Best Places for a Home Lighting System

By Rachel Cericola. December 2, 2015. For http://www.electronichouse.com

If you’re planning to install smart LED light bulbs or a full-blown lighting system, consider highlighting one of these spots.

 

These days, installing a lighting system can be insanely easy—and pretty high-tech, too. Whether you’re opting for a full-blown lighting system or sprinkling smart LED light bulbs throughout the house.

After all, we’ve gone on and on about the benefits of smart lighting in the home theater, home office and even all over the house. A lighting system or even a few smart LED light bulbs can guide you through a dark foyer, make the home look occupied when you’re out, and save a few toes from getting stubbed during a midnight snack run. It can even set the mood when gathering with friends in the family room, while watching a movie, or when enjoying a night under the stars.

Looking for ideas to transform your home with smart lighting? Get expert advisory here.

Just be aware that this type of luxury is very easy to get used to, so expect to want smart lighting all over the house at some point. This is a wonderful goal to aspire to. However, if you want to keep to a budget or experiment with lighting before committing to a whole-house project, there are a few key spots around the house to consider.

 

Outside

 

Having outside lighting may seem like a no-brainer. After all, a dark house at night can be like something out of a horror movie. With smart lighting out front, you can turn on lights from the driveway, the office or anywhere else in the world, and be guided safely to the door. Of course, it also allows your home to look occupied, even when you’re on a beach 3,000 miles away.

An outdoor lighting system also makes those pool and/or patio areas safe, so you won’t be breaking any limbs while trying to step out for some fresh air. It can even add ambience, putting a spotlight on the pool area or a favorite plant.

As an added bonus, a lighting system combined with a motion sensor will keep you informed (and illuminated) whenever creatures from all walks of life decide to stop by.

 

At the Top of the Stairs

 

Putting automated lighting at the bottom of the stairs is nice, but having smart LED light bulbs or even a keypad at the top of the stairs is one of the best spots to put smart lighting. That way, you can light up the hall and stairs for that midnight snack or the morning rush. Even better, it allows you to shut down everything downstairs and still have a way to get up to bed without having to feel your way around.

 

In the Bathroom

 

Most bathrooms have the switch right there, so it would seem silly to put smart home lighting in this small space. That said, you know that if you get up in the middle of the night, you are probably headed one of two places. Of course, you could put a smart bulb in the kitchen or you could keep yourself from late-night snacks as well as breaking your neck, all by putting a lighting option in the bathroom.

This would also be a great spot to combine lighting with some type of motion or proximity sensor because sleeping or awake, there are plenty of times when other members of the house forget to turn the lights off.

If you extend the Philips Hue to the bathroom, you can have all sorts of pretty colors for tub time. However, think about adding the Hue Tap to that room as well, so you can control lighting without the need for a smartphone. This controller isn’t just easy to add into an existing Hue setup, but it’s also portable. So if you find out it’s not needed in one area, it’s easy to move to anywhere else in the house.

Wherever you decide to put smart lighting, make sure you purchase a system that’s easy to add onto at a later date. You never know where you’re going to need it!