When renovating a house, one must pay special attention to the lighting. Good interior lighting not only increases the space’s functionality but also improves its aesthetics and ambiance. The market has several innovative smart lighting options, from minimalist floor lamps to hanging lights in unconventional shapes. These fixtures can improve the living area’s appearance and make it more inviting. That said, one must research and plan well before investing in smart lighting for modern homes.
Plan the lighting layout
Before installing any fixtures and lights, it is essential to plan the lighting layout for each room. The manner in which the lights are arranged can directly influence the aesthetics and functionality of the space. An ideal layout is the one that evenly distributes light across the house by highlighting key architectural features and nooks and providing sufficient illumination for different tasks.
Since each room of the house has a different purpose, the lighting layout will vary. An arrangement that works well in the kitchen may not necessarily have the same effect in the living area. Homeowners must keep this in mind when planning. It’s also beneficial to consider using layered lighting layouts. Layers add more dimension and depth to the interiors and can be achieved by blending ambient, accent, and task lighting.
Set scenes for different rooms
The biggest advantage of having smart home lighting systems is they can be personalized to create a unique ambiance. For example, one can change the intensity and hue of the light by using an app, flipping a switch, or giving a verbal command through a paired home voice assistant. Creating a different lighting ambiance in every room is recommended for modern homes.
These days, certain smart lights come with preprogrammed settings called “lighting scenes.” For example, when hosting a dinner for friends or family, one can simply set the lights to entertainment mode to make the atmosphere in the house more vibrant. Similarly, for the TV room, one can set a bright scene when cleaning and then switch to a toned-down scene for movie nights. Several top smart lighting brands for home automation enable such settings in their lighting products.
Experiment with a wider color palette
Color-changing LED lights are among the most popular modern home smart lighting solutions. These lights allow one to illuminate a room in the color of one’s choice. For instance, a moody purple can be set for the TV room or home theater area during a movie night, while a subtle cool yellow can be set when hosting a dinner party. Whenever there is a need to get back to the basic white light, it can be done with a simple tap on an app or by using a voice command.
Many brands sell smart light fixtures that can produce different colors as well as an entire spectrum of white light. From light strips to smart LED lighting for home, there are tons of options to choose from. That said, one must take their time and pick a color compatible with the house’s aesthetic. It’s also important to choose energy-efficient smart lighting.
Pair the lighting system with a voice assistant
One of the best smart lighting ideas is to connect smart lights to a voice assistant device. Once done, one will be able to use their voice to control the lights. This not only saves time but also makes the lighting system accessible for everyone in the family.
The voice assistant can also be used to make the smart lighting system more intuitive and organic. For instance, a “goodnight” routine can be created with a voice assistant device for the kids’ bedroom. This routine dims the lights slowly over a period of 20 to 30 minutes. All one needs to do is give a voice command to start the goodnight routine for the children’s room.
Include scheduled lighting automations
A smart lighting tip for contemporary interiors is to create lighting schedules based on one’s everyday routine. Simply put, this involves programming all the smart lights in the house to turn on and off at specific times of the day. Such scheduled lighting automation enhances the house’s security while improving energy efficiency.
One can also use schedules to automatically change the lights’ brightness and color temperatures at different times of the day. Functions like these are useful for busy homeowners who cannot keep adjusting the lights on their own. With this kind of automated lighting, a seamlessly illuminated space can be created without cutting back on functionality and comfort.
Connect the smart lights to security systems
Most smart lights available today can connect to a house’s motion detection alarms and surveillance cameras. While this may seem unnecessary, linking smart lights to security devices helps keep the home more secure. When the smart lights are integrated with the security system, they are instantly triggered whenever security sensors detect unusual activity. This ensures a house remains well-lit and safe during any suspicious incident.
To further enhance security, one can install smart lights that continuously change colors or flash when an alarm is triggered. This would provide a visual alert in case of a security breach inside the house.
