One of the greatest conveniences homeowners enjoy with home automation is lighting. If you’re new to adding technology to your home, lighting is a great place to start. While setting up home automation may seem complicated, we have some easy tips for automating lighting in your home.
There are four primary ways you can control lighting with home automation systems:
- Use verbal commands to turn lights on and off.
- Turn lights on and off via a smart device (app) or control center (remote control panel).
- Use software to set lights to turn on and off at specific times or dawn/dusk.
- Implement motion sensors to turn lights on and off based on movement.
The functionality that home automation provides results in many benefits. Homeowners experience lower utility bills by using lights only as needed. Others appreciate the security of being able to adjust lights from a remote location to give passersby the appearance the home is occupied. Disabled and elderly homeowners enjoy the ease of adjusting lights without having to move or reach out for a switch.
Five Tips for Automating Lighting in Your Home
If you’re considering implementing a home automation system for lighting, here are a few considerations to begin your journey.
- Think about the purpose of each room. Your lighting needs will be dramatically different depending on how you use each room of your home. For example, kitchens will need more light, including a combination of overhead and task lighting. Softer, dim lighting is usually more comfortable for bedrooms. Your family room, on the other hand, may serve several functions, so you may enjoy brighter lights near chairs for reading with the option to darken the room entirely for family movie night.
- Observe natural lighting throughout the day. Take a look at how the light from windows illuminates your home. Those areas that remain dim during daylight hours will need more lighting than others. Ideally, you want the ability to have equal light throughout an entire room if desired.
- Decide how you will automate the lights. There are several different ways to add lights to the home automation network. Professionals can wire your automation system into the electrical outlets, switches, and circuits if the home is under construction. However, there are still many ways to add automation to a home years later. The professionals at AE Interiors can discuss options from automated wall sockets to rewiring sections of your home. They have solutions to match every budget.
- Consider task lighting. Now is the time to add more safety and convenience to your home. It’s simple to add more lighting to workstations, reading nooks, or alongside stair treads. Lighting can help you see details better and help guide you and your guests safely throughout your home.
- Spend time shopping for lightbulbs. Many homeowners spend days, weeks, or months looking for the perfect fixtures only to take the stock light bulbs that lighting stores give them with their purchases. Today, there are many options for you to choose from. Say goodbye to watts–now lumens is the way to judge how bright a lightbulb will be in your room. For example, a 60-watt bulb equals a 900-lumen LED light bulb, while a 100-watt bulb equals 1,600 lumens. You can still find color variations with LED bulbs. Bright white may be better for tasks, but warm lights are easier on the eyes.
Choose AE Interiors for all your home automation needs.
Come visit our showroom, where you can touch, feel and experience all the home automation options you can enjoy in your home. This is the perfect way to see for yourself how home automation can make everyday life easier and decide which elements top your “must-have” list.
Contact us today to learn more about how easy it is to bring home automation to your family. We’re conveniently located at 5360 Bierson Way in Central Point, or call us at 541-245-3100. You’ll wonder why you waited so long.