March 11, 2022

It’s hard to deny how reliance on technology has grown dramatically over the last two years. It is slowly but surely penetrating every area of the home, including kitchen and bath spaces, providing a viable option for those designers who are willing to push outside their comfort zone to more creatively and intentionally incorporate technology features as integral elements of their plans.

Early examples include wireless induction-charging countertops and sensor-activated faucets, but such features only scratch the surface. Gartner predicts that a typical home in 2022 could contain more than 500 smart devices, but there is incredible potential to create a smart home ecosystem for clients that offers more than a loosely connected matrix of all those devices. Uniting each of them onto a fully automated platform can deliver a heretofore unrealized level of convenience and high-end design aesthetic clients may have never previously dreamed possible.

Really Connecting the Dots
Connected appliances have become a staple for many homeowners, but the most powerful of the feature sets often go unrealized or unused without full integration into a smart home system. Picture a client prepping for a dinner party while coming home from work: As they commute, they can select the “Cooking” scene to brighten household lights in specific rooms and start preheating the oven. Upon guests’ arrival, a homeowner may get a mobile alert that someone is at the front door, prompting them to use voice command to activate the “Entertaining” scene, which automatically sets the oven to warming mode, begins a chosen set of music and dims lights to set an ambiance. This type of functionality flows from a thoughtfully designed system that considers how each moment and action can be improved or automated from afar.

Scenes and schedules are some of the most overlooked benefits of smart home technology designers can use to highlight their work. Examples include integrated lighting that sets the ambiance for a relaxing bubble bath or a scheduled morning routine that automatically brews your client’s latte. Smart homes are best enjoyed by their residents when they are approached from a holistic view that allows all the features of individual pieces of technology to work in harmony.

The good news is, as we see the world of technology and design continue to overlap, designers do not have to know every technology on the market. In fact, I think this has long been a misnomer in the industry. Take the pressure off yourself to be the technology expert and find someone you can trust and rely on just like you would for any other subcontracting work. Partnering with a technology integrator on projects will ensure the installation is seamless and meets the needs for both your design and your client’s lifestyle.

There is plenty of room at the table for everyone, and bringing a technology integrator in at the beginning of the project means your clients won’t miss out on a popular feature like having integrated temperature control and a digitally recorded catalog for their prized wine cellar or the ability to close the kitchen shades and run the dishwasher from any room in the house.

According to Strategy Analytics, consumer spending on smart home hardware, services and installation will reach $157 billion by 2023. The data leaves little doubt that homeowners will be seeking smart home solutions. You want those smart home choices to blend with your design. Waiting until your project is complete could mean you leave homeowners to cobble together their own solutions, which could mean cluttered countertops, new holes in the wall or that the perfectly placed artwork in the bathroom gets replaced with a flatscreen TV.

By Michelle Guss, the director for business development at Crestron, which specializes in home automation solutions.

Photo credit: pozitiv0/Adobe Stock