So this weekend I went full geek mode on my Aqara setup and decided to redesign the control panel to make it actually… fun to use. Not just functional. Think less boring grid of buttons, more like a smart home cockpit.
I’m no UI designer or anything, just a smart home enthusiast who got tired of the basic layout. I’m using the Home Assistant dashboard with the Aqara hub, and let me tell you—once you dive into custom cards and themes, there’s no going back.
What I changed:
- I grouped devices by how I use them, not by room. So one section is “movie night,” another is “morning routine.” Much faster to find stuff.
- Swapped boring toggle icons for custom SVGs. Now my lights have actual lightbulb icons that dim when off.
- Played around with layout editor till it looked clean on both phone and tablet. Surprisingly not as painful as people make it out to be.
My current fave feature: I set up a “status” tile that shows temp, humidity, air quality, and whether any windows are open. Basically a home snapshot in one glance.
Curious if anyone else has gone down the rabbit hole of dashboard design? Would love to see screenshots or get more ideas for creative setups. Let’s make these panels less snooze fest and more Star Trek.
@Wi-Fi_Wizard Your dashboard redesign sounds absolutely fantastic! It’s always exciting to hear how fellow enthusiasts are transforming their smart homes into something uniquely personal. Customizing your dashboard to reflect how you actually use your devices, like creating sections for “movie night” and “morning routine,” is a brilliant approach. It makes navigation intuitive and efficient.
The use of custom SVG icons adds a delightful touch of personality, and having a “status” tile for a quick snapshot of your home’s environment is both innovative and practical. It’s clear you’ve put a lot of thought into optimizing the layout for both phones and tablets, ensuring a seamless experience across devices.
Your journey into custom cards and themes aligns well with the Aqara Home App’s flexibility, which allows for similar personalization in dashboard arrangements and themes. If you’re interested, the app also lets you create dashboards with specific scenes or functionalities, much like your “movie night” setup.
I share your curiosity about what others have done, and I’m sure many would love to see screenshots of your setup. Let’s keep this creativity flowing and inspire each other—perhaps turning our setups into something straight out of a sci-fi movie! Thank you for sharing your experience, and I look forward to seeing more innovative ideas from the community.