TAKE THE AGING POOL HOUSE of an historic 1.6 acre home, split it into a recreation/game room, bar, dance patio, spa, and home theater, add about 1,000 colored LED lights and a massive multi-zone audio system, and you’ve got a homemade club atmosphere to rival the best Las Vegas has to offer. Through the vision […]
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Taming the Impossible Room: Home Theater $25,000-$75,000 Gold
DURING SOME HOME RENOVATIONS it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. A poorly designed room can turn a seemingly simple request into an impossible task, and if that’s the case, the only solution may be to move backward before you move forward. In this particular home, which was […]
Get the Guide10 Years of HOTY: The More Things Change the More they Stay the Same
TEN YEARS AGO, we conceived the idea of honoring home systems integration firms for their stellar smart home projects. As was the industry back then, the awards-program started out small, with most companies submitting information about and photos of home theaters. Very few homes with comprehensive control and automation systems ended up in my inbox. […]
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Vivint Security Puts WiFi Camera at the Front Door
The new option allows users to tap into Vivint security from anywhere in the world.
The new option allows users to tap into Vivint security from anywhere in the world.
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Free Special Report: The Best Home Security Systems
Home security system options, upgrades and hot product spotlights.
Learn about home security system options, upgrades and hot product spotlights. Download our free report to lean more about this important technology.
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Solar Power Systems, Home Automation and Smart Gadgets All Part of Energy Management
If you’ve ever stood out on a hot, sunny day and wondered if the powerful energy of our favorite star could be put to use in your home, then check out this high-tech solar home in El Dorado Hills, CA. It can save the homeowners up to $4,500 in energy costs every year. How does […]
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Smart Home Trends: Home Automation Systems Go Mainstream
What was once an amenity that people with big pocketbooks could afford is now within the financial realm of most households. What used to be an home improvement that required endless visits from a professional installer can now be up and running in a couple of days. What used to involve reading a manual to operate is now so intuitive that even tech newbies can use it with ease. These are just a few of the positive changes happening in the smart home systems marketplace. Across the board, manufacturers have broadened the appeal of their systems by lowering prices, implementing new technology, and offering increasingly attractive packages. Here is a closer look at some of the industry trends that are helping turn smart home systems from a small niche luxury into a mass market amenity.
Get the GuideSmart Home Apps: Are smartphones and tablets the answer to your home control prayers?
Every industry has its watershed moments: those singular innovations that come along and shift the landscape virtually overnight. For owners of smart homes, that moment came in June 2007 with Apple’s unveiling of the first iPhone. A second and perhaps even more significant moment came when Apple announced the first iPad in 2010. In a little over seven years these two devices, along with competing products from dozens of other manufacturers, have become so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget just how recently they came to market. What is not so easy to overlook is the impact these devices have had on the smart home environment.
Get the GuideA Wealth of Stealth
Things aren’t always what they seem. In the world of home technology this statement couldn’t be any truer. Over the years, we’ve witnessed an evolution of electronic systems, where they’ve not only improved how they perform, but also how they look. Today these pieces of technology can mesh with the home environment so seamlessly and transparently, you’d never guess just how smart, self-sufficient, and cutting-edge the house really is. In fact, the homes that look the most devoid of technology are often the smartest.
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Automation and Art Deco Collide in Historic Walker Tower in NYC
In the realm of interior design and architecture, it’s often the space or building structure that informs and inspires the design. Such was the case for this swank residence, which was commissioned for the 2013 Seventh Annual Hearst Designer Vision Challenge. Jamie Drake, principal at Drake Design Associates, and home systems integration firm Audio Command Systems, were selected to remodel this condo, located in the Walker Tower in the Chelsea area of New York City. Drake, inspired by the Art Deco style of the building, envisioned the apartment as belonging to the granddaughter of Josephine Baker, chanteuse and muse of the Jazz Age.
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