While having a 'smart home' can be liberating, giving you more time to kick-back as your home runs itself behind the scenes, setting it all up can be time-consuming – and often confusing.
Lighting in particular can be one area where having 'all the gear and no idea' of how to use it can be problematic. It's easy to get carried away buying colour changing bulbs, downloading lighting apps and building schedules to switch lights on and off, but without some lighting design knowledge, you could end up worse off than when you started.
Using adaptive lighting, which essentially responds to the circadian rhythm our bodies are hard-wired for, is one way of streamlining your lighting management, but is it as simple as it seems?
What is adaptive lighting?
You may be seeing more about adaptive lighting of late as it's often discussed as one of the features available on smart home systems such as Home Assistant or Apple Home. Clever tech is built in, adjusting the strength and brightness of your lighting to match sunrise and sunset.
Sometimes also referred to as biodynamic lighting, adaptive lighting is the mechanism used to make the changes, while biodynamic refers to the wellness benefits you get from having such a system in place.
Melanie Shaw, design director and founder of Brilliant Lighting explains more. "Adaptive lighting is a lighting system that automatically adjusts throughout the day, changing brightness and lighting temperature to better reflect the natural progression of daylight.
"Cooler, brighter light in the morning can help us feel more alert and support daytime activities," adds Melanie, "while warmer, softer light in the evening encourages the body to wind down before sleep."
But what are the pros and cons of having your lighting set up to respond to nature's circadian rhythm? Is it helpful, or impractical and overwhelming if you don't know how to get it right?
Melanie founded the award-winning lighting design company Brilliant Lighting in 2004. The company specialises in creating stunning lighting, intelligent control systems and wonderful interiors for mid-high end residential clients.
Pros and cons of adaptive lighting
"As lighting designers, we see adaptive lighting as another tool to make a home feel more comfortable rather than simply more hi-tech," says Melanie Shaw.
"Our bodies evolved to respond to natural changes in daylight, yet many of us now spend long periods indoors under lighting that remains unchanged from morning until night. Adaptive lighting helps recreate some of those natural cues inside the home."
When done well, it can also take away the guesswork of what lights you should have on and when. "Rather than constantly adjusting light switches or dimmers, the lighting quietly responds to the time of day, making spaces feel more appropriate for whatever you're doing," Melanie continues.
"And, while it's not a substitute for getting outside in natural daylight, it can complement a healthy lifestyle and create a home that's more comfortable to live in."
“A thoughtfully designed lighting scheme with a cleverly integrated adaptive lighting system can do wonders for mood, focus and sleep," agrees Mara Rypacek Miller, founder of Industville.
"In best case lighting design, the smart technology integrates seamlessly into existing decorative fixtures, meaning you don’t need to compromise form for function. Systems such as Rako and Lightwave are a great starting point if you’re looking to explore adaptive lighting at home," suggests Mara.
Start building your own Lightwave set-up
This hub sits at the core of your smart and adaptive lighting scheme
This 2 gang switch also comes in a stainless-steel finish
Pre-set lighting scenes and use the switch to move between them
Sounds good on paper, but what are the downsides?
While a smooth transition from morning to night sounds ideal, it doesn't take a genius to work out that we don't use each room in the house in the same way, or at the same time. So does this need for different light at different times make adaptive lighting too complicated?
"There are some practical considerations," agrees Mara. "A fully automated system that changes every light in the home at the same time may not always reflect real life.
"For example, you may need your kitchen lighting to be bright and functional later in the evening for cooking, while a bedroom may benefit from softer lighting to encourage winding down ahead of sleep. This means separate schedules or settings may be needed for different areas of the home."
The key to getting it right? Consider adaptive lighting from the off, says Melanie, not as an afterthought.
"I think one point that's missing from most discussions on adaptive lighting is that it shouldn't be viewed as a feature to add at the end of a project. It works best when it's considered alongside the lighting design from the outset.
"The architecture, the available daylight, the purpose of each room and the different layers of light all influence how an adaptive scheme should behave," she explains. "In our experience, it's the combination of thoughtful design and intelligent control that makes adaptive lighting feel effortless, rather than simply automated."
Mara is the industrious founder of Industville, the place for handcrafted lighting, interiors and art. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to eco-conscious craftsmanship, Mara focuses on designs which tell a story of timeless elegance and environmental responsibility.
Advice for setting-up adaptive lighting
For adaptive lighting to work, there are a number of components to consider. As well as the best control system, you need the right fixtures and fittings says Melanie Shaw, telling us you shouldn't simply download an app and hope for the best.
"At its simplest, the lights you use for this need two key capabilities," says Melanie Shaw. "They should be able to dim, and should allow the colour temperature to change between cooler and warmer whites – often referred to as tuneable white.
"But, dimming and colour change or colour temperature change have to be independent of each other," she emphasises. "Simply dimming and warming in tandem is not the answer."
The control system also needs to do some heavy-lifting she warns, as this is what makes or breaks how well your adaptive lighting works.
"It needs to know when and how to adjust the lighting, whether that's according to the time of day, occupancy, daylight levels or pre-programmed scenes. High-quality LED performance is also essential. The light should remain consistent as it dims, with good colour rendering so interiors, artwork and finishes always look natural.
"Poor-quality fittings can shift in colour or lose visual quality as they dim, undermining the whole experience," Melanie warns. "Ultimately, adaptive lighting should feel almost invisible. If you're constantly noticing or correcting it, it probably isn't doing its job particularly well."
Can you DIY adaptive lighting?
Do you always need a complicated system for adaptive lighting to work well or can you mimic it on more of a DIY level?
Advocates of Home Assistant – a smart operating system that works with a wide variety of brands, rate its adaptive lighting module, but to use it, you need to have the Home Assistant controller in place.
Having looked at the system, I'd say it needs a certain level of tech knowledge to get it all up and running in the first place. So, if this isn't for you, what are your other options?
"In many well-designed homes, simply varying light levels and deciding which layers of lighting are used at different times of day creates a remarkably natural and comfortable environment," says Melanie Shaw. "Technology should enhance good lighting design, not replace it."
"But, while you don't need a sophisticated smart home hub to embrace the principles behind adaptive lighting, you do really need the technology to make it work seamlessly in the background," she stresses.
The good news is this can be still be a case of choosing the right fixtures and fittings, rather than having to invest in a full smart system.
Shop for dimmable light bulbs
These bulbs have a frosted covering and emit a warm white light making them a good option for bedrooms
For a bright light fitting, dimmable bulbs that emit cool white light may be better
Pay attention to daylight
"Start by using warmer, dimmable lighting in the evening and brighter light during the day. If your fittings are dimmable, simply reducing the light levels after sunset creates a much softer atmosphere than leaving every light at full brightness," says Melanie.
"Also think in layers rather than relying solely on ceiling downlights. Table lamps, wall lights and concealed LED lighting naturally create a calmer environment because they produce softer, more indirect light. These are the fittings you'll naturally gravitate towards as the day progresses."
Mara Rypacek Miller takes up the reins, telling us, “you can certainly introduce circadian principles into your lighting design by simply being more intentional.
"Make sure to prioritise good levels of task lighting in areas where focus is needed, such as home offices or study spaces," she says. "For evening, switch to warmer, softer lighting to create a calming atmosphere and signal to the body that it is time to relax.
"All of this can be achieved through installing dimmer switches, layering lighting and avoiding harsh overhead lighting late at night,” she says.
Opting for a more bespoke approach to adaptive lighting also means you can tailor light temperature to suit the functionality you need in each room, adds Melanie. "A 2700K light source generally feels much more relaxing in living spaces than cooler white lighting, while task areas such as kitchens or utility rooms can still benefit from slightly brighter illumination when needed," she says.
"Ultimately, good adaptive lighting isn't just about technology. It's about understanding how light should change as your activities and the time-of-day change. What the technology does is adds a level of sophistication and ease of use that can’t be achieved without intelligence and automation," she says.
"The ability to dim, colour change and colour temperature change independently makes adaptive lighting a practical lighting approach, rather than just an interesting demo."
In summary, Melanie Shaw says if you are considering an adaptive lighting system for your new self build or extension, this is what you need to understand.
"The best adaptive lighting systems don't rely on one schedule for the entire house. Instead, they combine a global daily rhythm with room-specific scenes, occupancy sensing and manual overrides," she says. "The technology should adapt to how people actually live, rather than expecting homeowners to fit around the technology."
However, is everything that you need for an adaptive system available? Not quite yet, says Melanie. "To become properly mainstream, the range of adaptive light fittings available has to grow. Without a full range of high-quality fittings spanning all usage requirements, there may be compromises between the lighting design and the adaptive lighting functionality."
For more advice on getting your home lighting right, it's also important you know what not to do, which is why we created this handy guide to common lighting design mistakes.
