Nanoleaf’s Lines Bathe Your Walls in Colorful Light
These modular bars are expensive, but they support a variety of smart-home setups and add a futuristic feel to any room….
With support for millions of colors and lots of animated scenes, the Nanoleaf Lines can nail whatever vibe you crave. They are at their most mesmerizing in a dark room cycling through colors, but they are quite versatile. I use the daylight effect to brighten my office during the day and ward off the dark winter outside, then switch to flowing animated colors at night.
The app isn’t the most straightforward, but it’s worth going in to browse and download scenes. There are many options, and you can make your own. But I spent far too long creating an underwhelming scene, so I recommend just picking from the popular list on the Discover tab.
Luckily, you don’t have to use the Nanoleaf app much, as you can hook the Lines up with Google Assistant via the Home app, or connect them with Apple’s HomeKit or Amazon’s Alexa. They also support IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings, and can extend connectivity for Thread devices by acting as a Thread router.
Smart Syncing
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What elevates Nanoleaf’s Lines, compared to cheaper options, are the polished syncing capabilities. Once an add-on for the original panels, the Nanoleaf Rhythm module is built-in here, meaning the Lines can react to any music playing in the room. This is great when you want a party vibe. The colors pulse in time to the tunes.
I set the Lines up above my desk and was excited to test the screen mirroring effect, which matches colors with whatever is on your computer monitor. You have to run Nanoleaf’s desktop app for this to work (that means it won’t work with your TV unless you use a PC or laptop with your big screen). But PC gamers will get a kick out of it. It adds a little more immersion, and Razer fans will be happy to see Razer Chroma support too.
The Nanoleaf Lines look far better lit up than off, but they aren’t as ugly as the panels when you’re not using them. You still have to consider whether the matte white plastic (there are optional skins in matte black or pink for an extra $20) will fit with your decor. They won’t look out of place with a gaming setup, modern minimalist office, or kid’s room, but they will clash in some settings. Some extra options, like a wood finish, could help them blend in with other rooms. Sadly, wherever you put them, you are stuck with the power cord running down the wall, and it just looks messy.
At $200 for a starter kit with just nine Lines and $70 for an expansion set of three, they are very expensive. Perhaps the closest competitor, Govee’s Glide light bars, start from half that price. But Nanoleaf’s Lines produce beautiful lighting effects that are guaranteed to turn heads and work seamlessly with any smart-home setup. After spending a few weeks with them, I’m convinced they are the best the company has to offer.
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