Insights & Innovations: The Integrated Home Blog

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.

Can you control your lights with your phone? Does your house automatically turn off lights when no one is in the room? Our home lighting control systems help Charlotte families in two major ways: convenience and security. This comes in handy during the holidays as you cook big meals, host family and friends, and monitor the kids. Read on to learn more!

See Also: How a Control4 Lighting Installation Adds Color to Your Charlotte Home

Lighting Control is Convenient for Everyone

Imagine groups of family members coming up your driveway for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of taking the time to turn all the outdoor lighting on, your smart home does it for you. As cars pull up to the house, sensors detect their presence and illuminate the driveway. Pathlights help your guests walk up to the front door and walk inside. You won’t even have to take your eyes off the turkey roasting in the oven.

Later, when it’s time to eat, dimmers help create a warm, welcoming environment by lowering lighting levels. Then when the football game starts, the lights become bright again so everyone can snack, talk, and have fun together.

If you feel anything is off at any moment, you can pull out your smartphone and make adjustments. As soon as everyone says goodbye, your house goes into a more relaxed mode to get everyone ready for bed. Lights begin to turn off but a few outdoor ones remain on along with the holiday displays. As soon as you are tucked in bed, you press one button on your phone and the house goes dark.