Top tips on How to use Smart Technology

Top tips on how to use technology to change your living space for the better

The late winter months can be a challenging time, stimulating a longing for change, a need to uplift the spirits and to increase motivation. As we tentatively start to embrace the first signs of spring and the evenings start to lengthen at last, you might consider some practical and some more inspirational changes to your home or workplace to help motivate and uplift as well as future proof your home.

Use Lighting Effectively

Have you ever noticed that you are more efficient during the spring and summer months, when there is greater natural light? Have you ever considered how you could modify your generated lighting to improve or enhance your living and work space? Research supports ever more subtle ways that lighting can affect us and how lighting products, including light therapy and colour changing light systems, can significantly enhance our environment to promote learning, productivity and relaxation for example.

Lighting for maximising comfort and enjoyment of your home

Lighting choice can be influenced by various factors such as decor, aesthetics and increasingly energy efficiency – a choice which has led to the growth in LED installation. It is important that any lighting change is carefully considered and designed to both enhance the appearance of a space and support the functionality of that living or working space.

When choosing lights consider the colour of light (warm or cool); the quality of the light output; the quantity of fittings required to achieve the desired light output; the variety of light types that will enhance the room and support the task; and their ability to be dimmed, so you can easily create different scenes to support different uses of the room.

Your home should be your destination of choice for relaxation and fun, incorporating possessions and furniture that support comfort and security, your lighting can and should enhance those features and reinforce well-being.

Lighting control for efficient, flexible living

Whether you are making subtle changes or completely renovating your home or workspace, smart lighting control, (systems by the likes of Lutron, RTi, Control 4 or Vantage), provide you with the ability to change the lighting instantly to suit the task. For example, if you have a large open plan kitchen living area where you cook, relax, play, entertain, work and watch TV – changing the lighting scene by touching one button will support all those activities more effectively than simply having all the lights on as standard.

The lighting can also be adjusted to suit the time of year, so in winter months we need more light and in summer months less. A simple concept with a smart solution – the lighting control is intuitive responding to your needs and controlling natural and generated lighting to complement your living whatever the season.

Don’t neglect your external spaces

Lighting is not only restricted to the internal space, control systems can integrate outdoor lighting and water features, so that you can extend your living area more effectively for entertaining, relaxation and creativity and really add value.

Heating Control for comfortable and efficient living

As a country of four often unpredictable seasons, a heating system needs to be efficient and responsive. Modern heating controls, like Nest are affordable, beautifully designed and in combination with a control system, enable you to manage your heating whether you are at home or away, ensuring your home or workplace is always the right temperature for you and your situation.

De-clutter your home and work environment

How can you ensure that your living spaces are the centre-piece of any occasion and still meet your needs? Clever technology can enable your spaces to be fully functional but still smart.

Hearing your favourite music or watching your programme of choice can uplift your mood, help you relax or just have fun! However, surrounding yourself with audio-visual equipment and clutter can have the opposite effect. Consider incorporating a music (such as NuVo) or a visual distribution system (such as Wyrestorm) that is discreetly hidden in one location, giving you access to music in every room of the house and controlled with a smart tablet.

If you are renovating or building, give some consideration as to what you may want to seamlessly integrate into the fabrication of the building – for example thermostats, speakers, keypads, iPads and tablets. Changing technology has led to beautifully designed speakers and control solutions that can be discreetly installed to perfectly complement your decor, ensuring that your space not only works for you but looks as it was designed to look!

Or simply refresh your decor

Altering your colour schemes, soft furnishings, curtains and blinds can bring a welcome change often with minimal effort or cost. Consider smart window solutions as well, for example those from Lutron or Silent Gliss, to help you efficiently manage your privacy, light and heat to ensure your living and working space is always comfortable and protected.

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