THE BEST WAYS TO AUTOMATE THE LIGHTING IN A SMART HOME
Your home really is your castle — and like any good castle, the lighting sets the mood. Smart home lighting is top of the “to-do” list when it comes to any smart home project, but it can also leave homeowners stumped about where to start.
The automated lighting system in a smart home is about so much more than simply having the lights respond on command (although, that’s nice to have). Consider this: How does the lighting make you feel when you’re sitting under the harsh fluorescent glare of the lights in a government building as opposed to the feeling you get from the soft, amber glow of the lights in a white-shoe attorney’s office? Everything looks different — and everything feels different.
Clever automated lighting can enable you to maximize the benefits of your lighting choices in your smart home in numerous, inventive ways. Here are some ideas to give you inspiration.
Ways That Lighting Automation Can Make Your Life Easier
The major appeal of any smart home is how it makes life easier for you and anyone else who lives there. To use automated lighting to enhance your environment and simplify your life, consider the following adaptations:
Take Control Of Your Lights
Do you get frustrated when people leave the lights on in an empty room? Does it bother you that a stranger might be able to tell you aren’t home from the fact that the lights in your house don’t come on at dusk?
Well, you can forget all about your lights and still have them operate exactly according to your preferences. Using specific directions or “recipes” that control your smart home’s lighting, you can:
Turn your lights on at sunset automatically
Turn off the lights downstairs and turn them on in the bedrooms at a certain hour
Set the lights in your room to blink if you get a phone call (in case you have headphones on or your ringer is off because you don’t want to disturb someone who is sleeping)
Set the lights in the garage to flash if someone rings the doorbell
Automatically turn on the lights leading to your door when your garage door opens
Use motion sensors to signal the automated system to shut off the lights when a room is vacant for a set period of time
Use the touch of a single button to shut off all of the lights in the home — even at a distance
You can take control of your lighting in ways that you probably never imagined before — and turn your lights into a tool all at the same time.
Create A More Comfortable Environment
The way your lights operate can affect your mood and your sense of well-being. Some of the best ways to use automated lighting to enhance your home’s atmosphere include:
Creating a dimming option for bedtime that sets the light from your bedside lamps at a level that is soothing and comfortable for relaxed reading
Using motion sensors inside the home at night to turn the lights on dimly in hallways and rooms — just enough so that you can see to go to the kitchen or bathroom without being blinded by the harsh flick of a bright light
Setting your lights inside a room — especially a workroom or office — to automatically compensate for the changes in outdoor lighting (gradually increasing when the weather is overcast or rainy and decreasing as the sun comes out)
Create spots where “task lighting” gives you the extra illumination you need to work, cook, or craft without changing the overall look of your room
Automated lighting puts you in more complete control of your environment — which puts you in more complete control of your lifestyle and comfort levels.
Ways That Lighting Automation Can Impress Others
Your home says a lot about you and your way of life, so it’s perfectly natural to want other people to appreciate the way that your home looks and operates — especially when you have a smart home. Here are some of the best ways to showcase the beauty of your home to others:
Use Accent Lighting To Draw Attention Where You Want It
Accent lighting is one of the best tools you can have to change the way that your house looks. For example, using automated lighting, you can:
Automatically switch accent lights on in a room to draw attention to your artwork, collections, or favorite features in a room as you move through your home
Set recessed lighting to eliminate shadows and make rooms feel larger and more expansive
Make Your Home More Attractive And Cozy
Use motion sensors to brighten the lights on your walk or porch when guests arrive after dark and automatically turn lights on in your foyer
Set your landscape lights to turn on automatically at sunset, dim after midnight (or whatever hour you choose) to save energy, and automatically turn off again at sunrise
Use bias lighting behind your television during movie parties and football parties to reduce your guests’ eyestrain and the sense of fatigue that can come from looking at a bright screen in an otherwise dark room
You want your guests to feel comfortable and happy in your home, so that means making your home’s lighting as accommodating as possible to their needs — whatever that may be.
Are You Inspired To Light Your World Up A Little Differently?
If you’re interested in talking about the best smart home lighting ideas in the Los Angeles area, contact the Smaart House, Home Technology Professionals, today to discuss your options. Let us see what kind of difference we can make in your world through automated home lighting.
