Smart Home Technology in the Kitchen

Smart Homes, the Internet of Things, Home Automation—all of these terms are the new vernacular for the place you call home.  Smart home technology is no longer a futuristic vision. It has arrived.  Overwhelmed that you haven’t even mastered the television’s remote control let alone a whole house smart system?  Don’t be.  There are many companies, such as Casaplex, who specialize in in making these innovations simple and effective.

The hallmark of a well-designed smart home is ease of use.  A one touch screen or smart device should unite all subsystems (lighting, audio/video, shades, climate control, etc. ). Like many other technological inventions, once you use them, you wonder how you ever survived without them.

The next question you might ask yourself is "do I really need smart home technology"?  Certainly there is nothing wrong with using the standard on-off switches and dimmers, but installing smart home technology combines architecture and technology as one unit. Customized music and lighting further engage your visual and hearing senses, increasing your overall experience and enjoyment of a room. The magic of a smart home solution lies in the lifestyle benefits it delivers, rather than in the physical products and hardware.

Where do you begin the process with smart home technology?  Scalable for new construction or home renovations,  a system can be installed one room at a time and expanded into other rooms with additional capabilities as needed.  So, let’s start in the heart of the home, the kitchen.

      Smart home technology in the kitchen allows you to control lighting and distribute audio through the convenience of your mobile device. For example, you can control ambient light (general light) to respond to the time of day or increase task lighting while preparing food or doing homework. "Once you live with lighting control, even if it's just the kitchen, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it," says Stephanie Vaughan of Casaplex. You can also stream your music of choice into the kitchen while cooking dinner, even if your children are listening to something else in the next room. 

     Smart home technology is also eye candy.  It gives the homeowner control and choices in an elegant package. Say goodbye to those gang bank of switches with ivory screw-in faceplates which can visually mar a newly painted accent wall or a beautiful marble backsplash.  One satin, metal, or glass control has the ability to control several  zones. 

And, speakers, mounted in the ceiling or completely hidden in the drywall, aesthetically blend and compliment any interior style. 

Technology should not only simplify your life but also bring increased enjoyment to your life.  So the next time you begin a home renovation, you may want to think of incorporating smart technology to heighten your senses with customized layers of light and melodic waves of sound, all while cooking dinner.    

Learn about how to approach a kitchen design and remodeling project by downloading The Definitive Guide to Kitchen Design & Remodeling Success.