of each room, and bring architectural features into focus. From subtle ambient glows to dramatic focal highlights, every decision is intentional.

Becoming Experts with Light and Technology is an art form to itself.

But artistry alone is not enough. Modern homes demand advanced, integrated systems that perform flawlessly. That is where our technical expertise becomes essential. Our team engineers complete, buildable lighting and control documents that transform conceptual design into precise, real-world solutions. We coordinate seamlessly with architects, interior designers, contractors, and integrators to ensure that every element functions exactly as intended—dimming curves, color temperatures, circuitry layouts, load calculations, and programming standards included.

We are also at the forefront of emerging lighting technologies. From tunable white systems and low-voltage solutions to advanced dimming, energy efficiency, and custom control interfaces, we navigate the complexities that elevate a home from beautifully lit to technologically exceptional. Our knowledge allows us to specify innovative solutions that enhance both the aesthetic and performance of a space—making light feel natural, responsive, and effortless.

This fusion of art and engineering is what defines the Adaptive Method® and sets our work apart. The result is lighting that feels intuitive, environments that feel intentional, and homes that feel extraordinary.

If you’re ready to bring sophisticated design and advanced lighting technology together in your next project, contact us to begin a collaboration grounded in expertise, creativity, and precision.

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Reducing Light Pollution

Light pollution is one of the most overlooked environmental challenges in modern development. As neighborhoods grow and architecture evolves, artificial lighting can unintentionally wash out the night sky, disrupt ecosystems, and diminish the natural beauty that draws people to places like Summit County and Park City. Recognizing the importance of preserving the nocturnal environment, both communities adopted Dark Sky ordinances in 2019—requiring new buildings to utilize warm exterior lighting, shielded and directed downward, to minimize glare and reduce unnecessary light spill.

Adaptive Design group is leading by example in reducing light pollution.

At Adaptive Design Group, we take these regulations to heart. Not only do we design within the requirements—they are deeply aligned with our guiding principles of responsible illumination. Our founder, Glenn Merlin Johnson, played an instrumental role in assisting with the development of these local Dark Sky codes, bringing decades of lighting expertise to the table. His contribution helped translate scientific understanding into practical, enforceable design standards that support both environmental stewardship and architectural excellence.

Designing Dark Sky–compliant lighting is far from limiting. In fact, it elevates the design process. By using warm temperatures, shielded fixtures, and strategically controlled intensities, we create exteriors that feel welcoming, elegant, and highly functional—without sacrificing the star-filled mountain skies that make the region so extraordinary. Whether illuminating pathways, architectural details, outdoor gathering spaces, or landscape features, our approach ensures that every element contributes meaningfully to both beauty and responsibility.

Our team excels in navigating the balance between ambiance, safety, and regulation. We design tailored lighting solutions that respect natural darkness while showcasing architecture with restraint and sophistication. Through careful placement, thoughtful fixture selection, and precision engineering, we protect the environment, preserve the night sky, and enhance the homeowner’s experience—all at once.

From luxury residences to custom mountain retreats, we collaborate closely with architects, builders, and homeowners to ensure each project aligns with Dark Sky principles while achieving the highest standard of design integrity.

If you’re planning a new build or renovation in a Dark Sky–regulated area—or simply want to reduce light pollution on your property—reach out to explore how our expertise can bring your vision to life with respect for the night sky.

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Revolutionizing Lighting Design

Lighting design is no longer an afterthought — it is a foundational part of modern architecture, shaping how a home feels, functions, and comes alive. At Adaptive Design Group, we’ve dedicated decades to refining a process that brings clarity, artistry, and technical excellence to every project. The result is The Adaptive Method®, a revolutionary approach built on eight essential layers that work together to create complete, intentional illumination.

Each layer of the A.D.A.P.T.I.V.E. acronym provides a specific role within the lighting composition:

• A – Architecture
  Lighting that reinforces the core forms, materials, and structure of the home.

• D – Decorative
  Statement pieces that add personality, mood, and visual identity.

• A – Art
  Precision illumination—such as framing projectors or accent sources—that honors and elevates artwork and collections.

• P – Path
  Guiding illumination that enhances movement, safety, and intuitive navigation.

• T – Task
  Focused lighting that supports function in kitchens, offices, workshops, and everyday living.

• I – Interior Design
  Lighting that softens, enriches, and highlights the designer’s palette of color, texture, and form.

• V – View
  Interior and exterior lighting designed with full respect for vistas, windows, and the connection to nature.

• E – Exterior
  The final layer, which completes the composition by extending the home’s presence and creating a welcoming nighttime environment.

The Exterior Layer—featured in this project—is often the most immediately striking. It shapes curb appeal, creates atmosphere, and enhances both the architecture and the landscape after sunset. But what makes it truly powerful is its relationship to every layer that comes before it.

When the Exterior Layer is developed early with the architect and interior designer, lighting becomes fully integrated rather than added on. Materials glow naturally, shadows fall intentionally, the landscape blends harmoniously with the home, and architectural details feel cohesive from inside to out. Even pathways, seating areas, and outdoor living spaces gain depth and comfort through properly layered illumination.

Adaptive Design Group is continually revolutionizing lighting design.

This is the heart of The Adaptive Method®: lighting that is thoughtful, artistic, technical, and deeply connected to the design team’s shared vision. It transforms a project into an experience—timeless, functional, and breathtaking in its clarity.

If you’re ready to elevate your next custom home through an eight-layer process that blends creativity with precision, reach out and discover how Adaptive Design Group can illuminate your project with intention and artistry.

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Collaboration with Line 8 Design: Mastery of Light

Not AI; this is a human lighting designer artistically blending illumination into architecture — the way it should be.

In a world increasingly shaped by automation and shortcuts, true lighting design remains an art form that demands a human touch. At Adaptive Design Group, our work is rooted in decades of experience, intuition, collaboration, and creative sensitivity. Light isn’t something we “apply” to a structure — it is something we shape, sculpt, and integrate until it becomes inseparable from the architecture itself.

This recent collaboration with Line 8 Design showcases exactly what that mastery looks like. The architecture provides the canvas: strong lines, rich materials, intentional sightlines, and beautifully balanced proportions. Yet even the most remarkable structure can fall flat without proper illumination. What transforms it into a fully realized experience is the nuanced dialogue between form and light.

Every layer of illumination is purposeful. Architectural details are emphasized with gentle precision. Natural materials glow with warmth and texture. Transitional spaces gain clarity and flow. Feature moments — from artwork to cabinetry to structural elements — are elevated with refined, invisible touches. The result is a home that doesn’t simply look beautiful; it feels alive.

What distinguishes human-driven lighting design is the ability to interpret emotion and intention. We’re not just designing brightness levels; we’re designing mood, comfort, and identity. We read the architecture the way an artist reads a blank canvas — understanding where focus should be drawn, where softness should settle, and how light should behave as the homeowner moves through each space.

This is the mastery of light: when illumination becomes architecture’s perfect counterpart and a project’s defining voice.

If you’re building a custom home or collaborating on a luxury design project, let us bring this level of artistry and technical excellence to your team. Reach out to Adaptive Design Group to discover how true human-led lighting design can elevate your architecture with precision, intention, and unmatched depth.

Project Location: Victory Ranch, Utah
Project Architect: Glenn Taucher of Line 8 Design, Salt Lake City, Utah