I’ve become deeply opinionated about lighting. To the big overhead light, I say Absolutely not.

I want lamps. I want warm light. I want my living room to look like a cozy little cocktail bar at 8 p.m., not the waiting room at an urgent care.

Which is why smart lighting is suddenly much more interesting to me.

It's Not Just About Changing Colors

When smart bulbs first became popular, I mostly associated them with making your bedroom purple from an app. Fun, but not particularly life-changing.

What I care about now is being able to adjust brightness and warmth throughout the day.

Bright light while I'm actually trying to accomplish things? Great.

Soft, warm light once I'm settling down for the evening is even better.

Your Lights Can Follow a Routine

You can set compatible lights to turn on automatically around sunset or dim at a certain time every evening. That means you don't have to walk around the house turning on six different lamps once it gets dark.

You can also create routines for mornings or bedtime. I'm very interested in any household system that removes tiny repetitive tasks from my day. My brain has enough tabs open.

You Don't Have to Smart-Light the Entire House

You don’t need to replace every bulb in your house. Start with one room.

The living room makes sense if that's where you spend your evenings. Your bedroom is another good candidate if you want softer nighttime lighting. You can always add more later.

Smart Plugs Can Make Regular Lamps Smarter

You may not even need smart bulbs. If you have lamps you already love, a compatible smart plug can give you simple on-and-off control through an app, voice assistant, or schedule.

This is especially handy for those lamps with switches inconveniently located somewhere behind a sofa.

Good Lighting Changes a Room

I think we underestimate how much lighting affects the way our homes feel. You can have beautiful furniture and great decor, but harsh lighting can flatten the entire room.

Warm pools of light from several lamps instantly make a space feel softer. Smart controls simply make it easier to create that atmosphere without wandering around flipping switches every evening.

This Is Smart-Home Tech I Can Get Behind

I don't need my entire house connected to the internet. My refrigerator doesn’t need to send me motivational messages.

But lighting solves an actual everyday annoyance while making my home feel better.

Set the lamps to come on before sunset. Dim everything later in the evening. Then turn off the overhead light.

Please.

I'm begging you.