Brilliant is built around a simple idea: put useful home control where people reach for the light switch. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company makes in-wall touchscreen controls, smart dimmers, smart plugs, and software for connected homes. For custom builders and multifamily teams in NJ, CT, and NY who need a control layer before close-in, Restrepo Innovations is the Elite Pro Crestron Dealer and HTA Luxury Certified firm that designs, installs, and supports the network, AV, lighting, and automation around the platform (Brilliant About Us).
Brilliant built an in-wall control around the builder workflow
Brilliant's official company history says the business was founded in 2016 to make smart home control more affordable and easier to use. The page identifies San Mateo, California, as headquarters and lists Jonathan Temlock as President and CEO, with product, customer care, sales, marketing, and engineering leadership around him (Brilliant company background).
What does Brilliant control in a home?
Brilliant controls lighting, music, video, climate, security, access, cameras, doorbells, intercoms, scenes, and compatible third-party devices through a wall panel and mobile app. The point is a common user interface. The system does not require a family member or guest to understand which app owns the lock, thermostat, shade, or audio system (Brilliant smart home control details).
| Brilliant element | What it does | Build coordination question |
|---|---|---|
| In-wall control panel | Touch, motion, camera, voice, and scene access from a wall location. | Which rooms need a panel, and what height works with the electrical layout? |
| Smart dimmer or switch | Controls wired lighting while participating in scenes and schedules. | How will load type, neutral wiring, and lighting design be documented? |
| Smart plug | Adds control to lamps, fans, coffee makers, and other plug loads. | Which loads need local control, automation, or a clean owner handoff? |
| Mobile app and integrations | Extends control to compatible music, climate, security, lock, and shade products. | Which systems belong on the network, and who supports them after turnover? |
Why Brilliant's PoE direction matters on new construction
Brilliant's professional Power over Ethernet direction addresses a practical construction issue: where a control can go when power and wireless coverage are not ideal. The company describes a PoE control that carries power and data over one CAT5 or CAT6 cable and is available through its professional channel (Brilliant newsroom).
A hardwired panel can simplify the conversation between the low-voltage contractor, electrician, network designer, and builder. It can support a better service plan because the cable path, switch port, device location, and labeling become part of the closeout record. The network still needs capacity, segmentation, power budget, and documentation. PoE is a construction option, not a substitute for engineering.
Brilliant has a real builder and multifamily lane
Brilliant's builder materials name production, custom, and luxury homes, then extend the platform into apartments and student housing. The company says it is trusted by hundreds of builders, developers, and property managers across the United States and Canada. Its builder page reports that 60 percent of would-be homebuyers say they would pay more for smart features. The project lesson is straightforward: define the standard package, upgrade path, and service responsibility before the first unit is trimmed (Brilliant builder program).
Brilliant's press page lists its November 12, 2024 Student Housing Business Innovator Award with Landmark Properties for Best Off-Campus Bandwidth/Connectivity Solution. Its newsroom points to a second-generation processor, AI in its panels, and a 2026 focus on adaptive automation, energy efficiency, personalization, and physical interfaces. A builder should still ask for exact hardware, firmware, warranty, and support terms before specifying the project (Brilliant press page; Brilliant 2026 trends).
Where Restrepo Innovations fits
Restrepo Innovations designs, deploys, installs, configures, and supports the infrastructure around a smart home platform. With a builder, that means reviewing the reflected ceiling plan, electrical drawings, lighting schedule, network design, millwork, and owner priorities before the walls close. We work across residential, commercial, hospitality, and military/government projects in NJ, CT, and NY.
"The wall control is only one part of the job. The real work is making the system serviceable after the builder leaves." — Michael Restrepo
Call 201.405.2022 if you want to walk through a Brilliant specification, a new home, or a multifamily standard with the project team. The right conversation covers the panel, the network, the lighting loads, the integrations, and the person who will support the system two years after turnover.
FAQ
What is Brilliant?
Brilliant is a smart home control company founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Mateo, California. Its portfolio includes in-wall touchscreen control panels, smart dimmer switches, smart plugs, and a mobile app. The system brings lighting, music, climate, security, access, cameras, doorbells, and intercom functions into one interface.
What does Brilliant make for builders?
Brilliant makes built-in controls for production, custom, and luxury homes. Its builder materials describe a system that installs in place of a light switch, combines lighting and connected-home controls, and can be offered as a standard feature or upgrade. The company also publishes solutions for apartments and student housing.
Does Brilliant support professional installers?
Yes. Brilliant maintains a professional channel for integrators and installers, including a Pro-only Power over Ethernet control line. Its builder pages describe consultation support and systems that can grow from a single home to multifamily developments. The installation team still has to plan power, network, device locations, and service access.
What is the Brilliant Power over Ethernet control?
Brilliant describes its Power over Ethernet control as a professional product that carries power and data over one CAT5 or CAT6 cable. That can give a builder and low-voltage team more flexibility over panel locations and reduce dependence on congested wireless space. Exact design still depends on the network and electrical plan.
What award did Brilliant and Landmark Properties win?
Brilliant and Landmark Properties were listed by Brilliant as winners of the 2024 Student Housing Business Innovator Award for Best Off-Campus Bandwidth/Connectivity Solution. The recognition ties the platform to a named student-housing deployment and an operational connectivity category, rather than only to a consumer product review.
Can Restrepo Innovations design a Brilliant system?
Restrepo Innovations can design, deploy, install, configure, and support smart home, AV, lighting, networking, and control systems in NJ, CT, and NY. Restrepo is an Elite Pro Crestron Dealer and HTA Luxury Certified firm. The right platform depends on the home, builder schedule, owner priorities, and service plan. Call 201.405.2022 to discuss a project.
If you are planning a new home, renovation, or multifamily project in NJ, CT, or NY, call 201.405.2022 or email office@restrepoinnovations.com. For product and builder information, read the Brilliant company overview.