Once that’s established, you can start playing around with colors! As with most smart lights, there are plenty of options for different shades of white and bright colors, as well as tons of colorful themes that take advantage of the huge array of lights. Lifx’s app comes with tons of pre-made themes, from themes inspired by music and artists (I love Bijutsukai and Matisse with the colors of my living room) to holidays and even sports teams. There’s no camera or similar tool to match what’s on your TV screen, so I usually pick a theme or color scheme to match the mood of the show.
Photo: Nena Farrell
You can use the in-app painting tool to create custom light arrangements if none of the included designs appeal to you. You can either paint the whole thing at once – you can choose three colors and it will arrange it for you – or control it manually by zone. My six beams and one corner piece have 61 zones, so 10 zones per beam plus an extra one for that little corner. You can mark and modify multiple zones at once to get your perfect design, but this takes time.
Gain time
The Lifx Beam isn’t anything particularly new, but I love how much easier it is to stick it to the wall without having to worry about a section popping off, and how I can add more segments or rearrange the shape at any time. It feels more like a piece of art on my wall than a regular light strip.
My only complaint is that I wish it were a little cheaper; it’s $60 for four pieces or $150 for six. And Lifx doesn’t sell corner pieces individually, which limits the fun of the designs. After all these years on the market, it may be too late to hope for further expansion. I’m still in love with mine, though, single corner and all.
