September 10, 2018

For three days last week, more than 20,000 home tech pros and 500 exhibitors convened for the leading event in connected technology: CEDIA Expo. Taking place at the San Diego Convention Center and offering more than 40 new exhibitors than in 2017, the show included insights and new creations for the growing smart home industry. KBB attended the Design Connection Tour on Day 1 of the show and explored the latest and greatest among the different types of brands.

View smart home products from CEDIA Expo 2018 HERE.

Trends from last year are evolving into more intelligent products than ever seen before. Voice control is becoming more intuitive and more easily customized and installed, and different types of smart products are being integrated into a single platform of control. Products that were previously seen as simply high-tech, like televisions or app screens, are becoming more like pieces of art and design features. Here are some more of the trends we noticed on the show floor:

1. Leveraging Human-Centric Design. Wellness is a continuing trend in the home – look out for our November/December issue on more of that – and technology is making it easier than ever to embrace that notion. One of the most important thoughts behind this type of design is utilizing the circadian cycle and how natural sunlight affects human health. Companies like Lutron are helping homeowners sleep better at night and feel more energized during the day with products like Ketra Lighting, which can be programmed to mimic the daylight outside.

                                                           Ketra Lighting from Lutron

2. Creating Scenes at Home. Between lights, music, air conditioning/heating and more, different aspects of home life are constantly being altered to fit the time of day or a specific situation. Savant is making this easier by integrating “scene capabilities” into its programming. With these features, homeowners can simply customize and then select or say “Dinnertime,” and automatically have their lights dimmed, soft music playing and the shades partially drawn with just one command.

                                                                      Savant’s “Scene” features

3. Technology Becoming Design. Minimalism and simplicity are not going away any time soon in the design industry, and technology is catching on. While having a large television or speaker might be needed in a project, companies are now making it possible to disguise or completely hide the technology. Triad, which is equipped with the Control4 integration platform, now offers custom-built speakers that can be painted any color to blend completely with the walls or ceiling. These sorts of products make it seem like the house itself is playing music, rather than the speakers hidden in the walls.

                                                              Triad’s Custom-Built Speakers