"Curious if anyone's tried motion sensors or automations to help with the switch-flipping habit."
I gave motion sensors a shot in our hallway and kitchen, and honestly, it's been pretty great overall. At first, it felt weird—lights popping on unexpectedly when you just walk by—but we got used to it quickly. The only hiccup is finding that sweet spot for sensitivity so the cat doesn't trigger it at 3 AM (lesson learned...). Still, it's nice not fumbling around for switches in the dark anymore.
I haven't gone full motion sensor yet, but I've set up smart bulbs with automations in my living room and bedroom. It's been pretty smooth overall, though I totally get what you mean about sensitivity:
"The only hiccup is finding that sweet spot for sensitivity so the cat doesn't trigger it at 3 AM (lesson learned...)."
My dog triggered ours constantly at first—had to tweak the settings a few times. Now it's dialed in nicely, and I love not having to get up from the couch to dim the lights for movie night.
I feel your pain with the pet-triggered lights...my cat had ours flickering like a disco at first. Took me forever to get the sensitivity just right, but once you hit that sweet spot, it's pretty great. Honestly though, have you thought about placement? Sometimes just angling or repositioning the sensor slightly can make a huge difference. Either way, sounds like you're already on the right track—movie nights without leaving the couch are definitely worth the hassle.
Totally relate to the pet-triggered disco vibe, haha. A few things that helped me:
- Switched to wall sconces with smart bulbs instead of overhead sensors—pets rarely trigger those.
- Played around with grouping bulbs into zones, so I can dim or brighten specific areas depending on mood or activity.
- Added some ambient LED strips behind furniture...game changer for movie nights.
Honestly, once you dial it in, the atmosphere is next-level cozy. Worth every minute spent tweaking settings and chasing the cat away from sensors.
"Added some ambient LED strips behind furniture...game changer for movie nights."
Interesting approach with the LEDs behind furniture—sounds like it adds depth. Have you noticed any issues with glare or reflection on screens, especially during darker movies? Curious how you've managed that.
