Okay, so I’ve been wanting to create a “smart home” setup centered around Bryce Harper, my favorite baseball player. Here’s how I did it, step by step.
Getting Started
First, I gathered all my smart home devices. This included:
- Smart lights (various brands)
- Smart plugs
- A smart speaker (with a voice assistant)
- My phone (for controlling everything)
Setting the Mood
I started by setting up the lights. I wanted to create a “Phillies red” color scheme. Most of my smart lights have customizable colors, so I played around with the app until I found the perfect shade of red. I named this setting “Harper’s Home Run.”
Automating the Fun
Next, I connected everything to my smart speaker. This was pretty easy, just followed the instructions for each device. The key was making sure everything was on the same Wi-Fi network.
Once connected, I tested some of the smart plugs. I wanted to try automating a lamp so i tried turning it on and off, I used voice commands to turn the lights on and off, and to change the color to my “Harper’s Home Run” setting.
Adding Personal Touches
I really wanted to make this personal, so I did a few extra things:
- I changed my voice assistant to respond, to phrases about Bryce Harper.
- I set an old phone with photos of Bryce on repeat.
The Final Result
Now, whenever I say “It is Harper time!”, my living room transforms into a Phillies-red haven. The lights turn on, my Harper pictures start playing, and it feels like I’m right there at Citizens Bank Park. It’s a fun little setup, and it definitely adds some excitement to game days (and any other day I feel like celebrating Bryce!).
It is super important to me. I feel good!
