Practical Magic: Automated Lighting Pathways for Safety and Convenience

Already, the days are growing shorter. Soon, there will be a hint of fall in the air, changing leaves, and the promise of a winter wonderland just around the bend. For those who’ve integrated smart lighting, this seasonal shifting can wreak havoc on automated timing and lighting on fixed schedules. 

Add the end of daylight saving time to the mix, and you have a lighting system gone awry, with landscape and security lighting coming on long after dark. 

Fortunately, with proper seasonal adjustments and the latest technology, your automated lighting system can illuminate the way just as the sun sets or friends walk down the path from your gardens to the patio. 

Let’s explore how to ensure a safe, secure, and well-lit property as the seasons change.

SEE ALSO: Your Ultimate Guide to Residential Lighting Design

The Astronomical Clock & Aligning with the Seasons

An astronomical clock uses geographic coordinates to automate intelligent lighting, turning it on and off based on sunrise and sunset. This feature is very useful during changing seasons, ensuring your lighting system works as intended and isn't affected by shorter days and longer nights. 

You can also add personalized lighting experiences, such as triggering specific lights to dim at sunset and others to brighten. Lights can gradually soften as the evening unfolds, creating a natural transition. 

These controls can also integrate with your automated shades that manage natural light. This time of year, making the most of your available natural light is essential. In addition to adding warmth and beauty, it’s the season when people begin experiencing the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Harvesting daylight uses smart sensors to monitor the natural light entering your home and adjusts the artificial light accordingly.

Safe Passage & Enhanced Security with Motion Detection

With cooler temperatures and vibrant foliage, fall is a great time to enjoy the beauty of your backyard. Add some cozy textiles and a fire pit to provide comfort for your guests as they enjoy the beauty of a starlit sky. 

To ensure safe passage, motion sensors prompt warm outdoor pathway lights to cast a soft glow as guests venture down walkways. Your home’s entry areas are also protected by these sensors, turning brighter lights on when they detect a potential intruder. 

Lighting by Geolocation

Arriving at a well-lit home after dark brings a sense of peace and security. Advanced geolocation makes this possible. 

At Lynn’s Audio Video, we can create a virtual fence around your home. When your smartphone enters or exits this virtual boundary, it triggers pre-set lighting scenes. Now, when you pull into the driveway, the pathway lights brighten a trail to the door, entry lights illuminate, and landscape lights come alive. 

Indoors, the kitchen lights turn on, and the fireplace ignites, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere ideal for the arrival of autumn. Many homeowners find this technology extremely useful, with some reporting the experience as close to magical. 

The Colors of Autumn

As fall settles in and we gather our scarves and hats from storage, the bright days of summer are transitioning into a soft, golden amber. When your home’s lighting reflects this, it creates a sense of connection with the natural world.

With today’s advanced LED lighting systems, you can integrate warm-toned lights and colors resembling the changing leaves into your lighting scenes. For instance, pressing ‘Relax’ on a keypad can turn some lights to a rich gold and others to a burnt amber, embracing the season’s beauty while creating a relaxing and warm environment. 

Updating your lighting to complement the changing seasons resonates with the cyclical nature of life. By changing your lighting strategy for each season, you enhance your home’s beauty as well as the overall mood and aesthetics.  

As a leader in home automation and lighting design, our experts at Lynn’s Audio Video are excited to help homeowners make the most of this beautiful season. To learn more about the possibilities in automated lighting, contact Lynn’s Audio Video.