This post was sponsored by OSRAM SYLVANIA as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central (#IC). I received complimentary merchandise to facilitate my review #LIGHTIFY
Want to instantly update the look of your home? Add lighting that enhances the features of your home, provides light for safety, and just for fun, lighting that can change color instantly! That’s what we’ve just done in our front yard, and we love the look.
Installation was easy, and no tools were required. I did mix up one of the connections by managing to put it in backward, but when I plugged in the lights, and they didn’t turn on, there were just two connections to check. I found my error, and I was ready to put them into our landscape.
The system works through a Smart Connected Lighting OSRAM LIGHTIFY Gateway (73692) that’s plugged into an outlet in our home and paired with our home’s WI-Fi to control the lights outside. The Gateway connected with the free app that can be downloaded to any compatible mobile device. Now I can turn the lights on/off, change their color, dim them and more from my smartphone anywhere in the world I can connect to my home. I can alter the colors for an event, holiday, or just for fun instantly or I can put the lights on a preset schedule. I can also group them with additional LIGHTIFY lights, so they work in tandem.
Up to 50 LIGHTIFY products can be paired on the same Gateway so we took advantage of this feature and installed an OSRAM LIGHTIFY Tunable bulb (9.5W LED Light 60 Watt Equivalent) which has an expected lifespan of 18.3 years (based on it being used 3 hours each day) and a yearly cost of $1.14. It upgraded our reading light by giving it new features – a dimmer, light temperature options, and scheduling.
We also installed a LIGHTIFY LED A19 Bulb. This smart connected light has the same features of the LIGHTIFY Turntable bulb, but it can also be changed to a rainbow of colors. It has preset lighting schemes that play a set sequence of colors like Fire which cycles through yellow, orange, and red and Ocean with blues and teals. There are some options you can change for these preset themes like how fast the colors cycle and how bright they are. There’s also a plant grow option where the light changes to a purple ultraviolet color, daylight to stimulate your brain, and much more.
I’ll be moving the LED bulb up to the playroom where it will become an integral part of our woodland theme. During the day, we’ll wash the walls with bright whites and yellows to add sunshine and at night blues to enhance the sky we’ve painted on the ceiling.
We also added the Sylvania 73795 LIGHTIFY Smart Connected Lighting LED Flexible Strip RGBW to our deck stairs. We’ve struggled with how to light them for years and these are the perfect solution. They’re easy to install, and they’re controlled by the same Gateway and app. These LED light strips are popular for using behind flatscreen TVs and in bookshelves, but for us, this adds style, function, and safety to our deck.
What’s to Love About the LIGHTIFY System
It’s an affordable smart lighting system, and because you can buy it in modules, it’s easily expandable. The amount and variety of products mean there’s one for almost any home decor need. Once the Gateway is paired with your home’s Wi-Fi, adding new lighting is a breeze and only takes a few minutes. I had trouble getting the Gateway to pair with my Wi-fi, so I searched the LIGHTIFY support website and found that if your Wi-fi already has a lot of things paired to it the Gateway needs to be factory reset. That worked perfectly for me.
Plus there are plenty of great features. For instance, if waking up is difficult for you, there’s a bulb that can schedule to a wake-up mode. The light will come on dimmed and slowly increase in brightness until it reaches an energizing bright daylight glow. Then at night, the nighttime mode gently dims the light over time to help your mind shut down and sleep peacefully.
What I’d love to See them Change About the LIGHTIFY System
I’d like to be able to control my lights online; currently, it’s accessible only through their mobile app. I’d also like to see the added functionality If This Then That (IFTTT) compatibility could bring. Using recipes would allow me to incorporate them more fully into my smart home. For instance, with IFTTT, I could have my lights turned on when I reach my neighborhood, so I come home to a lit house. Or when the SeaHawks are playing, I could have them change them to team colors. I could also have them react to the weather, time, or any other trigger I could create.
I would appreciate it if the app could be a little more user-friendly. It’s fine for techy people, but even I am confused by some of its features. Individuals who aren’t tech savvy, like my husband or mother, would be frustrated by the app and give up. In fact, I will be buying the LIGHTIFY Switch for the Turntable White in our living room because my husband will never use his smartphone to control it.
What area of your yard needs a little lighting enhancement?
Enter to Win!
One lucky commenter chosen at random will receive a $50 gift card! Must be a US resident and age 18+ to be eligible. Winning entry will be chosen at random on May 9, 2016. Contest entrants are only eligible to win once per sweepstake, per household as part of a campaign sponsored by Influence Central
WINNER NOTIFICATION:
The random number generated by Random.org is #6. That means Liz is the winner and I’ll be sending her verification information via email. Thanks for entering!
I’ve never heard of this before and to be honest, I am very interested in their products. It’s great that you can control the lights through an app on your phone!
We have one big street light for our driveway. I like these light maybe it would be good for the patio area.
We had some yard lights in our front yard, but they kept going out on us. I guess we were using cheap lights. I like the look of the house with lights outside the house. I would love to get some more.
My son “borrowed” these lights – they survived a -12 winter outside and made the 4′ of snow over them glow purple. Now they’ll have to survive 100 deg temps over the summer….they’re pretty darn sturdy!
This looks so easy and those are so neat. It makes such a big difference for such a little change.
I like how you used lights to create that dramatic effect! It is not only pretty but it makes it safer to walk up the steps to the house if the path is well illuminated. Thank you for the suggestion.
I will show this post to my husband. He is in charge of making the yard pretty and maybe he would also consider adding lights in the garden.
This is so cool! I will definitely try it for our garden! Adds a great mood for backyard parties too!
Lighting makes a big difference in landscaping. The Lightify system sounds really nice.
This is something I hadn’t considered! It’s a great idea. I bet we could improve our patio area with some nice colored lights.
You are so right just adding that lighting makes a big difference. This is great as we head into warmer weather here in southern California we spend a lot of time outside!
Another great idea form a blogger! This looks great and is another idea I would never have thought of! Thanks!
Well, that’s the coolest thing ever! I should do this with the flowers lining our walkway.
I would make over my bedroom.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
I cannot believe how much of a difference some lighting can make on your landscape. I especially liked the blue.
My goodness, this is such a wonderful idea. It is always going to be so much fun to have some beautiful lights around my front and backyards. I am sure the results are going to be amazing when you try out different colors.
I have not seen this system, but I love the results! Looks fantastic!
I need these so bad and I don’t need other people to install them! Thank you! I also love your photo slideshow. Can you tell me what your plugin is?
Having some lights around my patio area would be really nice. I’d love to experiment with some different colors.
What a great and easy idea! I would love something like this for my back yard. I’d be scared my dogs or kids would ruin it though – but its so pretty so its something to think about for the future!
There is a festival in India called Diwali, and people usually do the same in this occasion. People light up their front and backyards, as well as the interior; however, this system is quite advanced and effortless. Of course, the affordability is a big plus point.
I love this! This is the easiest way I’ve seen to give a lawn a makeover. I should look in to these. I love accent and decorative lighting.