This past Halloween, I had the great idea of taking the family out to see a scary movie at the local drive-in. With the cool weather, it seemed like the perfect activity for a spooky evening together.

It turned out to be a terrible idea. We weren’t the only ones to think of it. With everyone’s engines running, we could barely hear anything through our portable radio or even the car’s speakers.

Even with a clear view of the screen, it was impossible to enjoy the movie when we couldn’t hear the creaking of the door or the whispers between panicked protagonists.

Since then, we’ve resolved to watch scary movies in the comfort of our Charlotte, NC home where we can take full advantage of our high-end surround sound system.

A properly installed system can make all the difference when enjoying your favorite movie whether it’s a romantic comedy or explosive action movie.

If you own a home in the Charlotte, NC area, chances are you spend plenty every year heating and cooling your property.

Luckily, there’s a readily available solution that will help you save money and energy consumption each month: a smart thermostat.

Smart thermostats can automatically regulate the temperature in your home to create an eco-friendly home environment whether you’re at work, lounging in your great room or readying for sleep. They also can inform you of your energy consumption patterns so that you naturally can consume less.

Most importantly, though, climate control technologies such as smart thermostats shouldn’t be considered just a convenience. They can provide real, lasting benefits for your home and the environment.

Don’t believe us? Below are three startling facts you should know about home energy consumption and smart thermostats.

What is most important to you when it comes to shades? Is it privacy, style, or energy savings? You can accomplish all three goals with our Lutron motorized shades. But to make the most out of your investment, you should consider these three different smart strategies. Read this blog to find out what they are.

SEE ALSO: How to Choose the Right Motorized Shades

1. Maintain Privacy

If your top priority is maintaining privacy, blackout shades would be one way to ensure no one can see in your home. However, Lutron roller shades can be customized to still give you some visibility so you can see outside of your home. You’ll be able to see outside, and some light will come through, but people won’t be able to see inside your house.

Keep in mind that the darker your roller shade fabric is, the better you will be able to see through them. It seems counterintuitive, but take a look at a white roller shade and you won’t be able to see anything.

2. Save Energy

The best way to save energy is to connect your shades to the rest of your smart home system. Motorized shades already help shave money off your bill every month, but when you tie them to the lighting and HVAC, you can save even more.

No one wants to give an average gift. You want your friend, partner, or family member to feel loved, appreciated and special. Consider how a luxury smart device installed in their Charlotte, NC home can enhance the person’s lifestyle. So what are these are the top tech gifts of the season? We cover them below! One of these home automation accessories is sure to be the perfect gift for that special someone.

SEE ALSO: 3 Ways to Get Ready for the Holidays

1. Sonos One with Amazon Alexa

Sonos has combined the proprietary voice-control technology of Amazon Alexa with their incredible Play:1 speaker to bring you the best of both worlds. You can browse thousands of song titles with your voice, manage your busy schedule, and enjoy all of the other benefits of Alexa. The Sonos One with Alexa can play Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM and so much more with a simple voice command.

2. Apple TV 4K: $179

This gift would be perfect for the movie-lover who wants to watch everything in 4K. It comes with a voice control feature, so you can browse for titles by simply saying the name of what you are looking for, and the home screen is ad-free. This device is also the only streaming box that supports Dolby Vision, which is a huge plus. The colors on the screen will pop, and the images will look crisper with this brand new 4K streaming device.

3. Amazon Echo 2^nd Generation: $99.99

The Echo still stands as one of the top gifts for the holiday season. Their 2^nd generation model has a number of new and exciting features, including unique colors and Dolby sound upgrade. You can choose from an oak or walnut finish, sleek silver, and soft fabrics in charcoal and heather grey or white sandstone. In addition to the music upgrade and colors, the new Echo can also hear you better since it has seven built-in microphones for voice recognition.

Video games are at the top of the list for many people during the holiday season. It doesn’t matter whether you are 10, 16 or 45, gaming is for everyone. A custom media room design is definitely for the ultimate gamer though; the die-hard fans will appreciate a room dedicated to playing their favorite systems. And we aren’t talking about just a plain home theater system; we can immerse you in all the fun with automation. Here are some ways we can tailor your video game room in Charlotte, NC with technology.

SEE ALSO: 3 Ways to Get Ready For the Holidays

1. Add Color to the Room

Smart lighting is a perfect way to make your gaming room bright, fun, and interesting. With Control4 lighting, you can press one button on a keypad and the room will change dramatically to a cozy lounge for playing video games. The lights will dim, but a few key areas will stay lit with bright blues, greens or any color you love.

Consider adding light behind the screens to add dimension to the room and accenting chairs or tables so you can see the drinks and food when you are snacking. We can even program the lights to flash when the delivery guy arrives at your front door. It will get your attention immediately when you’re in the middle of an intense game.

2. Battle Other Players in Multi-screen Views

Games like Mario Kart or Fallout 4 are perfect for multi-screen mode. We can incorporate a video wall into your media room design so that each player’s view is displayed on a different TV. Video walls can also display one image on all of the screens at once for those times you are playing by yourself. Multiple TV screens give you the ability to configure the views in different ways, whether you are alone or battling four people.