If your shed tends to sit unloved and unused during the darker months, adding power will make it much more useful year-round — whether you want to use a heater, add lights, charge power tools, or just keep your phone and laptop charged up. You don't have to go through the complicated process of laying an electricity cable, either; an off-grid solar generator means you can upgrade your shed in an afternoon.

To find out more, I spoke to Brady Sun, Head of Europe at solar generator company Jackery. He gave his top tips for powering your shed safely, starting with the key question: why go off-grid at all?

"Running 20-metre extension cords across damp lawns and patios creates trip and water-exposure risks, while trapping cold air inside your house through open windows," Sun explains "Installing a plug-and-play solar generator inside your shed creates a completely wireless, self-contained power hub — giving you mains-free electricity without the £1,000+ cost of professional electrician fees, armoured cabling, and trench digging."

Choose the right hardware

You can pick up a whole solar power kit, including panels, cables and battery, for well under £1,000 — and because the battery has UK plug sockets built-in, you can start using it immediately without making any modifications to your shed. But which kit should you choose? Sun says it depends on what you want to power.

"Before choosing your setup, calculate the total running and peak (startup) wattage of the devices you plan to run simultaneously," he says.

"If you’re running LED strip lighting, Wi-Fi extenders, laptops, or small battery chargers (~100W-300W load), a compact 500Wh to 1,000Wh unit (like [the] Jackery Explorer 1000 v2) provides quiet, reliable power.

"High-draw power and garden tools (table saws, lawnmowers etc) and electric heaters demand high continuous output and substantial surge capacity. Opt for a 2,000Wh+ expandable system (like the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus v2) capable of handling 3,000W+ peak surges."

Set up a workbench charging hub

So you've got your solar panels and power station set up. Now you're ready to start tackling all those DIY jobs you've been putting off.

"Flat 18V tool batteries are a major bottleneck during autumn garden upgrades and DIY projects," says Sun. "Setting up a solar power station as a permanent workbench charging hub ensures you to continuously recharge cordless tool batteries right where you work. Paired with solar input, you can cycle through tool batteries continuously without stepping foot inside the house."

No more excuses — you can now fix those broken fence panels and trim that hedge without worrying about your tools running out of juice. It'll be great for a leaf-blower as well.

Optimise solar input

As the days get shorter, positioning your solar panels correctly is particularly important. Sun advises angling foldable solar panels at 30-45 degrees, facing south, to catch lower autumn sun trajectories.

"Choose a power station that supports pass-through charging," he adds. "This allows solar panels to feed power into the battery while the battery simultaneously powers shed lights or laptops."

You should also bear in mind the wet and cold weather that's just around the corner. "Feed solar cables through a rubber grommet or sealed cable port in the shed wall to maintain weatherproofing," Sun recommends.

Protect your battery

Finally, remember to take care of your battery in an unheated shed, which will experience moisture buildup and sharp temperature drops during autumn and winter nights.

"Always place your power station on a raised shelf, workbench, or cabinet rather than directly on cold concrete or wooden shed floors to protect it from dampness and dust," says Sun.

You should also pay attention to cold-weather charging limits. "Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries perform best when charged above 0°," Sun adds. "During freezing winter spells, insulate your setup or bring the battery unit indoors overnight to maintain optimal charging efficiency."

IKEA is really making a name for itself in smart home tech. Its mobile app is clear and easy to navigate, its selection of smart switches (which my colleague Ruth Hamilton called "the understated hit of IKEA's new gadget range") are versatile and cheap, and its stylish smart lamps made a real splash at this year's CES technology show.

But what if you don't want to be limited to IKEA's own app? What if you like IKEA's lights, but already have a Philips Hue setup, or want to incorporate lights and devices from other brands as well?

Thankfully, there are lots of options to explore, from simple software solutions to crafty hardware hacks. Here are four ways to get all your smart lights to play along nicely.

1. Use the Matter standard

Last week, IKEA launched a new driver for its integrated lights (including the type of strips and spots you would install in cupboards and cabinets) that not only lets you control them remotely via the IKEA Home app, but is also compatible with the Matter smart home standard. That means you can combine these integrated lights into a larger smart home setup.

You can then control them using a Matter-compatible smart speaker, set a schedule, dim them, and much more. You aren't limited to IKEA's integrated lights, either. The brand also offers other Matter-compatible lights, including the color-shifting, donut-shaped Varmblixt, and Kajplats bulbs — and you can throw in lights from other brands like Nanoleaf, Govee, and (of course) Philips Hue, too.

But what if you don't want to use the Matter standard? What if you already have a Philips Hue setup and want to continue using the Hue app to control all your lights?

2. Connect everything to your Hue Bridge

IKEA smart lights (such as the Varmblixt and Kajplats) support Zigbee Light Link, which is the same wireless protocol used by Philips Hue bulbs. You can therefore connect your IKEA lights directly to a Philips Hue Bridge by following these instructions:

1. Ensure your IKEA smart light has software version 1.2.x or later
2. Keep the IKEA smart light close to the Philips Hue Bridge
3. Search for new devices in the Philips Hue app
4. Do a factory reset of the smart light by toggling the main switch six times

Connecting your IKEA smart lights this way will let you control their basic functions through the Hue app, set schedules, add them to groups, and trigger them with Hue sensors and switches.

However, you won't get the same degree of control you would through a native Hue smart light. You won't be able to dim your IKEA lights using a Hue Tap Dial switch, for example, or incorporate them into a Philips Hue Play entertainment setup. For that, you'll need to get more creative.

3. Try a hardware hack

If you like the look of an IKEA smart light, but want the full functionality of Philips Hue and are feeling brave, you could try a crafty hardware hack.

The Varmblixt lamp is a particularly popular choice for smart lighting DIYers, who have discovered that its frosted glass case is ideal for concealing a Philips Hue light strip. Reddit user K1uppy described the process of opening the IKEA lamp, removing its innards, and replacing them with a coiled Hue strip.

It's an interesting idea, and another Redditor's experiment with a non-Hue LED strip demonstrates how dramatic the effect could be with a gradient.

However, you should remember that a coiled light strip could overheat, damaging the LEDs.

4. Pick the right lamps

A safer (though less imaginative) alternative is to use Hue bulbs with IKEA lamps designed for standard light bulbs. Look out for ones that will diffuse light, such as the Fado table lamp, the ruffled Vindkast, or the striking multi-bulb Simrishamn. You can use the Philips Hue app to create a 'group' of these three bulbs, and control them together or apply a scene so they co-ordinate for an interesting effect.

There are Philips Hue bulbs for virtually all light fixtures, so you will be able to find one that fits your chosen IKEA lamp. Reddit users have suggested dialing down the brightness of your Hue bulbs to around 50% to create soft ambient lighting. You'll find a collection of suitable IKEA pendant, table, and floor lamps below.