Build your own Ambient Color Control Pad and make it easy to set colors on NeoPixel strips. Embed them in a huge, colorful, glowing orb, behind a monitor, or above a cabient. NeoTrellis multicolor controller, say hello to NeoPixels!

Use the NeoTrellis with a Feather M4 Express to select colors that illuminate your world. The control pad sends your color selections to a 2m strip of 120 NeoPixels. Gorgeous diffusion courtesy of an inexpensive white plastic lamp, or pick your own diffuser! All programmed with CircuitPython for your coding pleasure.

This project takes advantage of the Feather M4 Express board's big brains! You may be able to run this on a Feather M0 Express, but you'll need to write to fewer NeoPixels.

Parts

Tools

To put together this project you'll need a few tools:

• Soldering iron and solder
• Wire strippers
• Diagonal cutters
• Small flathead screwdriver

Materials

You may want to use a lamp shade or other thin plastic material as a diffuser, depending on how you'll be using your Ambient Color Control Pad. You can also use it as underlighting or behind a frame or TV, in which case no need to diffuse.

In this guide I used shade from the IKEA Sjöpenna 17" pendant lamp, round. It comes in a few different sizes. You won't need the mounting hardware, lamp wire, or socket, but you can save those for another project!