SMART LIGHTING
Illuminating advice on clever home lighting
Looking back, perhaps it was the way I first presented the bulbs the first time round, giving myself a fancy background while streaming on Twitch, but my wife in particular did not see the point in smart lighting – until, that is, I put a pair of LIFX A60 bulbs in our bedroom and programmed an Alexa routine for them.
One shout of “Alexa, lights down” (or perhaps two, depending on how much the assistant feels like listening on any given day), and they dip from a daytime bright to a soothing dim orange, perfect for relaxing at bedtime. The kids were won over by my disco mode, sending the bulbs into a colourful frenzy.
The youngsters had to wait patiently for further investment, but they each now have an RGB bulb in their bedrooms. It is not uncommon to find my daughter’s room a lurid pink, or my son opting for a frankly sickening green. Perhaps it’s not entirely been a win.