Smart light bulbs from companies like Philips Hue come with a fairly high price tag compared to standard LEDs to just add smartphone and voice control into the mix for your home’s lighting. If you’ve been hesitant on pulling the trigger on some color bulbs or are looking for new ways to put the ones you already own to use, head below to see how take your smart home to the next level.
Aside from the added benefit of multicolor lighting, color smart bulbs are just about the same as their dimmable counterparts. But color bulbs typically still charge a premium for a feature that many may not see the utility in.
But there’s more to color LEDs than just making your home look like a rave, as they’re great ways to help you relax at night, sleep better, and have an even more immersive home theater setup.
Ambiance |
It’s often times overlooked, but adding some ambiance to your home in the form of color lighting definitely has its perks. Many, including myself, find mood lighting a relaxing alternative to your typical bright white atmosphere. That’s not to say you need to throw a set of Nanoleaf Aurora lights on your wall, but even changing the lights to a warmer temperature can make all the difference.
Ultimately whether it’s just having an accent lamp on your shelf like the Hue bloom, adding a lightstrip behind your TV or decking out your desk with a series of color lights, ambient lighting makes your abode a little more refreshing to come home to.
Wakeup/bedtime routines |
It seems like every week there’s a new study on the cons of staring at blue lights all day and how it makes falling asleep more difficult. Luckily, multicolor bulbs have your back here, as changing the lights to a warmer color can help combat the usual circadian rhythm-disturbing side effects of our smartphones.
I have an automation that begins fading the lights to a more orange hue at sunset, which slowly helps me wind down through the evening. And on the flip side, using cool blue lighting in the morning can help you wake up feeling more energized and ready to take on the world.
Home theater lighting |
Practical benefits aside, multicolor lighting can also help you take your home theater to the next level. There is a bunch of different software on the market that lets you sync your smart lights to your television, all of which create a more immersive experience.
It’s definitely one of those things you have to see in person to fully appreciate, but those looking for a more flashy way to show off their color bulbs will want to check out Philips Hue’s TV sync features. Philips does have some new TV-focused lights coming out, but for the time being you can’t go wrong with the Lightstrip Plus.
How do you leverage your color smart bulbs? Be sure to let us know in the comments below or over at @9to5Toys on Twitter.
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