At the beginning of the year, Nanoleaf unveiled its new Shapes line, which features interconnected wall-mounted light panels in different shapes that display a rainbow of shifting colors. The Hexagon light panels, launched this summer, were the first new light panels in the lineup, and now Nanoleaf has launched the Triangles and Mini Triangles, two new shape options that connect to one another and to the Hexagons.
Nanoleaf has been making HomeKit-connected light panels since 2017 when it launched its first triangle-shaped lights, but the newest panels in the Shape line are the only ones that are interoperable and able to connect together. The Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles work together, but they do not work with the original triangle-shaped Light Panels or the square-shaped Canvas panels. The Mini Triangles are priced at $119 for five panels, while the standard Triangles are priced at $199 for seven panels.
Design
The Shapes Triangles are an iteration of the original triangles (once called the Aurora) that came out in 2017, with the new Triangles featuring a design that has more rounding at the inside edges, presumably to make them fit better with the Hexagons and Mini Triangles.
Size wise, the Shapes Triangles are similar in size to the original triangles, while the Mini Triangles are much smaller and are Nanoleaf's smallest panels yet. Standard triangles measure in at nine inches long and 7.75 inches high, while the mini triangles measure in at 4.5 inches long and 3.8 inches high.
The Mini Triangles are surprisingly small and are ideal for a small wall-mounted setup behind a desk, while the standard Triangles can be used for larger lighting setups. All of Nanoleaf's products are made from a white plastic material, and some people may not like the look when the panels are turned off. The Triangles and Mini Triangles look best when lit, which is something to keep in mind when choosing a location for placement.
I do want to point out that like the Hexagons, the Triangles and Mini Triangles have rounded edges so the light that is visible is not entirely triangular in shape, but I think that both versions look great. I prefer these to the original Aurora, and I love the look of different shapes mixed together. I particularly like the size of the Mini Triangles and the way they break up the color patterns of the Hexagons and larger Triangles when paired with those panels.
The Mini Triangles alone provide accent lighting, but with enough of them, or with Mini Triangles and standard Triangles combined, the Nanoleaf Shapes put off enough light to replace a traditional light. Depending on how many panels are used, they can be quite bright. I often set my panels to about 20 percent brightness, but at maximum, they flood my office with light.
Setup and Mounting
Like Nanoleaf's Hexagons, the Triangles and the Mini Triangles are mounted to the wall using adhesive. Adhesive strips are applied to small mounting plates on the back of the Triangles and then the Triangles and the mounting plates are stuck to the wall.
When the Triangles need to be removed from the wall, they can be pulled from the mounting plate, making the adhesive that's on the mounting plate easier to access and remove from the wall. Earlier Nanoleaf products used adhesive directly on the panels, which could result in wall damage when removing them. The mounting plate system makes it easier to rearrange Nanoleaf panels if needed, and it's a more hassle-free setup and disassembly method than was used for prior Nanoleaf products.
Figuring out a layout can be one of the most difficult parts of setting up new Nanoleaf lights, and Nanoleaf has a Layout Assistant that lets you experiment with different arrangements. There's even an augmented reality option that lets you see the panels right on the wall before you attach them.
Nanoleaf Triangles and Mini Triangles require a 2.4GHz wireless network to set up, which is always somewhat of a hassle. Prior to setup, your smartphone needs to be connected to a 2.4GHz network or you'll run into errors. I have a 2.4Ghz/5GHz combo network and had no problems with setup. I simply scanned the code and was up and running within a few minutes.
Connectivity and Interoperability
Connecting one Triangle or Mini Triangle to another uses snap-in tabs that are sturdier than the thinner linking tabs that were used for prior Nanoleaf tiles. Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles all use the same snap-in linking tabs and are able to work together.
You can create designs that use the hexagon-shaped panels, the small triangles, and the larger triangles for looks that were not possible with prior Nanoleaf panels. As I mentioned before, the Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles are not compatible with any pre-2020 Nanoleaf product because those products use a different linking tab. For mounting on the wall, standard linkers are supplied, but there are also optional Flex Linkers that can be used to make the panels bend around corners or to transition from wall to ceiling.
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