There isn’t a person around that doesn’t want to feel comfortable in their home. For many, that includes making their home beautiful but functional. One of the best ways to do this is by increasing the amount of a light that a home experiences. A well lit home feels vibrant and bright. However, older incandescent light bulbs drain energy. Homes that want to improve their lighting should turn to LEDs.

LED lights come in a wide variety of forms. LED light bulbs are of course one of the most well known options. These save energy while fitting into standard sized light fixtures. However, there are many other options as well. Accent and smart lighting can allow a home to be even more beautifully lit while still being a boon to your electric bill.

Main Lighting

The most common way that people have upgraded to LED lighting is through light bulbs. Most people have made the switch by now, though there are still some people who are holdovers to older light bulbs. Modern LED light bulbs use a fraction of the energy and can bring down those electric costs by around 75%. This can be rather significant in a large home. In addition, LED light bulbs last much longer than traditional. LED light bulbs are also available in variable strength levels and shades of light, just like traditional. While they are more expensive, the savings in energy costs and their much longer lifespan makes LED light bulbs sort of a no brainer choice.

While the source is important, fixtures are as well. Many homes (especially older homes) may not have a lighting system built in which provides enough light to a large room. In these cases, lamps can add a touch of style, but also functionality, to a darker room. These are especially useful in areas where you may need to read or use devices.

Accent Lighting

When it comes to accent lighting, there are many different ways it can be done. Accent lighting can sometimes be referred to as mood lighting, but it’s far more than that. Accent lighting has both an aesthetic and a safety purpose. They make your home look safe, and provide some gentle lighting for night when most people would rather not turn on their lights fully.

The most common form of LED lighting for accents is what’s called “strip lights”. These almost look like strips of tape. They have a small LED emitter spaced evenly throughout the strip. Strip lighting is often placed below countertops in kitchens, behind televisions or inside cabinets. This allows for lighting in dark places, or accenting your current lighting setup.

When using strip lights for accenting your home, you must make sure you don’t plus them into an outlet. The AC current in a home will destroy these strips in no time. LED power adapters are the choice here. Typically each strip or two should have have an LED power adapater to manage the power they receive. Be sure to check the specifications on your own strip lighting before determining how much is needed.

Smart Lighting

When it comes to LED lighting, most people are turning to smart lighting. Smart lighting allows you to control many features of your lights. In addition, it lets you do so in various ways. Smart lighting will usually integrate into one of many smart home systems like Alexa or Google Home. If it doesn’t, it’s possible to use a smart hub to integrate them.

Smart lights let you control various aspects of the lighting. The first is the lighting power. Most smart lighting systems will allow you to control the lights, either with a full 0-100% dimmer model, or in quarter increments. If you purchase light bulbs with the proper functionality, it can also change the color in the lights. This can allow people to use different colors of lights for different rooms and moods.

Smart lights also let you control them in different ways. Typically, it’s common for there to be a remote control much like a television has. However, more and more they are controlled through apps on a smartphone. Other versions use voice confirmation.