Home automation has gradually become a bigger part of my home in Hoorn. With Home Assistant as the central platform, I connect sensors, lights, and custom-built projects into one system. The goal is not to make everything smart just for the sake of it, but to make everyday life more comfortable, safer, and easier to monitor.
Many parts of the setup are built myself using ESPHome and small ESP32 microcontrollers. One example is the automatic lighting on my staircase. Two ultrasonic sensors detect whether someone is at the top or bottom of the stairs. The LED strip then lights up in the correct direction, creating a practical and visually appealing effect. The electronics are neatly hidden under the staircase, while Home Assistant leaves plenty of room for future improvements.
I also use Bluetooth temperature and humidity sensors in several rooms. They run on a single CR2032 battery, include a small display, and are inexpensive enough to place throughout the house. A Bluetooth dongle connected to my Home Assistant server collects the measurements, allowing me to monitor the indoor climate easily.
Lighting is another important part of my smart-home setup. With WLED, I can control LED lighting and create everything from simple ambient lighting to dynamic effects. All of these devices and projects are brought together in Home Assistant, where I use dashboards and automations to control and monitor the house.
My home automation system is not a single off-the-shelf package. It is a collection of practical solutions, experiments, and projects that I have built and improved over time. That is what makes it interesting to me. Step by step, my home in Hoorn is becoming smarter—without needing to be complicated or unnecessarily expensive.