Have you been thinking of refreshing your home without breaking the bank? Well, here’s some good news for you. DIY nightlight projects will help you add a personal touch to your home for cheap.
Creating nightlights yourself gives you the freedom to choose your preferred design, color, material, and other fine details that best suit your individual style. Here are exciting nightlight projects to keep you busy this summer.
1. DIY Automatic Night Lamp Using a BC547 Transistor
Everyday after work, you probably feel too tired to turn on some lights, especially if the switch is several meters away. You also could be so busy that you forget to switch off lights in the morning. This DIY automatic night lamp will help solve such problems and save on electricity bills because lights will only be on when necessary.
You’ll use a variable resistor to adjust the sensitivity of the circuit. The light can also be used as a an emergency light or for decorative purposes. For this project, you’ll need a photoresistor, light-emitting diode, breadboard, and resistors.
2. Old CD LED Night Light
You’ll be glad you kept your old CDs. Use them to create a night light piece that gives your living room an exclusive touch. If you were scratching your head over how you can upgrade your kid’s room on a tight budget, you can’t go wrong with this rainbow night-light.
You can also have this light on a desk for decorative purposes, but attach it to an attention-grabbing item such as a trophy. Feel free to paint the CDs a color that perfectly blends with your interior decor.
You need sturdy electrical wires, 12 or 24V LED strips, a transformer, and a few old CDs to make this exciting night light.
3. Industrial Grade Night Light
If you’re feeling a bit adventurous with automated night lighting, consider this industrial grade night light project that’ll cover a more extensive area. This setup is similar to the automatic night lamp above but you’ll need higher wattage lamps, a bridge rectifier, a sensor circuit, and a power source.
You’ll also need a sensor to detect the lighting conditions in order to switch the lights on and off. This night light is a great pick for rooms or buildings without another source of lighting.
4. Wi-Fi Controlled Nightlight
Setting up a smart home shouldn’t necessarily cost an arm and a leg. You can still use readily available resources as substitutes for expensive smart gadgets. What’s more convenient than a Wi-Fi controlled nightlight?
The setup delivers the best results if your Wi-Fi network turns off at night and on in the morning. You’ll need a luminaire controller, input devices, and a gateway.
The controller switches on/off the lights, the sensors detect the Wi-Fi connection, and the gateway holds important information such as the commissioning and programming data for the setup.
5. Bluetooth Speaker Night Lamp
Here is a cool way of making your movie nights more lively. Set up the circuit so that turning on the speaker activates the lamp. For this project, you’ll need a power source, a lamp, and an acoustic circuit. Remember to calibrate the sensor so that sounds below 50 decibels don’t trigger the circuit.
6. Old Phone Display Night Lamp
Your old smartphone can make a unique and reliable night lamp because you set it to automatically turn on at certain hours of the night. With a stand and a duct tape, you’re all set.
Attach your old smartphone to the stand with the LED flash sensor facing downwards. Place the phone in a proper position such that recharging the battery when it runs low won’t be an uphill task. Next, download an automatic flashlight app and set the timer.
7. USB LED Night Light
A USB LED night light will come in handy if you have extra USB ports on your laptop or PC. Plugging the light on and off every now and then isn’t necessary as you can set it operate automatically.
Gather materials such as a USB 2.0 cable, a 3.6V LED lamp, and a stand (wire coat hanger) to get started. Use a timer software to control the light.
8. Vintage Camera Nightlight
Ever fancied that vintage look in your room but you don’t know where to start? Here’s an opportunity to create one with readily available materials. If you have a camera from the 60s, 70s, or 80s idling around, now is the right time to make good use of it.
The vintage camera nightlight creates a soft glow at night when other lights are off, creating a rustic look. You can get more creative and color the outer part to blend with your interior decor.
9. VHS Tape Nightlight
If you have a pile of old VHS tapes collecting dust on your shelves, check out this inspiring project before you throw them away. A VHS tape nightlight is a perfect pick for a media space or your kid’s room. A picture of your favorite movie star from the 80s and 90s will be nostalgic.
You can decide how to power the lights, either through batteries, a USB plug, or a computer. Besides choosing the primary color of the light, you can set how it comes out. Some options include flashing fast, a pulsating light, flashing slowly, or a multi-colored flash.
If you have more time to dedicate on another project, here are ways you can reuse your old hardware.
10. Spy Camera Night Light
Break-ins are terrifying experiences, especially at night when everyone in your neighborhood is fast asleep. In case it happens, how prepared are you? The market is flooded with surveillance cameras, but you wouldn’t mind saving a few dollars by creating one this summer.
A spy camera night light is an easy way to scare away intruders, and it’s a project you can complete in a few hours.
Use Available Resources, Be Creative
Hopefully, these DIY nightlight projects have inspired you to try creating something unique. Most of these lights blend well with all types of interior decor and are budget-friendly. In addition, they’ll save you from hefty electricity bills.