It doesn't matter if you're tech savvy or if the microwave confuses you at times, smart lights can simplify home life, strengthen your home security and impress your guests. Smart lighting takes a few steps out and adds customisation and automation in, making it easier than ever to get your lighting just right.
What good is that 6.30 am alarm when it’s pitch-black outside and the snooze button is right there, begging to be pressed? Turns out, it's a lot more use when you have a stand in for the sun. And smartening up your bedroom lights, well, that's one way to do it.
Smart lighting links your lights to an app on your phone or smart home devices and allows you to turn lights on, set timers and even set lighting routines. You can start off simple with smart plugs, smart bulbs or integrated smart lighting (like light strips, bars and other shapes).
Setting timers and routines for your lights mean that you won’t accidentally leave them on all day when you’re out or through the night after you’ve gone to bed. Keep those energy bills down and give bickering over leaving the light on a miss.
But – How does it work?
Smart lights connect, through wi-fi, to either your phone or your smart home assistants. Different smart lighting brands will have different means of connecting you to your lights, all of the smart lighting sold at ValueLights use the app - Smart Life.
Beware, if you mix and match your smart lighting from different brands then there’s a chance that you’ll end up having to balance different apps. It's not making life easier if you’ve got to remember which app controls the bulbs in which room. We’re trying to streamline your life, not turn waking up into a brain teaser!
How you control your lights and set up your home is up to you. Your choices are;
Through the Smart Life app.
Connect through wi-fi or Bluetooth for full control over your lighting. Depending on the bulbs or lights you’ve got this can mean more than just turning your lights on and off. You could dim, change colour and set scenes.
With voice assistants.
‘Okay Google, light up my life.’ You can use your home assistants to… well, assist you in lighting.
With automation.
Setting up routines and scenes through the app allows your lighting to work with your lifestyle and your daily routine. Never fall back asleep because the sun’s not doing its job and then set your lighting to meet you at the door when you get home from a long day at work.
Or a combination of the above.
All of these are available for you to try out, see what feels the most natural in your home and in your life, maybe you prefer to automate your mornings and then call out to your home assistant for whatever lighting you fancy as the day goes on.
Key Smart Lighting Products
Different smart lighting products vary in levels of integration, and capabilities. There’s the standard smart bulb, just replace your old LED or halogen bulbs and you get the benefits of app control, home assistant control and (depending on the specifics of the bulb) you could also have dimmable and colour changing functions.
If you’re not worried about all the colour changing, dimmable bells and whistles then smart plugs are available. Smart plugs smarten up the on/off function. You can still automate, voice or app control the light, but that’s about it. Nice and simple.
And then, of course, there’s the light bars, LED strips and shapes. These are more integrated, entertainment-based choices. A lot of these products have the capability to sync with music, or even light up along with the TV for a fuller cinematic experience.
Which Smart Lighting Option is Best?
There’s a lot of option out there! It can be a little overwhelming trying to work out your ideal smart lighting set up. But the question to ask yourself is; what do I want my smart lighting to bring to my home and my life?
There’s no need to overcomplicate your life by jumping in to smart lighting and getting the biggest and best when you don’t need or really want it. If all you’re looking to do is simplify turning a light on or off, then a smart plug’s all that you need.
If you want that little bit of extra control over the mood you’re setting, investing in smart bulbs that fit into your existing living room light fittings is perfect. You get all the ease of use and customisation that a smart plug gives you, with the added bonus of dimming and colour changing functions.
If neither of those sounds like quite enough for you… strip lights, light bars and smart lights in various other shapes, that’s the way to go. You might want to bring in some of the other smart lighting options for your day to day needs, but the entertainment smart lighting is the cherry on top.
Can Smart Lighting be Installed into any Home?
There’s a way to automate and smarten up the lighting in any home, even with just a smart plug. Most lamps and ceilings lights can have their current bulbs swapped out for a smart alternative, which makes automating your home super easy.
Worried about keeping it renter friendly? Some of our smart LED strips and shapes are going to require fastening to the wall in some way, depending on whether you own your home or how cool your landlord is about that sort of thing – there might be some barriers. But, even if you’re restricted you can always opt for a table top version like bar lights.
Integration with Smart Home Ecosystems.
Smart lighting works in conjunction with a number of smart home platforms, allowing you to create scenes and routines for enhanced automation.
Your home assistant might remind you when you need to leave in the morning but wouldn’t it be great if they could shine like the sun and get you out of bed in the first place?
If you’re a lover of mood lighting but you’re getting a little tired of having to go around the house switching on all your lamps, we get it. It’s the price we pay for a relaxing atmosphere, but what if you could just… say it out loud and have it be so?
And we can’t possibly forget the safety bonus of integrating smart lighting into your smart home ecosystem. Setting up routines that sync with daily life means your home can mimic the signs of life, even when you’re not there.
What’s the Difference between White and Colour Lights?
Well, first it’s worth mentioning that there’s more to ‘white light’ than it just being white. We break this down into 3 types of white light. Cool, Natural and Warm. Cool is a brighter, more task oriented light. Natural is the closest to daylight. Warm is that golden, cosy glow.
Cool
Neutral
Warm
Colour lights use RGB LED technology to make up any colour with different combinations of the primary colours; red, green and blue. There’s a lot to be said about using colours to spur on that perfect vibe. Different colours elicit different feelings.
Chromotherapy is the practice of colour therapy, or using colours to control your mood. Here’s your cheat guide:
Blue light can help you wake up a little easier. It promotes feeling of relaxation, stability and safety. What a great way to start your day! But, be warned that keeping the lights blue too far into the day might wreak a little havoc with your circadian rhythm and ruin your nights sleep.
Red lights… they’ve got some romantic connotations, but research has actually shown that red lighting brings a sense of calm and that spending time in a red lit room is the most relaxing choice.
Quiet the mind with the pink glow. Research has shown that pink calms rages and irritation. Probably a combination of the calming power of red and the fact that pink’s just fun!
Green lighting is the easiest for our delicate eyes to take in. If you’re looking to minimise eye strain whilst you’re reading and unwinding, then green is the obvious choice.
Can I Automate my Smart Lighting?
Yes and you should! It’s the best way to get the most from your new smart lighting set up. You can set specific lights to come on at certain times. Whether to greet you when you get home or ease you up in the morning. You can also preset outdoor smart lighting for when you know you’ll have to make your way down the garden path or at times you feel you need the added security.
Future Trends in Smart Lighting
The buying team here at ValueLights can only see smart lighting becoming more and more integrated in our daily lives. With innovations in the smart lighting industry constantly evolving the landscape, who can say what’s coming next. But what we do know is that the further smart lighting technology advances, the more common place what we already have will become.
You might not need to jump straight in with the most extravagant smart lighting set up that money can buy, but there are ways a little bit of smart can change your life.
