IKEA is really making a name for itself in smart home tech. Its mobile app is clear and easy to navigate, its selection of smart switches (which my colleague Ruth Hamilton called "the understated hit of IKEA's new gadget range") are versatile and cheap, and its stylish smart lamps made a real splash at this year's CES technology show.
But what if you don't want to be limited to IKEA's own app? What if you like IKEA's lights, but already have a Philips Hue setup, or want to incorporate lights and devices from other brands as well?
Thankfully, there are lots of options to explore, from simple software solutions to crafty hardware hacks. Here are four ways to get all your smart lights to play along nicely.
1. Use the Matter standard
Last week, IKEA launched a new driver for its integrated lights (including the type of strips and spots you would install in cupboards and cabinets) that not only lets you control them remotely via the IKEA Home app, but is also compatible with the Matter smart home standard. That means you can combine these integrated lights into a larger smart home setup.
You can then control them using a Matter-compatible smart speaker, set a schedule, dim them, and much more. You aren't limited to IKEA's integrated lights, either. The brand also offers other Matter-compatible lights, including the color-shifting, donut-shaped Varmblixt, and Kajplats bulbs — and you can throw in lights from other brands like Nanoleaf, Govee, and (of course) Philips Hue, too.
But what if you don't want to use the Matter standard? What if you already have a Philips Hue setup and want to continue using the Hue app to control all your lights?
2. Connect everything to your Hue Bridge
IKEA smart lights (such as the Varmblixt and Kajplats) support Zigbee Light Link, which is the same wireless protocol used by Philips Hue bulbs. You can therefore connect your IKEA lights directly to a Philips Hue Bridge by following these instructions:
- Ensure your IKEA smart light has software version 1.2.x or later
- Keep the IKEA smart light close to the Philips Hue Bridge
- Search for new devices in the Philips Hue app
- Do a factory reset of the smart light by toggling the main switch six times
Connecting your IKEA smart lights this way will let you control their basic functions through the Hue app, set schedules, add them to groups, and trigger them with Hue sensors and switches.
However, you won't get the same degree of control you would through a native Hue smart light. You won't be able to dim your IKEA lights using a Hue Tap Dial switch, for example, or incorporate them into a Philips Hue Play entertainment setup. For that, you'll need to get more creative.
3. Try a hardware hack
If you like the look of an IKEA smart light, but want the full functionality of Philips Hue and are feeling brave, you could try a crafty hardware hack.
The Varmblixt lamp is a particularly popular choice for smart lighting DIYers, who have discovered that its frosted glass case is ideal for concealing a Philips Hue light strip. Reddit user K1uppy described the process of opening the IKEA lamp, removing its innards, and replacing them with a coiled Hue strip.
IKEA VARMBLIXT + Repurposed Hue Lightstripfrom r/Hue
It's an interesting idea, and another Redditor's experiment with a non-Hue LED strip demonstrates how dramatic the effect could be with a gradient.
Donut Lamp with WLedfrom r/WLED
However, you should remember that a coiled light strip could overheat, damaging the LEDs.
4. Pick the right lamps
A safer (though less imaginative) alternative is to use Hue bulbs with IKEA lamps designed for standard light bulbs. Look out for ones that will diffuse light, such as the Fado table lamp, the ruffled Vindkast, or the striking multi-bulb Simrishamn. You can use the Philips Hue app to create a 'group' of these three bulbs, and control them together or apply a scene so they co-ordinate for an interesting effect.
There are Philips Hue bulbs for virtually all light fixtures, so you will be able to find one that fits your chosen IKEA lamp. Reddit users have suggested dialing down the brightness of your Hue bulbs to around 50% to create soft ambient lighting. You'll find a collection of suitable IKEA pendant, table, and floor lamps below.
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