5 Ways Lighting Technology Can Make Your Life Easier

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We use our lights every day at home, but lighting is often something we overlook. To make the most of your home’s lighting it’s important to plan ahead and to consider the specific needs of each room – do you want the lighting to visually enhance a space, or to help you perform daily task?

Once you have these basics down pat, follow these tips from Clipsal on how to choose your fixtures and consider how positioning, smart technology and the choice of light fixture can really help to make life easier.

Clipsal by Schneider Electric

1. Keep Your Home Secure

A great way to deter thieves when you’re away from home is to put timers on your lights. It’ll give the impression that someone is at home and put off potential intruders. The predictable pattern of standard timers might not fool everyone, but this is where smart technology can help.

You can pair your lamps with your smart home system and turn them on and off remotely whenever you like – either set up an automatic programme, or give yourself the ability to control the timing randomly through an app or web portal.

Set the scene. Want to arrive home to a beautifully lit home? By using smart home technology you can programme a selection of lighting scenes for different occasions – so when you walk in the door the perfect lighting comes on to make you feel immediately at home.

Clipsal by Schneider Electric

2. Show Off Design Features

If you really want to show off a stunning feature in your home, the easiest way to do it is with lighting. A carefully positioned downlight can draw attention to a feature artwork, for instance, and unlike direct sunlight, will not damage your print.

To draw attention to key features in a space that also requires sufficient task light sources, such as the kitchen, accent and general lighting can work together wonderfully. Choose LED downlights to show off key features such as splashbacks and benchtops. Panel or ceiling lights can provide adequate extra lighting, but choose designs with a diffuser to ensure the light is scattered evenly and the result is softer.

Finishing touches. To ensure your home is stylistically seamless, opt for switches and powerpoints that work with your decor and not against it. For a modern feel go for minimalist style fixtures with easy-to-use push buttons, or opt for a coloured matte option. Industrial interiors with black-framed windows would work well with sleek black switches.

Clipsal by Schneider Electric

3. Set the Mood Easily

Get the atmosphere right for entertaining, or a cosy night in by planning a hard-working lighting scheme. Achieve this by adding layers of illumination that light the space softly and don’t glare – choose wall-mounted fixtures, ceiling lights, or recessed and track lighting. To get the ambience just right fit dimmers to your lighting, which will allow you to easily increase and decrease the brightness in the room.

Add contrast. Dark rooms with little or no natural light can be extremely difficult to illuminate, but you can turn a gloomy room into a radiant space with the correct lighting fixtures. You can even take advantage of a dark space by using lights that create a dramatic contrast, particularly strategically placed uplights that will give a stunning glow against a moody backdrop.

Clipsal by Schneider Electric

4. Keep Things Under Control

How would you like to control your lighting from the comfort of your sofa or bed? Push control technology allows you to turn your lights on and off from wherever you are, so you can brighten an area for a particular task without having to go anywhere – or switch the lights off downstairs without leaving your warm doona. You can also avoid the panic of wondering if you’ve left them on when you’re out of the house.

Clear thinking. When you’re reading or working, it’s important to make sure you have enough light to see easily. Avoid eye strain by positioning task lighting in the places you need it. In the kitchen, for example, a pendant ceiling light over the bed is a stylish yet functional solution for late-night reading.

Clipsal by Schneider Electric

5. Manage Your Budget

A great way to make sure you’re not wasting energy with your lighting is to monitor it online. Try a clever app that gives you all the information you need to track usage and keep an eye on how much you’re spending.

Save energy. Make the most of the vast amount of energy-saving products that are on the market nowadays. Invest in efficient lighting, such as LED fixtures and control lamps through smart technology to ensure you only use what you need.

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This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team