Smart lighting solutions: Here are seven options to choose from

Having a smarthome isn't just about clever appliances or smartphone-controlled heating, there are also robotic vacuum cleaners, Bluetooth-enabled showerheads and music-playing mirrors to consider introducing. But that's not all. You can also get clever lights too and that doesn't just mean smartphone control, it means all sorts of smart features to show off to guests.

You switch lights on or off everyday and they can play an essential part in creating an ambience in a room. Some smart lighting solutions enable you to recreate the colours within a particular image, while other solutions just mean you don't need to get up off the sofa to turn the lights off.
We have rounded up seven of the best smart lighting options to consider installing that will ensure once you have sat down to watch that film, the only thing you'll need to move for is getting the popcorn out of the microwave.

Philips Hue has been around a while, but it doesn't just offer a clever way to control your lights, it sets a new precedence when it comes to creating a mood in a room. The wireless system allows you to use your iOS smartphone to not only switch the LED bulbs on and off, but pick the colour and brightness you want , as well as recreate colours within a specific image, such as a sunset you uploaded to Instagram for example.

You can program specific times, for example waking everyone in the house up at 7am every day with bright lights and the Hue system also has a party mode for flashing in time with your music. Additionally, Philips Hue is compatible with the IFTTT service, meaning you can create all sorts of recipes that will take your smart lighting to a different level, such as making them flash blue if you get a Facebook notification.

The Philips Hue starter pack offers three light bulbs and a wireless base that can control up to 50 bulbs but you can add more £50-a-pop bulbs as time goes on. If you are lucky enough to have a house that has more than 50 bulbs, bear in mind you'll need an extra wireless base.

Belkin offers all sorts of WeMo connected devices and included within the range is the WeMo Smart LED bulb and the WeMo Light Switch, both of which allow lighting control from an iPhone or Android device. The WeMo Smart LED Bulb will need to replace your existing bulbs, like Philips Hue, but you will be able to control, schedule and fully dim them from anywhere using the WeMo Link, Wi-Fi and the WeMo app.
They can be controlled independently or in groups and like the Philips Hue base, the WeMo Link can handle up to 50 of the 60W bulbs, which according to Belkin last up to 23 years. The WeMo LED bulbs have also recently been updated to offer compatibility with IFTTT, meaning you can create various recipes like the Hue system.

Belkin also has the WeMo Light Switch that is designed to replace a standard light switch in your home and allow you to turn your normal lights on and off from anywhere using a smartphone.

LightwaveRF is not just about lighting, it's about controlling your entire home whether that be heating, electricity or lighting. It's a clever system to say the least and all it requires you to do is swap your sockets and switches for LightwaveRF units that offer push-buttons and LED indicators.

Once you have installed the system, you use the switches and plugs as normal but you get the additional functionality of being able to remotely control and monitor your lighting, power and energy usage from an internet-enabled device.

The LightwaveRF app will let you to set routines based on your usual daily activities and because everything can be controlled while you are away, you can make it look like someone is home when you're on holiday to help deter unwanted visitors. If you want heating control too, you'll need to add units to your radiators and boiler but this system has the potential to make your home completely smart.

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