FINALLY UPGRADED MY LIVING ROOM LIGHTS—ANYONE ELSE TRIED SMART BULBS?
Honestly, I’ve found the “energy saving” claims are mostly just marketing jazz unless you’re comparing LEDs to old incandescents. Between brands, the wattage is usually pretty close. I did a spreadsheet once (don’t judge) and the difference was pennies per year. The real savings is just not leaving them on all night... which, ironically, is easier to do with smart bulbs if you forget to set schedules.
I’ve noticed the same thing—unless you’re swapping out ancient bulbs, the “savings” are kind of negligible. What I do like is being able to tweak the color temp for different moods or tasks. Have you played around with scenes or automations yet? Curious if you found any that actually make life easier, not just fancier.
What I do like is being able to tweak the color temp for different moods or tasks.
I get that. For me, the real win was setting up a “coming home” scene—lights pop on at sunset, so I’m not fumbling in the dark with groceries. Not flashy, just practical. Automations are only worth it if they actually save you hassle, in my book.
I’ve set up a few scenes like that for clients, and honestly, I’m still a bit on the fence. I mean, it’s nice not to walk into a pitch-black room, but sometimes the automations get a mind of their own—like the time my “movie night” scene turned every light in the house purple. Not exactly cozy. I do appreciate being able to nudge the color temp warmer for evenings, though. Makes the space feel less like a dentist’s office...
Title: Finally upgraded my living room lights—anyone else tried smart bulbs?
- That purple light fiasco sounds way too familiar... had a “relax” scene once that made my kitchen look like a nightclub.
- Automations are cool, but I’ve found less is more. If I let the system do too much, it gets weird fast.
- Warm white in the evening is a must. Anything too blue and suddenly it’s like prepping for dental surgery, not Netflix.
- Honestly, I keep a regular lamp handy just in case the tech goes rogue. Learned that one the hard way.
