Permanent outdoor lighting is fantastic because it’s so convenient. It allows you to enjoy beautiful lighting year-round with no physical effort, and you can customize your lights as much as you like.

If you want to make your permanent lights even more convenient, you may wonder how to integrate permanent LED lighting with your smart home system. You can use Gemstone Lights with voice commands using smart devices, and once you’ve linked the two systems, it’s super easy to use.

Here’s a quick guide on getting started and some inspiration on making the most of smart home integration.

How to Set Up Gemstone Lights with Your Smart Home System

You can use Gemstone Lights with Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

It’s pretty straightforward:

Amazon Alexa

1. Open up the Alexa app on your phone.
2. Tap ‘Devices’ in the bottom right.
3. Tap ‘smart home skills’ at the bottom of the screen.
4. Choose ‘enable smart home skills’—this should bring up a list of devices that are compatible with Alexa.
5. Tap the ‘search’ button and type ‘Gemstone.’
6. When you see Gemstone Lights appear, select it and tap ‘Enable.’
7. This should open the Gemstone Lights authentication page. Enter your cell phone number or email (the one associated with your Gemstone Lights account). Tap ‘next step.’
8. Enter your Gemstone Light account password and tap ‘next step.’
9. You will be prompted to authorize your Amazon Alexa system to control your Gemstone Lights devices—just tap ‘Authorize.’
10. Tap ‘close’ and you’ll be all set. You can now use voice commands or the Alexa app to control your lights.

Google Home

1. Open the Google Home app and press the ‘plus’ sign in the top left corner.
2. Tap ‘set up device.’
3. Select ‘works with Google’—a list of Google-compatible devices should appear.
4. Tap the ‘search’ button and type ‘Gemstone.’
5. Gemstone Lights Hub Smart will appear for you to select.
6. The Gemstone Lights authentication page will appear. Enter your Gemstone Lights account’s cell phone number or email and tap ‘next step.’
7. Enter your Gemstone Lights password and tap ‘next step.’
8. You’ll be prompted to authorize Google to control the Gemstone Lights devices—tap ‘authorize.’
9. A list of Gemstone Lights devices will pop up. Choose which one you’d like to control with Google Home—select one and tap ‘next,’ then choose ‘default home’ and tap next, and then assign a location for the lights.
10. At this stage, you can add other Gemstone Lights or tap ‘X’ to exit this screen.
11. Your Gemstone Lights app will now be connected to Google Home and controlled by voice commands or the Google Home app.

Smart Home System Lighting Ideas

Using the Gemstone Lights app, you can set up zones and isolate specific lights so they can be controlled separately. This works with your smart lighting system, meaning you can say, “Alexa, switch on driveway lights,” and it will turn on those lights.

Using the new Gemstone Lights app, you can control up to 4,096 lights, giving you greater control over programming and more flexibility. You can set up these zones by following these steps:

1. Open the app and tap ‘settings’ and then ‘zone manager.’
2. Tap the ‘plus’ symbol.
3. Enter a name for your zone.
4. Create an icon for the zone.
5. Choose the track and/or flood lights you want in the zone.
6. Tap ‘save.’

You can edit these zones anytime, so if you miss a light, you can go back and add it later. The app allows you to choose specific colors and brightness for these zones.

So, to give you some ideas on how this can work with your smart home system, here are some things you can do using voice commands:

Driveway

If you use flood lights to illuminate your driveway, you can light them up using the voice command “Alexa/Google, switch on driveway lights.” You can use any of your Alexa/Google Home devices, even if you’re on the go, so you can come home to a well-lit driveway for more accessible parking.

Front Porch/Back Porch

You can use your smart home system to light entryways to your home, too. This is great for those cooler months when the sun seems to go down quickly and multiple people arrive home from school or work. Just say, “Alexa/Google, switch on Front Porch lights” or similar, depending on what you named that particular zone.

Party Lighting

If you’re having an outdoor gathering, you can set up a specific zone for your lights. For example, if you have a pool, a porch, or a yard and flood lights, you can group them into a particular zone. Once you’ve done this using the app, you can use your Alexa/Google Home at any time to switch them on, making party preparation that little bit easier.

Dim the Lights

You can also dim the lights in specific areas using your smart home devices. If the lighting system is a little too bright, you can say, “Alexa/Google, dim the lights,” and it will slightly turn down the brightness.

You can also do this for specific areas. For example, you can create a zone like ‘main house lights,’ excluding the areas you need to be bright, like your front porch. You can then say, “Dim the main house lights,” all the lights will dim except the entryway lights.

Switch Colors

You can also use your smart home system to switch colors. So you can easily swap specific zones to another color. For example, if you’re having a party to watch a big game, you can switch to your team’s colors using voice commands.

The Gemstone Lights app offers more customization options, but if you’re in a hurry, using a voice command and your smart home system is a nice way to quickly change things up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I set up the Gemstone Lights app on multiple devices?

Answer: Yes. You can set up the Gemstone Lights app on multiple devices. If several members of your household are signed into your smart home app, they can also control the lights using those apps.

Question: Can I control different lighting areas on my property using my smart home system?

Answer: Yes, if you have separate buildings (like a pool house or another type of separate area), you can use your smart home system to light up those specific areas, as long as you first set them up as lighting zones in the Gemstone Lights app.

Question: Can I get support in setting up zones on the app?

Answer: Yes. When your lights are installed, our Authorized Dealers will show you how they work. You can also search for guides on our FAQ page.

Question: Does it take long to install permanent residential LED lights?

Answer: No. It depends on the size of the property, but most residential LED light system installations are completed within a day.

To Sum Up …

It takes just a few minutes to set up Gemstone Lights with either Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Once you’re done, you can start using voice commands or the relevant apps to control your lights.

If you want to learn more about permanent outdoor lighting, contact one of our Authorized Dealers for a quote.