As we are growing, so are our daily habits changing. Most of us specifically want to make our lives easier. New technologies most definitely offer just that – making our daily little struggles little to no existent. Even better, intelligent home upgrades raise the value of a property. However, change doesn’t need to be expensive to be effective. When updating your home with high tech, it isn’t always easy to know how to and what to choose, and this shortlist could help you with that.
The global smart home market size stood at USD 79.90 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 622.59 billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 29.3% during the forecast period.
Smart small appliances
We have to start somewhere! When you work from home and want to spend your free time outside, you’ll benefit from a robot vacuum. The air quality is a common problem in many cities, but even dryness caused by warmth can be the thing of the past with the air purifier. If you live in a house, a smart sprinkler system can keep your garden fresh and healthy green.
Smart lightning
Most certainly, you already know that LED bulbs spend 75 % less energy than regular ones! Even better, LED bulbs do not contain mercury and therefore are even more eco-friendly and have a longer lifespan than the regular CFL or incandescent bulbs! To make your LEDs the top smart gear of your home, you can make them intelligent by controlling them from your phone! That way, not only you can check if you have left the lights on, you can even turn them on and off to make an impression that someone is at home.
Automatic blinds
Another affordable addition that will save your money, the automatic blinds save energy costs for cooling and heating while offering another layer of theft protection because the changes in position can be done remotely and on schedule. They are often made in different colors to further add to the interior, as well as exterior design. Moreover, smart shades are a practical and functional smart home upgrade, which we will talk about in the next section.
Smart shades
You can help anyone interested in buying your home save money on heating and cooling expenditures by installing smart shades. Homeowners can also utilize automated blinds to lower and raise them from afar, providing the impression that the house is occupied even when no one is home. Smart blinds are a practical and functional smart home update that will cost you little but will have a big influence on your house’s value.
Smart bathroom
A bathroom is a place we do not consider specifically easy to smart décor, although that couldn’t be further from the truth. A smart scale, an LED-boosted mirror that can be Wi-Fi controlled, a small fridge for expensive creams and serums, a shower music player, and even an intelligent toilette! To make your bathrooms more custom and state-of-the-art, adding bidets (bidet attachment or a separate seat) will bring a dash of luxurious comfort, to say the least!
Smart kitchen
The kitchen addition many gourmet people love is the famous Kitchen Aid, which receives smart controls and measuring additions. The next one would logically be a modern oven. It offers a great diversity of cooking programs, like air frying, pizza, toasting, slow roasting, dehydrating, fermenting, and even something as convenient but hard to do on your own – a pre-set to keep the food warm for an extended period. The smart refrigerator, which can even hold the list of the things inside of it and notice the due date, and the coffee machine are just some already easily acquired additions.
Smart Lock
We have all at least once lost a key, a purse with keys, broken a key, or got locked out? Not with Smart Lock! There is an option you’ve most probably seen in hotels – a key in a card form, but there are solutions that do not require anything but your fingerprint or an easy-to-remember and custom pin code (range is most often from 4 to 8 digits).
Smart doorbells
Are you expecting a vital package to be delivered, but you’re not at home (maybe because you went to the store)? The Ring video doorbell allows you to answer the door using your smartphone. You can see and talk to whoever is at the door, and you can even have a two-way chat with the delivery person to request that the product be left on the doorstep. Ring also saves video motion, so you may see it later if you aren’t near your phone. The movement also alerts you and sends a notification to your phone.
Smart surveillance system
This one seems classic, but a surveillance system can be the alarm, the pet camera, and even garage surveillance and silent alarm system. All of those can be a part of the system available anywhere from your phone or computer. Home security is the fastest growing technology since it brings 24/7 control of your home and thus, brings peace to the owner’s mind.
Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat saves energy and ensures that you arrive home at the perfect temperature. The Nest is a smart thermostat that has been installed in millions of homes and businesses. This thermostat learns your preferences and routine over time and adjusts your home’s temperature accordingly – which is ideal for our Charleston environment.
Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors may be the final smart home update you consider for your own home. This form of smart house lacks the glitz and glam of smart television. That is precisely why they invest in a smart home improvement that will pay off in the future. You’ll be giving something to potential purchasers that they can enjoy even if they don’t buy it.
Fires may be devastating to houses, necessitating a costly and time-consuming insurance claim at best. That is why you should purchase a smoke and carbon monoxide detector.
Water Heaters With Internet Access
Water heaters in the home have a limited lifespan. If you’re planning a makeover and know your water heater is on its final legs, this is a great time to bring technology into a room that hasn’t seen much innovation before.
Remote temperature management is possible with Internet-connected water heaters. It is ideal for those who travel regularly and want to save money while they’re away. For the rest of us, they’re a terrific way to keep an eye on leaks and performance issues in a seldom-visited area of the house.
Smart home system
In the end, many of the above-mentioned smart appliances can all be controlled by one application – a smart home system. Its main convenience is the ability to control everything from one application, which could be a part of the home screen, your mobile phone, or a separate LCD screen somewhere around your home. Do not hesitate to invest in your home as it is the investment in yourself, your family, and your peace of mind.
Author – Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, and her ultimate passion is art and architecture. She is also a bibliophile and her favorite book is “The Sound and the Fury” by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.