There is a lot of mixed opinion around the use of integrated technology in the home. Some find the possibilities extremely exciting, whilst others are frankly terrified of the prospect. We have a number of clients how have started drooling over the thought of a fully integrated cinema room, where you can control the speakers, dim the lights, and close the blinds, all at the touch of a button. Meanwhile, others are just happy to have a pretty, straight-forward light switch that turns, well, turns on lights.
It’s understandable that the world of technology can be daunting, it is always changing and producing new and innovative ways of making your home flow as harmoniously with your life as possible. And, although some techy things really do have the wow factor, it is all about what the client wants, and what they feel comfortable having in their home.
Things That You Can Control
Integrated technology systems can just about control anything you can think of, in an ever expanding number of ways. But of course, you can always pick and choose what you would like to have on your system. Examples of things that can be programmed are:
Lighting
TV/Media
Music/Sound
Window Treatments, e.g. curtains, blinds, shutters etc.
Heating and Air Conditioning
Security
The Organic Loop Wall Light in nickel from Porta Romana
I will use lighting as an example to demonstrate the advantages of using a fully integrated system. When designing a room, a number of lights will be put into the scheme to produce a range of different atmospheres. For example, in a bathroom, you may have a combination of spot lights, decorative wall lights and low level lights. There are a number of different ways that you use your bathroom, and the way you programme your lighting can make these functions even easier. Here are some examples:
- For showering and getting ready, you would want the wall lights and spots on.
- But when you’re relaxing in the tub, you may want something a little more soothing, and have the wall and low level lights on.
- And then, when you get up in the night to pop to the loo, you don’t want to be blinded by the spots, so you put on the low level lights, so you can easily see where you are going, without dazzling yourself.
An example of a Bathroom Lighting Plan for one of our projects
This is where scene setting comes in handy. Instead of flicking through each switch to get the correct light, and the right amount of lights on, you can instead have scenes set for different ways you use the bathroom. An integrated system will let you programme exactly what lights you want on, all through one button, which makes life a lot easier when you are fumbling around in the dark. And it can do this with things like your security systems, your blinds and music, to make using your home that little be more effortless.
Of course, this might not be everyones cup of tea, and so it is important to understand exactly what you want, and how you want to use your home, in order to tailor the advantages of home-tech to you precise needs. It is your home after all!
For more details on home technology visit the Crestron Home Automation website by clicking here.
