When designing a home with technology as part of the project a great deal of thought and effort goes into implementing a home technology design. Gone are the days of a phone jack here and a cable outlet there. Savvy clients demand home technology and many more know they should have it.
Successful projects start with asking several key questions such as:
How much technology is the client looking to implement in their home?
How will integrating technology impact the overall design?
And the most import, how can the team accomplish everything that the client has requested?
The hallmark of a truly successful project is the collaboration of many talented people and countless hours of brainstorming, coordinating, planning and designing. These design sessions need to include the client, the Building Designer or Architect, the Interior Designer and the Home Technology Integrator. This will ensure that all people on the design team are familiar with the client’s wants, needs and desires and how those decisions will impact each team member.
To start the process the first step is to partner with a company that specializes in Home Technology Integration. This company should have the experience and expertise in implementing projects from basic to very complex.
Most Home Technology Integration companies recognize the importance of educating designers and builders. Many are certified to teach continuing education and are more than willing to help educate you on working technology into your designs.
The most qualified home technology companies have the ability to understand the entire home design and construction process, and generate detailed CAD drawings showing locations and specifications of products that will be used in all facets of the project. They should also understand how these products will interact with the home’s overall design. Home technology should always blend with the design of the home and the décor of each room.
The integration of home technology can be as simple as how a flat screen TV above a fireplace can be concealed, to a complete home automation system that will allow centralized control of everything in the home from distributed audio and video, climate control, security, lighting, pool control and motorized window treatments.
Distributed Audio
One main area that more and more people are requesting is Whole House audio or distributed audio. This is the capability to have multiple music sources, i.e., cable box, satellite music, iPod or MP3 music players, accessible from any room in the house. The size and complexity of these systems can be from a very simple keypad to select the source and raise and lower volume, to a full color touch screen that will show all music information including artist, song title and cover art. As these systems become more and more prevalent in our homes, the manufactures of these systems have been listening and are now providing hardware that is easily concealed. One example of this is the in-ceiling / in-wall speaker.
We have all seen these nice little eye sores sticking out in all the wrong places. Image if you could, the ability to have that speaker be a 4” square with a grill that can disappear with the color of the ceiling or wall. Well these speakers are available now. Also the technology is there to allow the speaker to be concealed completely behind the drywall with no grill showing at all.
The one thing to keep in mind is that the more that you need to conceal the speaker the higher the cost. So on that next project, don’t think just because the client would like to have music in that elaborate study that it has to compromise your design. There are many possibilities and many options.
Another item that is becoming even more popular is what is called an Entertainment Server. This is a hard drive based system that will allow the home owner to place all digital media from Music, Movies and Photos onto a single system that can be accessed from any room in the house. When it comes to photos we have been living in that digital age to the point that we all have collections of digital photos scattered between computers and digital cameras, that we never have the opportunity to enjoy the last family vacation. With the advent of the Entertainment Server we can now enjoy those vacation photos along with our favorite music, all in the comfort of our Family Room that is easily accessed with a simple unified remote control.
With an Entertainment Server the main thing to keep in mind is the more information that needs to be stored will increase the price. Also, as the technology becomes more advanced, and more readily available the cost of these systems will come down. An example would be a recent manufacture of one of these servers has just introduced a more cost effective unit based on the same advanced technology that they provide in their $12,000 unit for a cost of around $3,500. This same manufacture has also just introduced the capability to control their server through an Apple iPhone or Apple iTouch unit. This means that the control of these systems is becoming easier and more user friendly.
Lighting Control
One of the fastest growing home technologies by far is lighting. Lighting design and Lighting control along with motorized window treatments is the most dramatic way to enhance the atmosphere, convenience and safety of a home, while adding eco-friendly energy savings.
A lighting control system allows the scenes created by the lighting designer to be easily recalled from a single button push, while simplifying ease of use and removing wall clutter. Each room can have multiple “looks” or scenes stored as a single button press. Many of our clients enjoy custom labeling the lighting controls with simple terms like “Read” or “Dine” or “Entertain”. Imagine pressing one button and having the room or the entire house smoothly transition from one scene to the next to match your exact needs.
Lighting systems can be integrated with your other control systems so when you press the movie button in the theater the lighting dims automatically, or when you drive into the driveway the path lights turn on and doorway lights switch on.
Motorized window treatments work together with lighting design and control to manage the amount of natural light allowed into a space. They also provide privacy, block damaging UV rays, and help reduce excessive heat.
Home Theater or Home Cinema?
Many clients are requesting a Home Theater to be designed into their homes. The term Home Theater generally refers to a large screen TV and Surround Sound, but these days just about anything with a TV and more than two speakers is called a Home Theater. Today a new term has evolved that is more akin to the experience of going to the movies, with picture and sound quality that surpasses commercial theaters, these spaces are being referred to as Home Cinemas.
The Home Cinema experience starts with a room dedicated to maximizing the true experience of watching movies while creating the suspension of disbelief. The room should allow the user to escape from the day to day barrage of demands and getaway to an area of their home that is truly relaxing and designed with the main intent of watching movies, sports or just enjoying a special event broadcast in high definition picture and sound.
No matter what the request, a skilled Home Technology Integration firm will have the right team of people to not only design a system that meets the needs of the client, but can deign a system that is easy to use and adds value and convenience to any home.
When it comes time to include home technology as part of your next project, reach out and contact a Home Technology Integrator and see how they can help make your next project truly successful for all parties involved.
Reprinted with permission from Design Lines magazine.
CEDIA is an international trade association of companies that specialize in designing and installing electronic systems for the home. The association was founded in September 1989 and has more than 3,500 member companies worldwide. CEDIA Members are established and insured businesses with bona fide qualifications and experience in this specialized field. For more information on CEDIA, visit the association’s website at www.cedia.net.
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