Nothing feels more pleasant than asking Alexa or Siri to dim the lights… except for the part where you have to first silence all of your dinner guests before you can do so. Not a pretty sight.
Voices
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When setting up your smart home, you often focus solely on voice assistants. But voice technology still lags behind when it comes to the detailed requests you want to make to create the perfect mood. “Set living room lights to 50% warm white” is still too many steps for a voice assistant to do all at once. It’s 2024. Why is this still a problem?
A better option is to become familiar with the automations and routines you can pre-program to live a well-lit life. After setting up these schedules for myself, I found that they required little to no additional maintenance. In the last few years, a variety of new adapters and products have hit the market that make it easier than ever to connect all of your devices together.
It’s not just about looks; lighting can have a significant impact on your mood, which in turn can affect your health. Smart lighting offers more customization, is easy to program, and allows you to change the atmosphere of your living space from invigorating to cozy at the touch of a button. Perhaps that’s why the global smart lighting market was valued at $15.05 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach a compound annual growth rate of 22.1% through 2030, according to a report by market research firm Grand View Research.
As a full-time writer focused on covering wellness technology, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to make my home and work environments more comfortable. Here are some of the devices I’ve used to integrate various smart lighting accessories and automations throughout my home.
Program your smart lighting to run on a schedule
Every morning my intelligent lighting machines start working before I even open my eyes. I have the Nanoleaf lines on my bedroom wall to trigger a gentle sunrise effect at 8:50 a.m. that gradually increases brightness over the next 30 minutes until it reaches 50% daylight. It’s an ideal way to start the day on the schedule that works best for me.
The author’s Nanoleaf Lines gently light up every morning and double as lighting for his webcam when he sits at his desk.
Throughout the day, my lighting alternates between different shades of white, from cool daylight in the morning to a cozy, warm glow in the evening. This approach is synced with my circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that determines when it’s time to sleep, wake up, energize, or relax.
The Philips Hue system particularly shines in this regard. In the Hue app, I downloaded the pre-configured natural light cycle, which automatically adjusts the color temperature based on the time of day. Most of my lighting is Philips Hue, and my switches and accessories are programmed to switch to this natural light when activated.
The Hue app has various scenes, including a daylight scene that you can download and save for future use.
Use a smart switch to make overrides easy
Despite all the advanced technology, sometimes you just need a physical switch to turn the lights on or off. Whether you’re on the phone, entertaining guests, or just in a rush, tapping a button can be a lot easier than giving a voice command. I’ve found some switches that work great with my Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, and other smart lighting.
One of my favorites is the Flic button. This little button works with Apple Home, Alexa, and a variety of other smart home systems. I use Flic to control lighting scenes that simultaneously involve products from multiple brands, such as Philips Hue, Govee, and Nanoleaf. Each Flic button allows for three different actions: single press, double press, and press and hold. Plus, it has an adhesive back so you can stick it anywhere—on a wall, under a desk, or anywhere else that works for you.
The Flic Button integrates into your smart home hub and allows you to control products from many different brands simultaneously.
The Flic starter kit includes a hub and three buttons for $99—a solid deal. There’s also the Flic Twist, which adds a dial for dimming, brightening, and even controlling sound. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m seriously considering it.
Another highlight is the Philips Hue touch switch. It’s incredibly versatile, with four programmable buttons, each of which can be customized to control a different scene. The outer dial lets you dim or brighten the lights in a specific room or area. You can even hold down any button to turn the lights off.
Philips Hue remotes can be configured through apps like Apple Home or Amazon Alexa, allowing them to control devices from other brands. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this accessory has been a game changer for me.
The Philips Hue Tap Switch includes four programmable buttons and a rotary switch.
What I love about Philips Hue is the wide variety of lights and switches available. From buttons to remotes, dials to motion sensors, there’s a switch for every need. For more information on my favorite Philips Hue accessories and some installation tips, check out Justin Tech, my tech channel on YouTube.
Let motion sensors light the way
No smart lighting setup is complete without motion sensors. I have placed them strategically around my house to make sure my lights are on when I need them. For example, my bedroom closet doesn’t have built-in lighting, so I added one Philips Hue Light Strip along the top and paired with a Motion sensor. The strip automatically turns on when I open the closet door and turns off after 5 minutes. It even adjusts to the time of day – warm and dark in the evening, bright and invigorating in the morning.
Use a Philips Hue motion sensor for areas where constant light is not needed.
I also have a sensor in the hallway for late-night snacks or bathroom breaks. It switches the hallway lights to 5% brightness – just enough to orient myself without waking me up completely.
Use smart plugs for your dumb devices
I was lucky enough to get an apartment with a terrace in New York City, so of course I had to add lighting to it. I already had outdoor lights, but they weren’t smart, so I connected them to a Lutron Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug. I use the Lutron app to set the lights to come on 30 minutes after sunset, exactly when I need them. I also installed a Lutron Caseta Smart Switch near the patio door so I can easily turn them on and off.
Use an adapter to add smart features to existing lights or luminaires.
Smart lighting should be seamless—it should work in the background so you can focus on your day without constantly having to manage your lighting in detail. Take the time to learn about your options so you can create a work or living space you love.
