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Turns out there’s a way to work colored lighting into your home without turning it into an episode of Miami Vice.
As Architect Lucas Bucknavage of SOFTLab NYC notes, “If done well, a colored accent light can completely alter the mood and feel of a space. The best [lighting] designs integrate seamlessly into an environment and have a subconscious impression on your everyday experience.”
But beyond the obvious “wow” factor, colored lights can provide a slew of health benefits: green, blue, and purple light all help restart your internal clock and increase productivity, while warmer colors like red, yellow, and orange can lift your mood and calm down your body.
With that in mind, here are six simple, unique lighting fixtures that’ll add a little pizazz to your abode while improving your well-being.
The quick and easy: Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 Bulb
The smart Hue bulb fits into pretty much any lamp or socket, and you can control up to 50 bulbs at once via the integrated app. After downloading it, adjust tones, dim white light or play around with a color wheel. It’s a simple, inexpensive way to dip your toes in the water.
Image via Hedrich Blessing/Philips
The all-in-one backlight: Philips ColorGraze MX4 Powercore
Similar products to the ColorGraze have been around for a while (you probably last saw these at a skating rink). Thankfully, this updated version lays those to waste. Powercore strips provide more powerful backlighting than a single bulb and look great behind home bars or tech stations. Feel free to install them in hard-to-reach places — they have an 80,000-hour lifespan (that’s nearly a decade of light).
The bedside lamp: Philips Hue Go Portable Dimmable LED Smart Light Table Lamp
You can toggle both the color and intensity of this little bubble with your phone, and while it serves as a timer and alarm. It’s perfect for trying out the benefits of blue or red light on your desk or nightstand. Fall asleep to a warm orange glow; wake up to a bright blue hue powering you on before work.
The centerpiece: Nanoleaf Light Panels
Ready to try something a little more extreme? Try these badass light panels, which you can configure in any shape you want. Plus, you can control the color scheme (via Alexa and other AI assistants) and use a Rhythm add-on module to transform your music into light.
The patio lights: iLintek Smart LED Downlight
Downlights are a discreet option you can easily install into your ceiling. The iLinteks are dimmable via the accompanying app, which allows you to control one or all at the same time. You can also sync these to music and set timers to dim or raise the lights at any time of day. Like most of the other options here, you can choose from millions of different colors, so they’re perfect for anyone who loves loves cardinal red but hates carnelian.
The one-of-a-kind: Neon Signs
If the nanoleaf panels seem like too much bright, pulsating light (we are trying to avoid the rave look here), get an old-school neon sign as a statement piece instead. There are tons of vintage beer and sports team signs for sale on Amazon, which lend your home a nice dose of personality provided the rest of it is cleaner than a sports bar. We also like a more subdued sign for the bedroom.
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