Task vs. Relax Lighting

Finding the right lighting options for a space can be tricky, especially in multi-purpose areas; while consumers may want bright, well-lit rooms for doing tasks, they don’t necessarily want harsh lighting disrupting relaxation time and interfering with the natural winding down before sleep.

Luckily there are a variety of products available that retailers can direct consumers to, in order to meet their various lighting needs. From dimmable switches for hardwired fixtures to smart lightbulbs that can set a mood, these items allow consumers practically endless options to meet their requirements.

Smart Lightbulbs: Smart lightbulbs have been around for several years now, but the technology continues to get better.  Bulbs, like the Phillips Hue E26 White Ambience Bulb has a full range of adjustability from cool task lighting to warmer tones meant for relaxation, with all settings able to be controlled via Bluetooth and using either voice or application. Other bulbs, both in the Phillips lineup, and in other brands, have a variety of available features, including RGB color adjustability, or even an integrated Bluetooth speaker, such as GE Lighting’s LED+Speaker bulb.  

Stand-alone Lamps: Stand-alone lamps, such as floor or table lamps have been the standard in lighting for years. While several models generally offer only an on-off feature, other models, such as many offered by companies such as Kenroy Home, feature three-way switches, allowing users to adjust lighting levels to suit their needs.

Hardwire Options: Another standard in adjustable home lighting is the dimmer switch, however even this basic piece of home lighting equipment has received a 21st Century upgrade. Wi-Fi dimmer switch products, like Leviton’s Decora Smart Wi-Fi Universal LED/Incandescent Dimmer, have made inroads into the marketplace, allowing users to control lighting not only manually, but also using smartphone-based applications, or with smart home systems like Alexa or Google Assistant.

With the advances in technology, consumers don’t have to choose between lighting living spaces specifically for work or relaxation but can have the best of both in single fixtures.