If you’re new to smart home technology, you might wonder what a smart home is. Let’s look at how it can benefit your home and make your life easier.
What is a smart home?
A smart home is a house that connects with smart devices and smart appliances to make our homes better and more functional.
You can remotely control your smart home’s lighting, temperature, power, security systems, cameras, locks, blinds, audio, and video. This can be done using a smartphone app, remote control, or voice commands.
But perhaps the most significant benefit is home automation. This is what makes your smart home truly smart.
Home automation systems allow your internet-connected devices to work together on a schedule or when your presence is detected.
How do smart home devices work?
A smart home works by connecting smart devices so that they can be controlled remotely or work in tandem to carry out automated tasks.
Your home needs a reliable internet connection with a Wi-Fi router and some smart home devices like smart bulbs, speakers, cameras and thermostats.
You may also want to set up a mesh network with multiple Wi-Fi points around your smart home to ensure the internet connection is strong enough.
You use a smart home platform, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home or Samsung SmartThings. This is used on a phone, tablet, hub or speaker to control appliances and smart home devices.
The benefits of smart homes
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits a smart home brings.
Ease of use
Smart homes add an extra level of convenience. Each smart device can be controlled remotely, and you can set up your smart home system to automatically perform tasks.
Fingerprint and phone-activated smart locks eliminate the need for physical keys that can be forgotten or misplaced.
Have a camera detect when your baby moves or makes a sound and watch activity on your phone. Mute the doorbell at a specific time of night or adjust the temperature for only the room you are using.
Turn on the TV or request a song on a smart speaker using your voice. Open and close blinds without having to adjust them manually.
Comfort and ambience
A smart home lets you manage and synchronise media playback across multiple rooms: control projectors, smart TVs and smart speakers by voice, smartphone, remote or wall-mounted touchscreens.
Whether you’re cooking, watching a movie or having a party, smart lighting lets you adjust the brightness and colour temperature of lights and turn others off or dim them to create the perfect ambience.
Security and safety
A smart security system integrates locks, alarm systems, cameras, sensors and lights, allowing you to detect and respond to intruders, even when you’re away, providing an extra layer of protection for your home.
Use a smart lock to allow remote access to your home without a physical key. Smart home automation systems utilise geofencing to detect your location and activate a schedule for your connected devices.
Set up personalised routines for your smart devices based on your movements and habits. Make your smart lights and blinds mimic your routine, making it seem like someone is always home.
Smart smoke detectors can alert you to a fire in real-time wherever you are.
Energy efficiency
A smart home can help you become more energy efficient.
Smart lighting can turn itself on and off as part of specific routines or when paired with motion sensors. This reduces energy usage and helps you save money on your electricity bills.
Smart thermostats work by connecting to temperature sensors throughout your home. They automatically adjust the temperature based on your lifestyle, habits and preferences to lower energy costs.
A smart thermostat learns a household’s schedule and adjusts the heating to precise temperatures. For example, it can lower the temperature at night or if nobody is home.
Control your home’s heating remotely from your physical thermostat, phone or tablet. Users can instruct the thermostat using voice control, too.
Smart home ideas
Smart home systems can handle numerous tasks easily, making life more convenient. Here are some smart home ideas that we love:
Multi-room AV systems
Experience the ultimate entertainment experience with ultra-high-definition video and crystal-clear music in every room of your smart home.
You can stream high-definition video and music throughout your house with just the touch of a button or using your voice. Stream live Sky TV, movies, games, and music anywhere.
Use voice commands, touchscreens, wall panels, remote controls or switches to manage content.
Concealed wires, in-ceiling speakers, flush screens, out-of-sight hardware, and a dedicated AV rack enclosure ensure the room looks good.
Smart security devices
Smart locks let you unlock doors and gates via an app, which is handy for family members or if you’ve forgotten their key.
Doorbell cameras and intercoms record movement and alert you with a live video feed when someone rings the bell. You can see the person, talk to them, and unlock your door via phone or tablet.
Use preset routines to turn on lights and disarm your security system when you arrive home.
Smart lights
Smart bulbs let you control every light using a smart home system app on your phone.
Smart LED lighting can compliment a room’s atmosphere with adjustable colour and brightness settings.
Adjust lighting based on where you are in the house using motion sensors or pre-defined routines.
Smart heating
Use a smart thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature based on your schedule or the time of day.
Alternatively, make manual changes through an app or use voice commands.
Smart blinds
Smart blinds automatically open in the morning to gently wake you up with natural sunlight, or control blinds in hard-to-reach places using an app or with your voice.
Smart home appliances
Remotely control smart home appliances like TVs, fridges and washing machines. Schedule a time for an appliance to start and receive alerts when a job is complete.
Custom routines
Smart homes let you create millions of different routines. Here are some examples:
- Lock the front door, turn all the lights off and start the robot vacuum and other devices when you leave the house.
- When you arrive home, automatically open the garage door, unlock the front door and turn the lights on.
- Set up a bedtime routine that locks the front door, turns off the TV and lights, and closes the blinds, all with a tap on your phone or a voice command.
You can even set up novel home automation services using ifttt.com. For example, you could close blinds, lower lights, turn on the TV, and open Netflix when your pizza arrives.
Voice control
Voice control is a simple and convenient method for anyone in the house to interact with your smart home.
The commands are simple. For instance, you can say, “Alexa, turn on the family room TV”, or “Hey, Google, dim the living room lights to 40%”.
House guests can effortlessly activate music, turn on or off lights, lock doors or adjust the temperature, all without lifting a finger.
Home cinema or media rooms
Create a cinematic atmosphere in your media room or home cinema, like in a real movie theatre.
Seamless control of audio, video, and lighting through smart home technology makes it easy to set the mood and enhance certain movie scenes.
Create a luxurious media room with cutting-edge smart technology for an immersive experience. We can install digital media walls and flush smart TVs to fit your decor.
Wi-Fi
Smart homes require a reliable internet connection throughout the home.
We provide super-fast Wi-Fi solutions that eliminate dead spots, and our managed solutions enable you to move around your home while maintaining reliable connectivity.
Accessibility
Smart devices and appliances can assist individuals with disabilities in performing daily tasks independently. Home automation can also help ensure lights are on a schedule and heating is always set to the correct levels.
Easy-to-use touchscreens, handheld remotes, and keypads mean controlling your home couldn’t be any easier.
Smart home devices, like smoke detectors, can alert caregivers or notify the emergency services if there is an issue.
Luxury smart home installers
We are luxury home smart technology installers, specialising in everything from media rooms and home cinemas to smart lighting and heating.
We provide a complete turnkey solution, including design, construction, custom interiors, furniture, audio-visual equipment, lighting and soundproofing.
We can create a smart home system that suits your house size, requirements, and budget.
We work closely with architects, interior designers, and developers to deliver exceptional results for clients throughout the UK.
Learn more about our smart home systems or contact our team to see how we can help you.
Book a demo
When transforming your home into a smart home, it’s crucial to work with an experienced professional who can help you discover the best solutions and possibilities for your unique space.
When you visit our showroom, you can see our smart home devices in action. We have working examples of smart home technology that have been made to look and function just like spaces in your own home.
