Home office - eclectic home office idea in Seattle

This article is posted here with the consent of the author. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, view, or opinion of Crestron Electronics, Inc., or of any of its employees. Crestron Electronics is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of, any of the information contained in this article. By Jeff Singer The “smart” revolution began several years ago with smartphones (a.k.a phones) and has extended in recent years to thermostats, doorbells, alarm systems, and kitchen appliances. Smart devices are so ubiquitous that the term “smart” is overused to the point that it is almost meaningless. Companies are eager to jump on the bandwagon and claim their products are “smart,” and consumers proudly claim they have a smart home because they have lighting control. Misconceptions about smart homes are prevalent and create confusion in the marketplace. This can have deleterious effects on businesses and underserve consumers. Here are seven of the most popular misconceptions about smart homes: 1. Apps are smart Apps are convenient and easy to use. Yes, it seems there’s an app for everything. People expect to be able to download an app and do just about anything. App developers and many companies do not disavow consumers of this myth. On the contrary, they promote this idea with carefully worded descriptions. The promise of having the world at your fingertips for $1.99 is very enticing. Although it sounds too good to be true, it is also too good to pass up for many people. This leads to undervaluing home control and disappointment when the apps don’t work, which undermines confidence in our industry. The fact is that apps are not smart. They do not control anything. They must connect to and communicate with a control system or cloud service that processes, prioritizes, and executes commands. That’s the real magic and what most people do not understand. 2. Smart devices work together With so many smart appliances and devices on the market today, it’s understandable that the average consumer might think that they actually communicate and work together. This is simply not the case. Smart devices are not that smart. They are designed and manufactured by different, often competing, companies. There are no national or industry standards governing these products. Even if they all operate using Wi-Fi® communications, that doesn’t mean they work together. Some companies promote a home control platform, which unites different devices from different companies – in theory. The platform is yet another third-party software totally dependent on other companies developing APIs and writing control modules for their hardware to run on that piece of software. The devices are not independently compatible. Also, when updates are made to either the hardware or the software, functionality may be affected for some period. That’s a nice way of saying the device or system won’t work and there’s no way of knowing for how long. 3. It’s a DIY project Which brings us to the next myth, which is that the average person can do it themselves. Unless you are a skilled professional, I would not advise taking on a smart home project. You want to make a light turn on and off with your Alexa® or Google Assistant™ virtual assistant software, go for it. A smart home takes much more planning and expertise. I have no problem changing a light bulb or hanging a light fixture in my dining room; however, I am not going to rewire my house. I may change the flush valve in my toilet, but I’m not going to replace the pipes in my house. You get it. Integrating devices and systems, establishing different zones, creating scenes, designing the UI with a balance between control, feedback, and simplicity – all takes experience and skill. 4. Need a programmer to make changes Early adopters may have experienced the pain of trying to make a simple change or update to their home control system. Years ago, if the cable provider changed the channel line-up, the homeowner would have to call the dealer or programmer to make an appointment for them to come out to the house to reprogram the system. The system wouldn’t work as expected until it was updated, which often took several days and beaucoup bucks. Not anymore. Technology has evolved so now it’s easy for system owners to change favorite channels, create scenes, rename buttons, update images, and more. While a professional is needed for the initial installation and setup, the system is easy to manage once it’s up and running. This makes life so much easier for both dealer and customer. 5. Tech becomes obsolete quickly Similar to updating the UI, updating firmware or hardware used to be a stressful process. A smart home should be intelligent enough to update itself. Apps don’t become obsolete. Updates are constantly pushed out from the cloud, making them better all the time. The same is true for a good smart home system. New features, functions, and device support gets added in the background consistently, so the system you installed (or purchased) yesterday gets better over time. Swapping out decorative elements, such as keypads, dimmers, and touch screens is also seamless. When a new device is added, all the settings are pulled down from the cloud and it just works. No system interruptions. No sunk costs. No imposing house calls. No surprise bills. 6. Lighting control saves energy and money Lighting control is one of the most popular smart systems, but it takes more than just one system to make a home smart. On the surface, it makes sense that if you dim the lights ten percent, then you save ten percent of energy costs. If the shades are raised during the day to take advantage of sunlight so the lights don’t need to be on (or at least not 100%), but that causes the room temperature to rise a few degrees, which triggers the air conditioner to run longer and more often, was energy usage (or cost) reduced? A smart home integrates all the various systems and technology to optimize comfort, convenience, safety, and sometimes energy. 7. Home technology is easy to hack Security is at the forefront of people’s minds these days. Personal identities are stolen; email accounts hacked; private photos publicized; and more. A smart home must outsmart those who don’t respect privacy. Crestron control systems adhere to the strictest security standards. The same Crestron control system that goes into a home is also installed in secure government and military facilities, global banking institutions, hospitals, and other mission critical applications. When installed correctly by a trained professional, a Crestron smart home is the gold standard for security, comfort, and convenience.

Check out this newly refreshed kitchen and custom reading nook! Every element, surface, accessory, corner, and window treatment in this entire kitchen is completely new, EXCEPT the cabinets & appliances. We are known for our ability to create massive transformations without necessarily breaking the bank. DiD consistently presents our clients with multiple options as to how their home can be redone and always takes into account the ‘comfort zone’ of our clients. The new end result is a happy, bright space that feels softly flooded with sunshine! Take a look at more details in the newly redone family room here.

Check out this newly refreshed kitchen and custom reading nook! Every element, surface, accessory, corner, and window treatment in this entire kitchen is completely new, EXCEPT the cabinets & appliances. We are known for our ability to create massive transformations without necessarily breaking the bank. DiD consistently presents our clients with multiple options as to how their home can be redone and always takes into account the ‘comfort zone’ of our clients. The new end result is a happy, bright space that feels softly flooded with sunshine! Take a look at more details in the newly redone family room here.

Authentic Models Stateroom Trunk Table in Black When the Gare Central was manned by porters carrying multiple travel trunks to the Pullman Coupé or your private carriage on the Orient Express… When travel was for restless souls with matching bank accounts and a yen for romance. When a Rolls coupe was delivered with a picnic trunk strapped to a tail-rack. And when this trunk held a complete setting for twelve, including champagne flutes and dispensers for foie gras and Petrossian. Professional brass hardware, brass locks and keys, steamed cherry wood bent slats. Complete with hand turned legs to serve a further life as a coffee table. Honey finished wood inside.

https://bit.ly/2IJ9uiH Enjoy and relax by soundproofing with cork tiles. Bring the simple quiet pleasures of a backyard oasis into your home with cork soundproofing tiles, planks or panels. With cork, soundproofing becomes a manageable endeavor. Great prices combined with a material that works as an eco-friendly sound inhibitor, cork tiles as a soundproofing option will give you the quiet, relaxing home you’ve been dreaming about without straining your bank account

When the Gare Central was manned by porters carrying multiple travel trunks to the Pullman Coupe or your private carriage on the Orient Express. When travel was for restless souls with matching bank accounts and a yen for romance. When a Rolls coupe was delivered with a picnic trunk strapped to a tail-rack. And when this trunk held a complete setting for twelve, including champagne flutes and dispensers for foie gras and Petrossian. Professional brass hardware, brass locks and keys, steamed cherry wood bent slats. Complete with hand turned legs to serve a further life as a coffee table. Honey finished wood inside.

This beach entry pool features stamped concrete to look like stone. Concrete is a very economical building material, it is much easier on your bank account than actual stone and nobody will be able to tell the difference!

Cross the dunes and you are on this beautiful Outer Banks beach. We take into account this view, these sea breezes and the indoor and outdoor entertaining areas when we build beach houses.

Over a span of two years we completed several projects at this Tokoma Park, Maryland property. We cleaned up the backyard, renovated an existing swale, and installed water loving plants. The following year, we replaced the old pea gravel driveway with a permeable paver driveway. While doing the driveway we encountered spongey clay that was saturated from a leaking water line. We had to install concrete piers down to virgin soil to bear the weight of the walkway. The driveway excavation had to take into account the root zones of large trees. To avoid the surface roots we used a minimal excavation design. Our ultimate goal with this project was to ensure that the new walkways provided a safe and comfortable path for the homeowners and guest to get from their cars to porch whether parked along the street or in the driveway. To provide an extra layer of security, we added low-voltage lighting to accent trees and light the walkway, which were programmed to come on at dusk and turn off automatically at dawn. The new plantings are native species including River Birch, Swamp Hibiscus, Blue Flag Iris, and Common Rush, that are adapted to growing in wet soils. The permeable paver driveway will reduce runoff by storing rain in gravel base while allowing it to be absorbed into the soil below. The paver surface eliminates the tracking of pea gravel into the house while allowing heels to walk on it without sinking in. The swale handles runoff from all the uphill properties and the gravel keeps it from becoming a soggy mess. 
 During seasonal months, snow and leaf removal are greatly eased by having a hard surface to shovel or rake. The permeable pavers used are Techo-Bloc Villagio in Shale Grey and we installed a granite Belgian block border. We replaced existing broken concrete walkway with new curving flagstone walkway and connected the front steps to the driveway and side steps. All projects were consulted with the City of Takoma Park’s Urban Forest Manager, and the Montgomery County Historical Preservation Commission.

Cross the dunes and you are on this beautiful Outer Banks beach. We take into account this view, these sea breezes and the indoor and outdoor entertaining areas when we build beach houses.

This bar is stained with a beeswax releasing its unique grain and texture. Its 5 o'clock somewhere, so enjoy a drink anytime on with this lovely affordable cantina bar with ample capacity to store all your booze and glasses! Now everyone can create their man cave without emptying their bank accounts.

This bar is stained with a beeswax releasing its unique grain and texture. Its 5 o'clock somewhere, so enjoy a drink anytime on with this lovely affordable cantina bar with ample capacity to store all your booze and glasses! Now everyone can create their man cave without emptying their bank accounts.

This bar is stained with a beeswax releasing its unique grain and texture. Its 5 o'clock somewhere, so enjoy a drink anytime on with this lovely affordable cantina bar with ample capacity to store all your booze and glasses! Now everyone can create their man cave without emptying their bank accounts.

DIMENSIONS: 67.7"L x 41.7"H x 27.3"D Its 5 o'clock somewhere, so enjoy a drink anytime on with this lovely affordable rough wood barn wood look bar with ample capacity to store all your booze and glasses! Now everyone can create their man cave without emptying their bank accounts. This piece is manufactured lovingly by hand in Mexico to the highest quality standards using only solid pine wood which has been kiln dried, carved and waxed by hand releasing the unique richness of the pinewood and its unique character for you to cherish for years to come.

This bar is stained with a beeswax releasing its unique grain and texture. Its 5 o'clock somewhere, so enjoy a drink anytime on with this lovely affordable cantina bar with ample capacity to store all your booze and glasses! Now everyone can create their man cave without emptying their bank accounts.

Check out this newly refreshed kitchen and custom reading nook! Every element, surface, accessory, corner, and window treatment in this entire kitchen is completely new, EXCEPT the cabinets & appliances. We are known for our ability to create massive transformations without necessarily breaking the bank. DiD consistently presents our clients with multiple options as to how their home can be redone and always takes into account the ‘comfort zone’ of our clients. The new end result is a happy, bright space that feels softly flooded with sunshine! Take a look at more details in the newly redone family room here.

Check out this newly refreshed kitchen and custom reading nook! Every element, surface, accessory, corner, and window treatment in this entire kitchen is completely new, EXCEPT the cabinets & appliances. We are known for our ability to create massive transformations without necessarily breaking the bank. DiD consistently presents our clients with multiple options as to how their home can be redone and always takes into account the ‘comfort zone’ of our clients. The new end result is a happy, bright space that feels softly flooded with sunshine! Take a look at more details in the newly redone family room here.

Check out this newly refreshed kitchen and custom reading nook! Every element, surface, accessory, corner, and window treatment in this entire kitchen is completely new, EXCEPT the cabinets & appliances. We are known for our ability to create massive transformations without necessarily breaking the bank. DiD consistently presents our clients with multiple options as to how their home can be redone and always takes into account the ‘comfort zone’ of our clients. The new end result is a happy, bright space that feels softly flooded with sunshine! Take a look at more details in the newly redone family room here.