How to Integrate Smart Home Technology into Your Interior Design

Who Says Technology and Design Don’t Mix?

Ask an interior designer about smart technology and AV equipment in the home, and they might say, "just make sure I can't see it." We might exaggerate some here, but designers work hard to create a customized aesthetic and atmosphere in their projects. And while many AV and smart tech products are beautifully designed, the reality is that many don't add much aesthetic value.

However, you might be surprised to learn that smart technology can streamline homes and make them sleeker and more stylish. Did you know that you can hide technology that you don't want to see? Here are three smart home interior design suggestions for your Vero Beach, FL home.

The TV as Art

One designer peeve is the flat panel TV. They are merely large slabs of black screen on a wall when not at work, and they are growing ever larger. However, one TV is a designer favorite because when it's off, it does a solid imitation of a piece of art.

Samsung’s Frame TV sports a clever design with flush mounting, super-thin bezels, and an Art Mode that displays high-resolution artwork when the TV is off. Custom framing options also make the panel look even more like artwork. If you need to connect a device to the TV (like an Apple TV or Blu-Ray player), the Frame can do so via a separate electronics box connected to the screen by a thin fiber optic cable. The Frame is the ultimate stealth TV, and in sizes from 32 to 85 inches, there's one to fit any room.

Elegant Lighting Controls

Most standard light switches leave something to be desired when it comes to aesthetics. Most designers have them painted or finished over to match the walls. But what if there were lighting controls that are a design statement in their own right?

With lighting keypads like Lutron Palladiom and Alisse, you can have intuitive lighting controls that also add to the overall aesthetic. From ultramodern colors and glass to the warmth of hand-finished brass, these programmable, backlit keypads can do more than look good and turn a light on and off. With custom automation, they can manage window treatments, start music, and control an entire series of lights around the house with one button.

Hidden AV

Clients like high-end audio and video solutions, and designers love to find ways to make them invisible. Luckily, it's easier than ever. TVs can be hidden in ceilings, walls, and furniture and emerge at the push of a button on a control screen or remote control. Speakers can hide discreetly in ceilings and walls, and some, like Sonance’s Invisible series, really do disappear into the wall.

What if the client wants a TV in the bathroom? How about integrating it into the mirror, as Séura does? And for more extensive AV installations like media rooms and home theaters, all the components can be centralized and neatly accommodated in a modular rack system in a closet or ample cabinet. If you only want to see a screen and hear the sound when summoned, that's what you get.

Want to know about more options for smart home interior design? Contact us here or stop into our showroom. We look forward to working with you!