How A Smart Home Makes Life Easier Room By Room

What exactly is a smart home, and should you be putting technology upgrades at the top of your home improvement to-do list?

According to a survey by Coldwell Banker’s, 45% of American homeowners admit they have plans to upgrade their home’s technology. From automatic LEDs to motorized closet rods, today’s smart home is defined by the inclusion of technology that adds both form and function to a space.

Here are a few ways smart home technology is currently re-shaping the way people approach home design, room by room.

In the Kitchen

LED strips create the perfect mood for cooking a romantic dinner. Unlike a traditional light bulb that illuminates the immediate area and fades the further you move into the pantry, LED strips keep the light right where you need it, and can be incorporated into existing kick plates.

Automatic built-in drawer lights can also help illuminate contents in small or dark spaces, and are deal for larger pantries or a home bar setup.

In the Living Room

Can’t stand the site of your bulky television when you’re not watching it? Motorized lifts for flat screens hide TVs when not they’re not in use, allowing you to use the space for displaying home décor or storing everyday items.

Disappearing tables allow entertainment centers and wall units to act as multipurpose spaces without sacrificing design, instantly transforming your living room into a home office, craft room, or more.

In the Home Office

A simple, yet must-have addition to any starter smart home is a G-shape Manager, an accessory that runs ugly cords behind your desk countertop.

Concealed storage like pull-out cabinets are a great way to store large collections of files while still granting visual access to labels.

In the Closet

Too often wall spaces goes wasted because the homeowner can’t reach a particular item in their wardrobe. Now, with motorized closet rods, you can design your custom closet with double, even triple-hanging sections that take advantage of every useable square inch up to the ceiling. With the click of a button on a remote control, your clothes descend to a manageable height. Once you’re dressed, a second click sends your wardrobe up high and out of the way.

Motion-sensor LED strip lights are activated whenever you enter the closet or open the door, preventing you from having to turn on your bedroom lights (and risk waking your spouse) just to get dressed in the morning.

Are you smart enough for a smart home?

Don’t worry: if upgrading to a high-tech home has you feeling a little lost (or worse, old), rest assured that not every smart home-owner is social media saavy. The survey from Coldwell Banker’s also revealed that of those who claimed to “either have smart home technology or plan to buy it in 2016,” 36% didn’t consider themselves early adopters of technology. That means smart homes are less of a Millennial home buying trend, and more indicative of the future of real estate.

• Start small by incorporating LEDs into your existing space, or collaborate with a professional to figure out how technology can be used to improve the way you live. Find out more.

• Is your home guest-ready? Check out our FREE Guide to Getting & Staying Organized!