Smart Lights

If there was ever a time to buy smart lights, it’s during the holidays. One, it acts as a holiday decoration to get everyone excited about Christmas. Two, they become your indoor lights long after the holidays are over. Unlike Christmas decorations, these lights don’t have to be taken down. Simply adjust the colour to match the time of the year or even the time of the day. The holidays are the perfect time to upgrade your home with smart lights. Let’s look at all the ways you can decorate your home with smart lights. 

Retrofitting your home with smart bulbs

With smart lights, the low-hanging fruit to get started is with smart bulbs. These look identical to the light bulbs you use today except they are smart. They have built-in Wi-Fi adapters to connect to your home network. With smart bulbs, users can select any colour from the app and connect it to voice assistants. This allows you to change the light colour on the fly with your voice. During the holidays, turn the lights to red and green. Instantly, your home will feel like Christmas. Get creative by using smart bulbs in lamps. Position it so the light reflects off walls and ceilings. It’s a quick and easy way to add colour accents to walls. 

If you’re getting smart bulbs, my advice is to stick to one brand. Personally, I like the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter. This is a simple, no-nonsense smart bulb that can add colour to any room. It’s great for ceiling light fixtures or desk lamps. If possible, I recommend you get a multi-pack and replace multiple lights at once. Group them together to turn lights on and off with voice and change the colour. Nanoleaf also has a wide range of smart lights so it’s easy to connect and control them all together. 

Nanoleaf Lines 90 Degrees

Decorate walls with smart wall lights

Smart wall lights are the latest innovation in smart lighting. These LED panels come in various shapes that are mounted onto walls. Users can build intricate designs with these panels and add to them later. That modularity is what I love about smart wall lights. If you have a design idea, you can bring it to life. My only tip is to first note the nearest power outlet. Try to design it so the power cable is hidden from view. This might mean starting your design near a power outlet. If you can’t see the cable, the lights will look professionally installed and magical. Let your creativity shine with smart wall lights. 

I’ve been really interested in trying out the Nanoleaf Lines 90 Degrees. This is a four-panel kit with modular LED light bars. Users connect and mount the lines to create original designs. The lines give an ambient glow and with the Nanoleaf app, users can create dynamic light effects and animation. 

Nanoleaf 4D Screen WiFi Mirror

Adding smart LED light strips to your television

Ambient lighting is a great way to decorate your home. Smart LED light strips offer endless decorative lighting opportunities. One popular method is adding LED light strips behind a television. The lights reflect onto a wall creating an ambient, indoor lighting experience. Connect the power to the television so the lights only come on when the television is powered. Users can connect smart LED strips to voice assistants for voice control. It’s a quick and easy way to select a light colour and turn the lights off.

If you want the ultimate LED strip lighting experience, check out the Nanoleaf 4D Screen WiFi Mirror. This LED light strip comes with a camera that faces the TV. It mirrors the colours on the TV screen to the colours on the light strip—in real-time. I reviewed the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Wi-Fi Mirror and the results were breathtaking. It’s a quick and easy way to decorate your home entertainment room. Perfect for holiday movie nights with the family or late-night gaming sessions. 

Twinkly String Lights

Decorating the outside of your home

With smart outdoor lighting, anyone can create epic colour and lighting effects on their property. These lights are designed for outdoor use but also connect to your home Wi-Fi. It’s really become the future of Christmas decorations. In the past, we would put up Christmas lights and take them down after New Year’s. Smart outdoor lighting doesn’t require removal. They are small enough to fade into the background when not in use. However, at night, they can add colour to trees, shrubs, walkways, railings, and more. Users can set light colours and effects from their smartphones. Many also sync with music for the ultimate holiday effect. Imagine all your outdoor lights syncing to Christmas music as guests arrive. It’s a quick and effective way to get everyone in the holiday spirit. 

For holiday decorating, I recommend starting with the Twinkly Dots light string. It’s the perfect outdoor lighting solution for parties and the holidays. You get 32 feet of string lights with 200 tiny LED lights. Install on walls, around trees, in shrubs, or along walkways. The dot-style lights provide a minimalist look. All the focus is on the coloured lights. If you want to take it to the next level, connect it to Twinkly Music. Now the lights will react to music. It’s the perfect effect for parties, gatherings, and other special occasions. Best of all, you never have to take the lights off. Use them throughout the year whenever the opportunity presents itself. 

Smart Lights

Home decorations with smart lights

Smart lights don’t just light your home, they decorate it too. The holidays are the perfect time to upgrade your home with smart lights. It’s holiday decorating without the New Year’s clean-up. Use smart lights throughout the year to celebrate special occasions, like birthdays, graduations, Christmas, and more. 

If you’re new to smart lighting, read this buying guide. It goes into detail on all the different smart lighting options available. This year, skip the holiday decorations and decorate your home with smart lights

.  

Andy Baryer
Andy Baryer aka “Handy Andy” is a technology journalist, gadget reviewer, and DIY/how-to content creator. Known as the handyman of tech, Andy enjoys fixing poor wireless networks, building smart homes, and cooking with the latest kitchen gadgets. He’s a competitive whistler, a budding woodworker, and loves gardening in his home-built smart garden.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here