There are smart LED lights and then there are Philips Hue Bulbs that outsmart any other smart lighting systems out there. In this article, I will show you a range of brilliant Philips Hue setup ideas that you won’t be able to resist trying out yourself.
As anyone in the home decoration and automation space will tell you, Philips was literally light years ahead of its competition when it first launched the Hue system in October 2012 as an iOS controlled lighting system.
Even as the company was way ahead of the other smart lighting companies, it has continued to innovate and evolve its range of products. Today, Hue offers an impressive range of indoor and outdoor lighting appliances, including lights with motion sensor technology.
Apart from the traditional Hue Bridge, these lights can also be connected and controlled via Bluetooth by using the Hue Bluetooth App on your smartphone. This in-house app from Hue allows you to control and manage up to 10 different smart lights at the same time. It’s these smart features that inspire geeks like James and interior designers like myself to come up with new and inspiring Philips Hue ideas.
Philips Hue Smart Lights: Key Benefits and Features
As an experienced interior decorator who has been in the business for quite some time now, I can tell you right now that I have been a big fan of Philips Hue Smart LEDs from the start.
I have been buying these lights since they were first launched and have used and experimented with them quite a bit over the years.
Using these lights through the years has taught me how to use them correctly to improve their lifespan.
Additionally, I have also tried using Philips Hue Indoor lights outside and soon realized that it was not a smart move.
The Hue indoor light range is best suited for your interiors and the company has an equally impressive array of outdoor lighting options that can withstand the tough weather conditions outside without compromising their performance.
Now, let me shine light upon the key elements of Philips Hue lighting systems before introducing you to Philips Hue light ideas.
I will now list down all the reasons that make Philips Hue the go-to brand for creating smart lighting installations at your home.
- Philips Hue lights are the most well-developed and well-connected smart lights out there. You can connect these smart lights to Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, Google Home, Logitech Harmony, or Nest and simply issue voice commands to change their color, turn them on/ off, or even change their color temperature.
- While Philips Hue lights are believed to be expensive, the company actually offers several economical options like the basic starter kits starting from $44.99 (includes 4 Hue White A19 Bluetooth Smart LED bulbs) to the more expensive kits with Philips Hue and Ambiance Smart LED lights that can cost up to $199.99 for a pack of 2 light bulbs or more.
- You can easily control multiple Hue lights at once via different devices and applications, including the Hue Bluetooth App, Hue Bridge, Hue Dimmer Switch/Remote, and even the Philips Hue Tap light switch. With Philips Hue lights, the possibilities are simply endless.
- When it comes down to it, the Philips Hue range comprises an innovative mix of smart LED bulbs and fixtures that range from simple white lights to color-changing Ambiance lights.
- Apart from the ability to change to over 16 million different hues, these lights also come equipped with additional smart features, such as Bluetooth, motion-sensing technology, and energy-efficient features.
- All these factors combine to make Philips Hue one of the best and most well-coordinated lighting systems out there. This is what sparks me to create new and interesting Philips Hue light ideas.
- From setting the right tone for an intimate date night on your patio to creating the perfect scenario for your themed dinner parties, you can play around with multiple control options to build the ambiance you desire.
- The Hue app also comes with a series of preset scenes that can be activated to automatically trigger and change all of the lights in a room. For example, if you activate the Spring Blossom theme on the Hue App, it will automatically change the selected light devices to emit different shades of red, pink, and white. On the other hand, if you go with something like a Northern Lights theme, the color spectrum will be adjusted to display bright shades of green and blue. I think you get the picture, right?
Now, with so many features to choose from and explore, let us dive deep into the different Philips Hue scene ideas.
Discover Some of the Best Philips Hue Ideas
As promised earlier, I will now show you how you can play around with different Philips Hue products and features to create the perfect setting for your rooms, moods, and occasions.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Light Up Your Homecoming
What sounds better than coming home to a well-lit driveway and a bright porch at night?
Well, using the Philips Outdoor Motion Sensor lights is the smart way to ensure that you always drive home to a brilliantly lit home at night.
I would recommend getting the Philips Hue Dusk-to-Dawn Outdoor Motion Sensor for your driveway, and garage doors as the light turns on automatically the moment you pull into your driveway thanks to the in-built motion sensor.
On the other hand, you can install any one of the wall-mounted or pedestal outdoor lights from Philips to light up your porch and front yard in warm and welcoming hues.
- Settings: Driveway, Porch, Front Yard.
- Products Recommended:
- Additional Devices Required:
Create Hue Light Alerts
Another great way to make smart use of your Philips Hue Bulbs is to sync with IFTTT to create light alerts. This way you can set up your lights to turn brighter or change hues whenever the garage doors are opened or when someone steps onto the front porch.
Now, as Matthew will tell you, one of the best ways to deter burglars is to install motion sensor Hue lights on your front and back doors. This way the lights are automatically triggered whenever anyone approaches your home and this is also a great way to spook any potential intruders as they suddenly find their presence announced to the world by the bright lights.
- Settings: Front and Back Door, Garage Door.
- Products Recommended:
- Philips Hue Dusk-to-Dawn Outdoor Motion Sensor for Smart Homes
- Additional Devices Required:
Illuminate Your Home’s Best Features
This is a great way to use Hue to shine the spotlight on some of your home’s finest features. I have done this at my own home and also successfully replicated the effect for several clients.
Philips Hue Smart Lightstrips definitely count among my favorite products as I have so much fun playing around with them.
Hue LED lightstrips are available in different length sizes, i.e., between 40 to 80 inches. These flexible lights can be bent into a variety of shapes and that’s exactly what makes them great for highlighting your home’s best features.
You can use these lights to frame your TV set for movie nights, your kitchen cabinets to add layers to your open concept dining space, or the railings on your front porch and back patio.
Another great option among the many Philips Hue light strip ideas is to install them on your stairway. This way you can add some feature lighting to your hardwood stairs and it’s also a smart way to keep your stairway lit at night.
I would suggest looking around your home with a fresh pair of eyes and seeing how you can install these strong yet subtle Hue lights to highlight some of your home’s most unique features.
- Settings: Stairway, Porch, Patio, Kitchen, Living Room, Entertainment Hub, etc.
- Product Recommendations:
- For the Budget Conscious: Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip
- For My Tech-Savvy Peeps: Philips Hue Gradient LightStrip 65″
- Additional Devices Required:
- Philips Hue Hub
- Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box
Design Your Own Sunset and Sunrise
I must confess that both my husband and I are great fans of this feature. As long-time users of these smart lights, we keep exploring new Philips Hue bedroom ideas.
Let me explain it further. Using Philips Hue Bulbs and your Philips Hue App or even a voice assistant like Alexa, you can set your lights to slowly turn off at night and then automatically turn on in the morning to wake you up with a gradual sunrise.
However, this feature involves so much more than the Hue smart lights simply turning off and on again.
When you set your Hue lights to recreate a sunset, the lights start dimming slowly, fading from bright, white light to orange and red before getting darker.
Similarly, in the morning, your Hue lights start to slowly glow with a warm, yellow glow that seeks to mimic the beauty of an early sunrise and help you wake up to a bright day ahead. Sounds magical, doesn’t it? What are you waiting for? Get your Philips Hue starter kit today and try these Philips Hue bedroom ideas yourself.
All you have to do is set up your lights and then go to the Philips Hue App and create custom Routines to time your sunset and sunrise.
- Setting: Bedroom
- Products Recommended:
- Additional Devices Required:
- Philips Hue Hub
Set the Scene for a Romantic Date Night
This one is for all those couples out there who are caught up in their careers or are busy raising kids and rarely find time to go out for dates anymore.
You can now close your laptop for the day, put the kids to bed, and plan a simple, yet romantic dinner for you and your partner.
Simply set the Hue lights to the color of your choice, you can also set separate bulbs to emit different shades to create an intimate setting at home. Once the mood is set, add flowers, wine, and a nice dinner setting to enjoy these precious moments with your beloved.
You can set the Philips Flourish Pendant light on the dining table and set it to Candlelight and enjoy your dinner in the glow of its flickering lights, no candles required.
- Settings: Patio, Dining Room, Living Room or Wherever You Prefer
- Products Recommended:
- Additional Products Required:
- Hue Bridge Required
Try Out These Philips Hue Living Room Ideas
The living room is like the beating heart of your home. It’s the place where everyone comes together after dinner to discuss their day or where everyone gathers for family games or movie night.
You can now add more layers of fun to your family fun-time by adding different layers of lights to your living room as suggested below:
- Overhead Ambient Lighting: Most living rooms have a large space, with different areas being allocated to different members of the family. One great way to add more hues of happiness to your living room is to screw Philips Hue Smart bulbs in hanging lamps or overhead lanterns in different shapes and sizes. This is known as ambient lighting and is the first layer of lighting you can deploy to transform your room.
- Task Lighting: When I say task lighting, I am referring to the second level of lighting that consists of your table or desk lamps.
This is an opportunity to make the most of your Hue portable lights. All you need to do to set the perfect mood for your family games night is just plop on a Philips Hue Go Portable Light and switch to the hue of your choice.
Alternatively, you can also install Hue LED bulbs in your desk lamps and synchronize your higher and mid-level lights.
- Accent Lighting: Last but not least, let’s talk about accent lighting. These are the lights that remain hidden while subtly lighting up your shelves and corners.
You can install Philips Lightstrips at the back of your cabinets or shelves to display your prized possessions like music records, board game collections, books, etc.
You can create some really inspired and remarkable themes by lighting up each layer in smart and interconnected manners to add a bright spark of life to your living room. As someone who hosts quite frequently, I can tell you that I simply love coming up with different Philips Hue living room ideas and have received quite a few compliments for my scenes over the years.
Explore Philips Hue Kitchen Ideas
Moving on from the living room, the second busiest room in any home is the kitchen. It’s the central hub where the family gathers every day for breakfast and where we bid each other goodnight.
Even when one has guests over, I have found that most people like to congregate in the kitchen, talking, eating, drinking together while helping out with cooking and serving.
When it comes to smart lighting, there’s a lot that you can do in the kitchen. Keep reading to find out.
- Pendulum and Hanging Lights: Cooking time can be quickly elevated with the addition of some soft, soul-stirring music and the smart Hue lights. Pendulum and handing lights work great over the workstation and even the informal dining area.
- Feature Framing: Now, a kitchen has many components, such as storage cabinets, the counter space for meal preparation, the cooktop, and even a breakfast bar or dining table.
You can light up each section in a different manner by using an eclectic mix of Hue lights. I recommend using the Philips Lightstrips for feature framing. For example, you can put these strips under your kitchen cabinets to light up the counter space underneath, or even use them to illuminate your kitchen island from below.
The trick to creating effective Philips Hue kitchen ideas is to demarcate the different areas, determine their purpose and then install an interconnected system of Hue lights that complement their selected spaces and each other.
- Settings: Kitchen, Cabinets, Island, Counter Space, and Dining Space.
- Products Recommended:
- Additional Devices Required:
- Philips Hue Hub
- Philips Motion Sensor
Let There Be Light Outdoors
As mentioned above, Philips has an equally impressive range of outdoor lights that brighten up your exteriors in a variety of hues.
From the smart LED lightstrips that can be twisted around your porch railings, bushes, and even trees to the different pedestal lights and spotlights that can be linked to light up your pathways, there’s plenty for you to play around with.
- Settings: Front Yard, Backyard, Garden, Pathways, Walkways, etc.
- Products Recommended:
- Additional Devices Required:
- Philips Hue Hub and Matching Extensions
Bonus Tips:
- Brighten Your Festivities: One of my top Philips Hue light strip ideas is to use them around the house as part of festive decorations. I love that these lights are so versatile in terms of their colors as you can change the colors to match the festivities.
- Light Up, It’s Christmas: I am particularly proud of my Philips Hue Christmas ideas as I use a merry mix of smart LED bulbs, Hue Lightstrips, and outdoor spotlights to create a magical and colorful Christmas for my loved ones. I would suggest that you do the same.
Color Your Moods with Hue: You can also use the chart given below to help you switch between different colors as per your changing moods.
Frequently-Asked Questions for Philips Hue Ideas
Q1. Where should Hue lights be placed?
Answer- As highlighted above, you can place Philips Hue bulbs in different settings all over your house or even get their portable range and carry your smart lights with you from one room to another.
However, at the same time, let me stress the importance of using the indoor lights inside your home and installing their special outdoors range for external use as it’s better suited to withstand external stimuli and weather conditions.
Q2. Are Philips Hue Lights worth it?
Answer- As a Philips Hue user, I must say that I find these smart lights to be worth the price. While the market has recently been flooded with several smart lights, I still believe that Philips Hue alone offers the most comprehensive solutions for all your lighting needs. After all, they were the pioneers in this space and have continued to grow and innovate over the years.
Q3. Are Smart LEDs worth purchasing?
Answer- Yes, smart LEDs are definitely worth purchasing in my opinion. While these lights may cost more initially, they do end up saving you more in the long run due to their energy efficiency, longer lifespans, and sheer convenience.
Ready to Light Up Your World With Philips Hue Ideas?
I hope that article has inspired you to jump aboard the smart home automation wagon. If your answer is yes, then installing smart LED lights and playing with their settings is a good way to get started.
So, what are your thoughts on the Philips Hue scene ideas shared with you above?
Did they spark the creative genius in you to come up with Philips Hue setup ideas of your own? Share your ideas with us in the comments below.
As an interior decorator, I am always looking to make homes beautiful but with minimalism. As a part of my occupation, I am always in touch with smart devices that makes your life easy, beautiful and comfortable. I take care of the smart living section for BringUptoDate.
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