2015 was a banner year for great smart home product introductions, many of which were showcased recently at the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) conference and trade show in Dallas. The Electronic House editors hit the venue in search of some of the brightest, most innovative devices available today … and in keeping […]
Get the GuideDesign & Technology Gallery: Brains & Beauty Unite
Casa Bella Verde: In Spanish, it means “beautiful green home.” Interior designer Briana Alhadeff left nothing lost in translation when she designed and built her new 8,500-square-foot home. Infused with her trademark contemporary design and packed with a myriad of cutting-edge electronic systems, it lives up to its name; Alhadeff made sure of this, not […]
Get the GuideDesign & Technology Gallery: Going Dutch
Cynthia Bennett’s heart and soul beats interior design and architecture, but she’s been a huge advocate of technology for most of her 30 years as a professional interior designer. Her proclivity for smart home products could be credited largely to her son, Michael Fehmers, who runs a home systems design and integration firm nearby her […]
Get the GuideDesign & Technology Gallery: Flipping Out on Smart Tech
A love of music is what put interior designer Mariana Savage on a path toward a smarter, more comfortable home. So was infusing her new, completely redesigned 3,000-square-foot townhome with her own personal flair, which she describes as “modern eclectic with traditional finishes.” The two—awesome whole-house audio and amazing interior design—united as one recently during […]
Get the GuideHow to Integrate Subsystems With a Home Automation System
On its own, a home automation system has the dexterity to juggle a variety of different tasks. Meticulously engineered and designed by the manufacturer and installed by a home systems integrator, it’s able to dim and brighten light fixtures, adjust the settings of thermostats, provide status reports of household electricity usage, and choreograph the operation […]
Get the GuideEditor's Note: Music to Your Ears
We’re right in the thick of football season and, for many people, there’s nothing better than the sound of a solidly fought game on the gridiron. Oh, and getting a good visual from the 50-yard-line helps, too. But let’s face it. Without the awesome audio we’d lose the real impact of a good tackle. Sportscaster […]
Get the GuideSmart Lighting Tips: Room by Room
Transform the look of every room of your house with these time-tested lighting tricks.
Every home needs a good dose of lighting. You need it to see your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, to fix dinner in the kitchen, to pay bills at your desk—basically to live comfortably in your home. However, you can take your home’s lighting to a whole new level by […]
Get the GuideEditor's Note: What's Cooking?
If it’s cooking in my kitchen it’s likely to be a ham and cheese Hot Pocket or a Tombstone pizza. Quick, easy, and … YUCK. If I had more time to plan and prepare a real, honest-to-goodness meal, I’d dump my old standbys faster than a bad boyfriend. I’m pretty sure my guilt over poor […]
Get the GuideHow Adding A 2-Channel Listening Room Can Expand Your Home’s Entertainment Value
A great option for those who want their audio pure, pristine, and to sound as if they were sitting in a concert venue.
You’ve conquered the setup of a surround-sound system. Those five or more speakers and a subwoofer or two have made movie watching so much more engaging and realistic. Your music sounds great powering through this multi-speaker arrangement, too. But there’s an even better way to listen to your song collection: A two-channel stereo setup is […]
Get the GuideThe 2-Channel Listening Room
You’ve conquered the setup of a surround-sound system. Those five or more speakers and a subwoofer or two have made movie watching so much more engaging and realistic. Your music sounds great powering through this multi-speaker arrangement, too. But there’s an even better way to listen to your song collection: A two-channel stereo setup is […]
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