7 Ways to Control Your Home’s Lights

Home lighting control is often considered a must-have for luxury properties in the Atlanta, Georgia area, but few homeowners realize how flexible the technology truly is. The biggest advantage of lighting control goes beyond simply getting rid of unappealing light switches on the walls—it’s the ease with which you can personalize the control to fit your lifestyle. Keep reading to learn about all the different possibilities at your disposal.

1. Light Sensors

Does your home have lots of large windows that bring in natural light? If so, light sensors are a smart choice. These unobtrusive devices keep track of how much natural light is coming into each room. The lighting control system then adjusts your motorized window shades and artificial lighting to keep the space at optimal brightness. So when the sun goes behind a cloud, the lamps or chandelier will immediately brighten to compensate, then dim again as the sun starts shining.

2. Motion Sensors

There’s no need to light an area that nobody is using. That’s where motion sensors come in. You can set up sensors to do so many different things: turn on a single lamp, illuminate a pathway at night, highlight prized artwork on the wall, trigger lights as your car pulls into the driveway, etc. With motion sensors, you get all the benefits of a superior lighting design strategy while also being environmentally conscious.

3. Preset Scenes

Nobody wants to fiddle around with lighting controls every day, trying to get just the right levels for comfort. Instead, use preset scenes to find that perfect brightness once and for all. You can set up scenes for specific rooms or activities, such as “Good Morning” for your bedroom as you wake up. Once you decide on the desired brightness, just save the settings. Then, to access those same lighting settings again, all you have to do is push a single button on your management interface.

SEE ALSO: How to Boost Your Home Lighting Control with Scenes

4. Timers

Particularly useful for landscape lighting, timers ensure that specific areas of your home are always well lit right when you want them to be. You could set up a schedule for the porch light to turn on at 6:00 p.m. and then turn off again at 9:00 p.m., for example. This approach is completely hands-off (with the exception of adjusting for Daylight Saving every year).

5. Mobile Devices

Every single light in your home can be managed remotely via your smartphone or tablet. Just pull up the app, select the lamp or overhead light you want to adjust, and voila! Your lighting levels are right where you want them to be without even having to walk into that room. This technology is particularly useful for prepping your home from a distance. As you’re driving back from running errands, for example, you could push a button and be greeted by a cheerfully bright property.

6. In-Wall Controls

Sometimes it’s nice to have a light switch in the entryway. Instead of fumbling around in your pocket for your smartphone, you could just reach out and turn on the light. However, if standard light switches are a Corolla, then consider modern in-wall controls to be a Ferrari. The smart interfaces can be as simple or complex as you want. For example, dim the lights to a specific level just by scrolling down the screen. And with the right home interior finishes, you end up with a much cleaner and unobtrusive look.

7. Voice Control

A control method that is rapidly growing in popularity, voice automation allows you adjust the lights simply by asking—no buttons or screens required. Using devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can perform the exact same activities, such as dimming the brightness or turning on lights in a certain room, via one voice command. So the next time you find yourself in the entryway with your hands full, turning on the lights will be a non-issue.

The best part about home lighting control is that you’re not limited to just one technology. Combine multiple methods to create a cohesive system that satisfies your everyday needs.

To see these technologies in action, contact a local BRAVAS partner.