Radiant reds, bold blues, gorgeous greens, and everything in between—color-changing lights aren’t just for entertainment and hospitality venues. This new type of lighting technology has made its way outside and inside the home. Here’s a quick guide on color-changing lighting, how it works, and how to make it work for your space. 

What Are Color-Changing Lights?

Color-changing lighting is a type of technology that can be integrated into lightbulbs and fixtures to allow users to adjust color and brightness. Millions of hues can be created to create scenes, environments, and experiences. Color-changing capabilities are typically controlled by smart devices via apps, voice assistants, or as part of a larger lighting automation system. 

How Do They Work?

Color-changing lighting features RGB LEDs that combine red, green, and blue light in practically limitless combinations and intensities to create nearly any color you can imagine. Do you have a particular blue in mind? Create it with these lights. Want to match a light to the color theme in your child’s room? Done. Make all your color dreams come true. 

Color-changing LEDs include a chip that receives input from a corresponding control system on the red, green, and blue emissions to create specific hues. Types of color-changing light controls include:

• Dedicated apps:  For manual color-setting, color preset selections, and Wi-Fi connections
• Voice assistant integration: Link to Alexa or Google Assistant to set up, adjust color and brightness, and create specific color scenes
• Automation: Set up daily wake and sleep schedules, triggers (motion, sunset), color scenes, and for weather (sunny mornings, overcast afternoons)
• Sync to music: Select LED strip lights allow syncing to music and light shows to enhance home entertainment, workouts, and more

Benefits of Color-Changing Lights

Home dance parties aren’t the only perk of these colorful lights. Here are few ways color-changing lights can enhance your home and living experience:

• Add personality to your home
• Outdoor color with traditional exterior lighting highlights architecture and landscaping 
• Set the mood for a room (and change it whenever you want!)
• Make it a game night or party to remember
• Enhance music listening or movie watching experiences
• Promote relaxation and better sleep and wake cycles

Types of Color-Changing Lights 

Color changing-technology is available in a variety of lighting types, offering you many options to customize depending on how you want to enjoy it. Whether you decide to go big or small, there’s a color-changing light for you. From lightbulbs and fixtures to LED strip lighting and lamps, there’s a color-changing light for you. And if you love it as much as we do, you may want to explore some state-of-the-art color-changing lighting systems for outdoor and indoor integration. 

Outdoor Landscape Lighting

Color-changing lighting has been part of home exteriors for years (happy holidays, everyone!), and has only grown in sophistication and popularity since the emergence of LED technology. Because of its versatility and built-in control capabilities, color-changing lighting is not only for seasonal decor but for year-round architectural and landscape lighting.

Colorscaping by WAC Lighting is an incredible way to bring your front and backyards to life with dynamic illumination. White and full-color lighting are fully adjustable using a patented control system throughout a variety of outdoor fixtures. Brighten, color, and create scenes to highlight exterior walls, trees, landscaping, paths, driveways, and more. Create illumination zones, program individual lights, and customize colors via the MyWAC app in addition to traditional automation capabilities.

Integrated Smart Lighting Systems

For an immersive color experience at home, Starfish by SATCO/NUVO offers a fully integrated indoor and outdoor smart lighting system. Starfish includes color-changing, scenes, security, day-to-night transitions, and complete control and automation via Wi-Fi enabled products. The Starfish collection has everything you need to control every aspect of your home’s exterior and interior lighting. The collection includes lightbulbs, fixtures, downlights, string lights, recessed lights, undercabinet strips, and landscape and outdoor lighting—all equipped with voice-activated and mobile app controls for ease and convenience. 

 

How to Add Color-Changing Light to the Home

If you’re ready to add more color to your home, start small. Have a specific purpose in mind to avoid the nightclub vibe (unless that’s intended!). For best results, discuss your plan with people who are familiar with the technology and the right lighting types for your application. Reach out to color-changing lighting experts at your local lighting showroom for free advice and product recommendations!