Anyone looking to turn a standard home into a smart home needs to start somewhere, right? For me, the starting point was lighting. I think that was a good choice. I will explain why in this post.

For the record, a majority of U.S. homes now have at least one smart device. The most common device is a smart TV. But making a home smart goes beyond just one or two devices. The smart home concept is one of controlling, automating, and modifying a whole host of smart devices tied together in a single ecosystem.

No Shortage of Entry Points

Home automation certainly has no shortage of entry points. I know quite a few people who were introduced to the concept via a Google or Amazon smart speaker. They invested in a speaker in order to give them quicker, voice-controlled access to the internet. It wasn’t until later that they found out their smart speakers could be used as home automation devices.

Smart thermostats and video doorbells are also good entry points. They can be installed as standalone devices or as part of a comprehensive system from a well-known brand like Vivint Home Security. But despite Vivint and its competitors, and so many devices to choose from, I decided to start my journey with lighting.

A Combination of Plugs and Switches

My first investment was in a handful of plugs and wall switches. The plugs would control floor and table lamps normally plugged into standard outlets. Switches would control a select number of overhead lights in my home.

The installation was simple enough. The plugs did not require anything special. As for the switches, it was a simple matter of disconnecting the old switch and putting the new one in its place. I got all the plugs and switches online through the brand’s mobile app and then transferred them to my Home Assistant smart home platform.

A New Way to Control My Lights

Getting everything up and running gave me new ways to control lighting. The first thing I did was install voice assistant support so that I could control lights with my voice. Next, I set up a couple of automation scripts. One turns on the living room lights first thing in the morning. Another turns on the patio and kitchen lights at a certain time on a certain evening.

Initially, I felt like smart lighting would not be a big deal. I would just use it as the starting point for learning more about home automation. I did learn a lot, but I also discovered that the way I use smart lighting has actually changed how I live in my house.

Talking to My Lights

I live in a 1,500-square-foot home with just one level. The living room and master bedroom are on opposite ends of the house. Let’s say I have to go to the bedroom to get something. From the living room, I can issue a single verbal command that will turn on the hallway and master bedroom lights. I never touch a switch. Ditto for turning the lights off again.

With smart lighting, we never return to a dark house. We are able to turn lights on and off even when we are thousands of miles away. We can issue a single command and turn off all the lights in the house before we leave.

Starting my home automation with lighting proved to be a smart move. I never knew how much smart lighting could change the way I live until I actually experienced it.