Bringing modern influxes into traditional architectural spaces is a big trend in architecture. Whether it’s adding a modern addition onto an old farm house or gutting a mid-century bungalow to bring the interior spaces up to 21st century standards, the melding of old and new allows you to have your cake and eat it too – old world charm with new school sensibilities. Thankfully, thanks to advances in home technologies, now anyone can re-envision an old space into a new one. Here are ways you can easily design your home – whether new or old – into a “Smart” home.
Home Automation Systems
With home automation products, you can automate many of the daily tasks of home living. Working in conjunction with one another, a variety of separate home automation products – like smart thermostats and wireless security cameras – can come together to create a robust home automation system. Such systems, like those offered by ADT, allow you to easily manage and monitor your home while away. Better yet, many of these devices have a degree of artificial intelligence built in, and will actually learn your lifestyle habits over time. Hence, things can become automated, requiring no input from you whatsoever. In plain terms, your home will run itself, at least to an extent.
Connected Appliances
Today’s modern appliances are increasingly becoming connected, letting you control them directly from your smartphone. The Samsung Family Hub refrigerator, for example, allows you to check its contents through the device’s phone app. You’ll never be at the grocery store left wondering whether you have milk at home or not, because you’ll be able to check. Meanwhile, LG’s SmartThinQ line of appliances place an emphasis on efficiency, convenience, and usability. Whether in the kitchen, the living room, or another room of the house, you are always connected and in control. Do a load of laundry from work, or check to see if your air conditioning is turned on – thanks to the Cloud, it’s all possible.
Modern Media Solutions
With cable television losing subscribers at alarming rates, it is evident that more and more homes are starting to take advantage of smart media solutions. With Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu now creating their own award-winning programming, there seems to be less and less reason for a traditional set-top box. Instead, devices like the Apple TV and Roku allow you to watch what you want, when you want. These streaming media players are not only convenient, flexible, and incredibly easy to set up and use, but they’re affordable as well! Google’s Chromecast streaming stick starts at just $35, making it all but unbeatable. If you watch just as much YouTube as you do television, do you really need an archaic solution like cable?
Energy Efficient Everything
A Smart home is one that runs efficiently. Energy efficiency is good for the environment, and good for your pocketbook; if you are looking for a simple way to upgrade your home, start with the appliances. If you don’t know where to start, simply look for devices with an EnergyStar rating. In combination with each other, EnergyStar appliances, light bulbs, and other devices can save you significant savings over the course of a year. In some cases, you may even be eligible for a tax deduction. Put this money towards your kids’ college fund, a new car, pre-existing bills, or a vacation. The key to remember is that saving is smart.
Digital Assistants & Robotic Butlers
Think “Smart home” and you probably think of The Jetsons. Who doesn’t want their own Rosie the Robot? Sadly, Honda’s ASIMO is still a ways off from doing your laundry and cleaning the dishes. However, you can take advantage of robotic vacuum cleaners and personal digital assistants until then. With Google’s Home and Amazon’s Echo and Alexa, you can play music, get weather reports, and check the news with simple voice commands. And robotic vacuum cleaners like the Dyson 360 Eye will clean your house for you while you’re away – all by themselves!
Designing a Smart Home Doesn’t Have to be Difficult
If you would like to design a Smart home, there is a diverse range of home automation products, smart appliances, modern media solutions, and personal digital assistants to choose from. Whether you are designing a Smart home from the ground-up, or would like to transform your old house, you should know that there are many over-the-counter options to help meet your needs. And many of these products are beautiful to boot, meaning you don’t have to sacrifice on design or aesthetics. Needless to say, your perfect 21st century home is within your reach.
