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ZDNet contributors welcome you inside their home-based workspaces and show off the tech gear that drives their productivity.
Nanoleaf is known for making pricey, but impressive, light panels of various shapes and sizes that can be customized to show off your favorite colors, react to what’s on your gaming computer’s screen or set the scene for movie night. Personally, I use some Nanoleaf panels in a home automation setup that turns the square panels into a goal light when I’m watching hockey.
But when the panels are turned off, the off-white color doesn’t necessarily blend in. On Thursday, Nanoleaf announced a new line of smart home light panels that move away from what the company is currently known for.
The first product in the Nanoleaf Elements line is the Wood Look Hexagons, which, as the name implies, have a wood grain look on their front. Instead of RBG lights, Nanoleaf has gone with more traditional white lighting, with options ranging from 1500-4000K (cool to warm light).
I’ve been testing the Wood Look Hexagons for a couple of weeks, and while the wood color doesn’t match anything in my office, I enjoy the new approach. Even though I knew the panels featured lights in each corner of the hexagon that could light up or change light temperature independently of one another, it wasn’t until I installed the panels and turned them on for the first time that I realized how important that feature is.
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By allowing each corner to light up on its own, you can still get the same interactive feeling and effects of the more colorful Shapes, Canvas or Light Panels.
I connected the panels to my HomeKit setup and linked them to my office light switch to turn on or off based on my overhead lights. There are several different lighting scenes available for the Elements, each of which has a different look. I picked the Calming Waterfall lighting option, which uses various lights to mimic a waterfall of lights that move slowly back and forth across the panels.
There are several more scenes that come with Elements, and you can create your own combination of lighting effects.
Nanoleaf is taking orders for Elements right now, with the base package priced at $299. That will get you everything you need to install the included 7 panels. For $99 you can get an expansion pack that adds another 3 panels, and also includes everything you need to add them to your current setup. Orders will start shipping today, but Nanoleaf has said that inventory is limited. If you don’t order before they sell out, Best Buy will carry the new panels later this month.
