Lighting

Lighting is where almost everyone starts, and where the most common frustration lives: a smart bulb that becomes unreachable the moment somebody flips the switch. Solving that properly is the difference between a system a household adopts and one they resent.

We cover choosing between bulbs, switches and in-wall modules, matching colour temperature to the time of day, and the handful of automations that make lighting feel considered rather than clever.

Articles in this category

1. Why your LEDs look wrong: colour temperature, CRI and flicker

   Three numbers on the box explain almost every complaint about LED lighting, and hardly anyone checks the most important one.

   6 min read · 1,417 words · Reviewed October 2026

2. Dimming without the flicker and buzz

   Almost every dimming problem is a mismatch between the light, the dimmer and the wiring — three things designed independently.

   6 min read · 1,359 words · Reviewed June 2026

3. Lighting a room properly: four layers and a lot fewer downlights

   One bright fitting in the middle of the ceiling is the cheapest way to build a house and close to the worst way to light one.

   6 min read · 1,429 words · Reviewed September 2026

4. LED strip and concealed lighting, done so it lasts

   The most effective way to make ordinary lighting look considered — or a shop display with visible dots, uneven colour and a dead section after two years.

   6 min read · 1,427 words · Reviewed August 2026

5. Motion lighting that nobody resents

   The automation people try first and abandon most often. The gap between irritating and invisible is configuration, not hardware.

   6 min read · 1,393 words · Reviewed August 2026

6. Circadian lighting: what the science supports and what is marketing

   The underlying research is real and interesting. The claims attached to domestic bulbs are frequently overstated.

   6 min read · 1,371 words · Reviewed October 2026

7. Seasonal lighting: safely, cheaply and looking good

   A lot of lights go up quickly, often outdoors, often on extension leads, and get forgotten for six weeks. Here is the practical version.

   7 min read · 1,487 words · Reviewed September 2026

8. Ten smart lighting mistakes, and how to avoid them

   Lighting is touched dozens of times a day by everyone in the house, including people who did not choose it. That makes it unforgiving.

   6 min read · 1,319 words · Reviewed October 2026