Ever walked into the bathroom at 2 AM and been instantly blinded by a light bright enough to land airplanes?
Yeah… me too. 
That’s why my smart home runs on modes – like “Day Mode” and “Night Mode.”
In Day Mode, the bathroom light blasts at 100% so you can see every detail (maybe too many details).
In Night Mode, it’s dimmed just enough so you can find the toilet without accidentally greeting the wall with your forehead.
A “mode” is basically a scene that turns certain automations on and others off. Sure, you could set fixed times (e.g., dim lights from 10 PM to 6 AM), but that’s not very flexible.
What if you have guests staying up past midnight?
Or you’re catching a 5 AM flight?
That’s when I trigger the right scene with a smart button or voice command.
My tip:
- Decide which automations should behave differently at different times.
- Create separate automations for each situation.
- Control them with a scene that runs on a schedule and can be activated manually.
Result: Your home behaves exactly how you want – any time of day – and you don’t have to adapt to the house’s “mood.” In my case, it also made the tech way more family-friendly.
Question to you: What other modes do you use? Absence/Vacation? Party? Alarm? Please share your thoughts and examples!
And always remember: If your car is smarter than your house… you’re driving into the future while living in the past! 
