Optical wireless offers the possibility of secure data transfer over short distances at high speed without having to compete with the RF spectrum. This can make smart LED lighting fixtures that can optically communicate attractive for niche applications. A challenge for architects and engineers will be finding where optical wireless can be implemented unobtrusively and usefully. Recent progress in LED based wireless communications are reviewed that examine the advantages and shortcomings of present designs. Examples of optical wireless systems built at NC State be used to illustrate how compact optical wireless systems can be built and the challenges involved.