The last few decades have brought forth a lot of innovation in the realm of technology. That’s not only true of personal devices, such as smart phones or tablets, but also of technology that can be integrated into the home. People have come to expect areas of their home to be upgraded to “smart” technology and devices. So then, what does that mean for new builds? What would the future smart home devices be like? What kind of technologies are must-haves for smart homes?
Smart Kitchen
Since the kitchen is where a lot of chores and work take place, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the first areas of the home that saw a lot of “smart” upgrades. There are a lot of appliances that can have integrated technology.
Smart fridges are permeating the market right now, and there is reason to think that they will soon replace regular refrigerators. You see, a smart fridge can help by integrating a lot of different features, such as a coffee machine, ice maker, etc. Temperature can be controlled remotely on your phone. It even has Wi-Fi! That’s come to be pretty standard for the newer, higher-end builds.
Of course, the step up from that is an even smarter fridge – one that automatically detects expiration dates and lets you know when it’s time to replace the product.
Another nifty development is the pot or pan that can be monitored remotely. You just set it on the stove and check up on it even if you’re not in the kitchen at that moment. That frees up a lot of time that would have otherwise been spent waiting around. For kitchens that come fully equipped at the moment of purchase, this type of appliance is essential.
Smart Entertainment
Probably the area where smart technology is making its presence known the most is in home entertainment. It’s really changing the way we think about watching movies, our favorite TV shows, or listening to music.
Pretty much every new build is going to benefit from a top-notch audio surround system, featuring wireless speakers, a smart home hub, smart TV, and a smart remote that can control all of them.
You will be able to control virtually all of these devices with the help of your smart phone. We’re moving in a direction where all the devices in one’s home become part of the same shared network.
Everything from your choice of entertainment to volume, on and off buttons, etc. are only a tap away. The device that controls all of them is the smart home hub (such as Amazon Echo, for example), which, combined with Alexa, can answer the user’s most ardent desire. Alexa can also be combined with numerous other smart devices.
Just ask, order, yell, or bark at her and you will be able to voice-command anything, from turning up the thermostat to finding out the weather. In fact, Alexa is probably the most popular device home buyers are looking for. And they are willing to pay extra for the convenience of purchasing a house that already has a built-in smart home hub.
Smart Security
Anyone who’s in the home business, whether we’re talking about buying, selling, building, or designing, knows that security is one of the areas where smart technology has really thrived.
High-end houses that are built nowadays come with a variety of smart devices and appliances that ensure a higher level of security. For example, smart doorbells and locks are becoming the new norm.
They are extremely convenient, as they can be controlled on your smartphone. That not only eliminates the need for a physical key, but it also allows the owner to have a higher degree of control over the security of their home.
Combined with smart cameras, this type of security system enables you to receive notifications every time someone approaches your home and monitor them in real time. This is extremely convenient for monitoring for intruders and packages that may be stolen from your porch, etc.
Comfort using smart devices
A lot of emergent smart home technology revolves around convenience and comfort. At the end of the day, that is what people are looking for in their ideal home. Well, smart technology makes it possible to personalize and control things like lights, temperature, and night’s sleep with an ease and accuracy that was not possible before.
Let’s face it – we’re all lazy, or forgetful. That is why the ability to control your lights via your phone can be invaluable. Let’s say you’re all cozy in bed and don’t want to get up, or you’ve left home for a few days and realize you forgot the lights on.
All you have to do is check your app and you’ll be able to turn the lights on, off, or dim them according to your preferences. That’s a convenience a lot of people will be willing to pay extra for.
Most fights that occur in any given household are over the TV remote and over the thermostat. Reaching that sweet spot, temperature-wise, may seem almost impossible. But with smart thermostats, no one needs to ever worry about the temperature in their home ever again.
Different areas of the home can be heated differently and remotely. That means that even if one is away from home, they can turn the heating up, down, on or off, depending on the weather and how toasty they’d like their home to be upon their return.
But the ultimate comfort, for most people, is achieved solely in bed. And why not integrate smart technology into beds, as well? Smart beds are able to analyze your sleep, your biometrics, and even the firmness of your bed, in order to determine how you can improve your quality of sleep. Now that’s something everyone wants in their brand new home.
Smart lawn & garden devices
Smart technology in the garden? That’s right –it’s possible, and it can help tremendously. It’s very possible that we will see an upgrade on gardens and lawns, in general, with new builds.
Among the things that buyers will come to expect are smart sprinklers, for example. Of course, automatic sprinklers are nothing new, but the newest type brings even more control to the owner. You see, smart sprinklers can be controlled and monitored remotely, with the help of a smart phone. That means controlling how much water is being used and at what times, adjusting depending on weather, etc.
Other devices include more specialized equipment such as plant sensors and weather sensors. These allow the user to receive information about the type of soil your garden has, whether it’s appropriate for the kind of plants you have, whether it’s humid enough, how often the plants need to be watered, etc.
It’s especially important for a gardener to keep tabs on the weather in order to know how to properly care for their plants and when they need water supplements or fertilizer. That means that devices like this may very well become something all houses are sold with, just like houses come with Echo and Alexa, now.
Concluding thoughts
All in all, it’s becoming clear that smart home devices are becoming an absolute must for new builds. These are slowly being integrated in new homes, while old ones are upgraded.
There is no doubt that as it becomes more normalized and expected, more and more buyers and even renters will request that smart technology be present in the home they are interested in.
Whether that’s a smart home entertainment system, a smart security system, or super convenient kitchen appliances, the house of the (not too distant) future is undoubtedly smart.
