Smart Home: Ways to Integrate Lighting and Atmosphere

by Colette Winnard 08/15/2021

Smart lighting is available in many shades, colors, shapes and fixture sizes, which makes it easier to blend them into your day-to-day. With this technology, you can control multiple lights in a single room with bluetooth-enabled bulbs and experiment with various combinations.

What Is Ambient Lighting?

Ambient lighting refers to the first layer of light in the room, and it’s often referred to in a positive light. For instance, a dimmed room might be recognized as romantic or relaxing. However, it can also go the other direction too. Harsh fluorescent lighting can make a room very difficult to inhabit. People might feel uncomfortable without really being able to pinpoint why. 

When you think of different intensities and shades, consider what you’ll be doing in the room and who will be in it.

Set the Mood for Anything 

Brightness, color, temperature: smart lighting makes it possible to control it all. As you get ready to put on the feature for your movie night, dim the lights and add some atmosphere. If it’s a horror movie, maybe give it a deep, red tint to get everyone in the right frame of mind.

Control Lights With Your Voice 

A digital assistant makes it possible to control lights with the sound of your voice. So if you are busy doing something else, all you have to do is ask your digital assistant to set the stage. You can also pre-program the lights for standard activities (e.g., watching TV, eating dinner, etc.), and your digital assistant can change the lighting based on those activities. 

Lighting and Your Home 

Sometimes you host elegant dinner parties with soft, comforting lighting in the background. Other times you host a Super Bowl party where you want the colors bouncing off the walls at every play. Whatever it is, lighting is a key element in the home, and it’s often one of the most overlooked. In rooms where natural light is either limited or nonexistent, you can use smart lighting to increase the utility of the space. The best illumination usually comes from having multiple sources, including the sun, moon, table lighting, overhead lighting, task lighting, etc. 

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Colette Winnard