Brian Walker Lee
Bedroom - transitional guest dark wood floor bedroom idea in Portland with white walls

Photo by Patrick Brickman. Plug your smart phone into a distributed audio system to listen to any music service or music from your library.
Inspiration for a timeless bedroom remodel in Charleston

Elegant, high-tech home theater features contremporary furnishings, an entertainment center and smart home automation from Control4 to enhance the ambiance and add the ultimate in convenience. Broadcast the music of your choice using a whole-home audio solution, powered by Control4. The recessed smart lighting and access lighting is designed to create the perfect personalized ambiance. Other automation options may include smart appliances, programmable thermostat control for comfort and energy management, home security system integration, shade automation, and full A/V control. And everything can be controlled from virtually anywhere - using your Control4 app with a smart phone or tablet device or a convenient touch screen.

Danny Piassick
Kitchen - mid-sized contemporary u-shaped beige floor and medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Dallas with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Other

The island countertop overhangs off the one end, just enough to add one extra seat. This makes the perfect conversational spot and, of course, extra counter space.

Michael Merrill Design Studio refurbished the interior of this two level residence into something at once classic and joyful. Our client has a tremendous sense of humor as well as a great passion for life. We hope you can sense that personality throughout her residence. Photos © Paul Dyer Photography

Example of a bedroom design in San Francisco

Cory Holland - Holland Photography
Transitional home design photo 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.

Country kitchen photo in Cleveland

Look closely...can you see them!?! Trufig outlets are installed in this backsplash, and can be painted, faux finished, wallpapered, or laminated. They sit flush with the wall or backsplash so that there is no shadowing, blending in seamlessly with the interior. When you are spending the money to pick out that perfect piece of granite for your kitchen, why would you ruin it with standard outlets and plates? Surprisingly affordable too.

Example of a country open concept living room design in Albuquerque with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Look closely...can you see it!?! Trufig outlets are installed in this backsplash, and can be painted, faux finished, wallpapered, or laminated. They sit flush with the wall or backsplash so that there is no shadowing, blending in seamlessly with the interior. Why ruin the look of your kitchen by using standard outlets and devices? Surprisingly affordable too.

observe bright blue light emission from this device after switching it on. mentions on its label that the product has gone under strict supervision of Exoslimand could be used for all purpose teeth whitening since it doesn’t harms the teeth in any case. The technology this device is using is all based on gel and LED light combination, which is a genuine and non harming method to treat teeth yellowish. Today every top dental clinic is availing this device for the treatment of dental patients for their teeth whitening procedure. Even the price tag of this formula is so convenient that one could easily approach towards its use. The device has even created a buzz on various social media websites and often availing millions of followers and likes due to its exclusive features and performance. http://drozforskolin.org/exoslim-reviews/

Example of a large transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, black backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and black countertops

Gadget charging drawer located in the kitchen. Black felt protects the gadgets from scratches. Photo by Tom Spanier
Elegant galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Trendy patio photo in Philadelphia

-Smart shades, smart lights, and smart thermostat from Lutron integrate beautifully with your choice of smart home devices that that include Amazon® Alexa, Apple® HomeKit™, Google® Assistant, Nest®, Sonos®, and more. -Control your smart shades, lights, temperature and more from any mobile device by using the Lutron app. -Program Lutron shades to automatically open and close for peace of mind and energy savings. -Automated and cordless smart shades are ideal for homes with children and pets. -Control and schedule the positioning of your Lutron smart shades with your smart device. -Lutron cellular and roller shades are child-friendly, energy-efficient, and are available in a wide variety of colors and materials. -Monitor and control lights from your smart device no matter where you are, or create personalized lighting schedules that change with the seasons. -Programmable features allow you to use heating or cooling only when you need it for maximum energy efficiency.