It’s good to get them on the tech train early
You should get a motion sensor
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Intelligent-Accessory-HomeKit-Enabled/dp/B0748NCMNW
I did consider relocating the heatlink, but the desire to get it running ASAP to start exploring its functions outweighed that. Thankfully it’s located in a bedroom so not too unsightly.
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Front and back door to trigger lights
Also
Maybe?
I’ll have a couple of those today if JL delivers the goods.
I could also set it so that it only switches off lights if nobody else is at home.
I think most parents can relate to ‘lightgate’ 
My 2yo has taken a liking to our Tadfri switch for the bedside table lamps. Though oddly if one is off and the other is on. The switch alternates them 
So I guess it’s just sending a signal saying ‘do the opposite of your current state’ instead of an ‘off/on’ signal.
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I was all full on enthusiasm until I took the plate off that box 
then realised some brain matter was needed.
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My wife doesn’t see the point of me automating the lighting.
She says, “Why don’t you just get up and press the switch?”
“Well, darling, that’s what I’ve been doing every time you’ve left the house leaving all the lights turned on.”, I thought loudly to myself. 
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I like the look of the eve room but think there is a gap in the market for something like this. Like a total room health monitor. That will turn on the heating in that room or switch off the trv if the room is too warm etc.
It’s also cool telling your home assistant to dim / brighten / switch on /switch off the lights while sitting on your arse.
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So i picked up my Google Home Mini today, and have used this little script to make my Google GSuite calendar avialable.
its a bit of a headache is you are using GSuite but seems to be the only way the moment…
Annoying that you require a work-around, but at least you can access your calendar.
I’m waiting for calls to come to it, which was promised by the end of the year for the UK. That could be ace.
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At the moment my daughter seems to be my home assistant with a new found passion for turning lights off …just as I’m updating the software on the bulbs.
Arrggghhh. Now the wife is turning them off. For the first time in months 
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A clear case of ‘be careful what you wish for’!
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So my hacked together set up consists of the following:
Networking
- Unifi Edge Router Lite
- Unifi Pro AP x 2
- Zyxel GS1910HP Switch
- Mac Mini doing the AP controlling & larger processing / node scripts
Storage
- HP Microserver Gen5
Media
- Plex server
- Bluestream HDMI IR Switcher
- Global Cache WIFI to IR iTach
- Virgin media TiVO V6 Box
- Apple TV Gen 3
- Apple TV Gen 4
- Sonos Connect:AMP with B&W Ceiling Speakers
Lights
- Vera Edge Controller
- Fibaro Z Wave Dimmer 2 modules x 7
- Fibaro Z Wave RGBW module
Graphics
- Simple Control (formerly Roomie) running on iPads & iPhones
Key Features
- Geo location to turn front porch & driveway lights on/off
- Holiday simulation of occupied house
- Voice control of everything via Alexa with echo dots
- Full energy monitoring of every lighting circuit
Future Expansion
- Mains plugs or lamp based switching of side lights
- Garden lights
- Garden Speakers
- Distributed HDMI over IP (Bluestream make a really nice solution for this)
- Custom room zonal heating controls
- Boiler controls
I’m very impressed with the Philips Hue system. The motion sensor also senses temperature and light level, which is something I don’t think they make a song and dance about.
JL has decided the rest of my orders are in today so I’ll go and collect them. I’m getting a much better idea of what’s possible and how I can use this stuff. I am thoroughly impressed with it and I’d never have taken the plunge without all the interesting conversation on this community.
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I might have missed your post of what you got, but what did you get in all?
Also very impressed with my single Hue (need more floor standing lamps)
I started off with a white starter kit comprising a bridge, a bulb and a switch, plus another couple of bulbs. This was proof of concept, for me, and it impressed me so much that I’ve added additional bulbs and switches for other rooms.
I also bought a motion controller so that the hall and landing lights come on when someone walks into either. During the day, the light is bright (Unless the sensor senses enough natural light, in which case the bulbs stay off), during the night (you can customise hours and brightness/on/off) it comes on with a dim light, enough to see but not to disturb others.
Waiting at JL is additional motion sensor and GU10 bulbs for the kitchen and one of the bathrooms.
Another bonus with the Philips Hue system is that the bulbs are brighter than the standard LED energy saving bulbs (fairly new) that I’d been using, plus you can dim them, anything from 1-100% which is fantastic.
I’m not convinced on why I’d need multi-coloured bulbs. Yes, it’s fun but I think I won’t really use the colour. It’s a bit of a gimmick for me.
I’m now able to see when one of the kids has left a light turned on and I can turn it off wherever I am.
You could get a few light strips for under the sofas, kitchen units, small spots or what ever so as to give the room a nice shade other than white
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Yep. That does look good. Perhaps I’ll stick those on my Christmas list 
Take some white ones back and swap them