Example of a country kitchen design in Los Angeles

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.

This week’s home feature is located in University Park on Purdue Street and was recently renovated by Alair Dallas-Fort Worth. Originally built in 2004, our clients purchased this home in 2019 because they liked the location and the layout. They knew they wanted to update it as a lot of the spaces felt dark and dated. The extensive renovation included an entirely new kitchen, primary bath, powder, with significant upgrades to the living room, bar, study, mudroom and secondary baths. Because the homeowners have a large dog, they chose to live in the home during the remodel. The live-in renovation was made possible by Alair’s careful planning around the family’s schedules along with the temporary addition of an operable kitchen and dining setup in the formal living room. Mid-remodel, COVID-19 struck, but the Alair team quickly adapted and continued to work efficiently to complete the project on time. Upon entering the home, you are greeted by a grand staircase. A bright living room is situated to the left of the entrance and a formal dining room is to the right, punctuated by a marvelous chandelier. The home features a large combined family room and kitchen area featuring a dark-hued, custom metal commercial vent-a-hood that draws a stark contrast to the brilliant white marble slab island. The overhauled bar area includes the addition of a wine room featuring ample storage for the homeowners’ collection. This combined living area is truly an entertainer’s dream. The second floor consists of the renovated primary suite, two additional bedrooms and a refinished media room. The primary suite is complete with a large, walk-in closet and a spa-inspired bath with a large soaking bathtub, rain shower, double vanities and floor-to-ceiling custom wood cabinets. Alair Dallas-Fort Worth is an award-winning custom home building and renovation company currently serving the great communities of Park Cities, Preston Hollow, North Dallas, East Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Prosper, Salina, Rockwall, Richardson and surrounding areas. Utilizing their proprietary construction management system, Client Control™, Alair builds a full-disclosure partnership with its clients by allowing customers to maximize their involvement in the home building and renovation process. Alair truly believes that Living Better Starts Here™; from multi-million dollar whole home remodels, additions and custom new builds to major kitchen and bath renovations, all with the same level of care, craftsmanship, and top-notch customer service. For more information, visit www.alairdfw.com or find us on Instagram @alairhomesdallas_fortworth. This Home of the Week is presented by the Dallas Builders Association. For information on the Association please visit www.dallasbuilders.com.

Brazilian Mahogany Euro Style cabinets, twin Bosch dishwashers, a Wolf dual fuel range & hood & abundant countertop surfaces create the perfect kitchen for entertaining.

Photo: Kayla Pearson © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a transitional living room remodel in Chicago

We are so excited about this stylish Houston patio addition! It's one of our most recent outdoor living space design projects - and one of our new favorites! We particularly love the rustic corner fireplace, the beautiful, vaulted pine ceiling and the Restoration Hardware furniture and accessories. "Even though this space has an outdoor kitchen - often the highlight of our projects - the focus here is beautiful, comfortable outdoor living," says Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. "And I have to say, I think this is one of the most gorgeous spaces we've created for doing that - in style." "This project was special from the start, as we were creating this space for a friend of Wayne’s who had been a long time mentor to his boys growing up," adds Lisha Maxey, owner of LGH Designs in Houston (she coordinated furniture and finishes for the project). "This client was the principal of their high school and knew all of them very well and Wayne, too. This made it very personal, indeed, and we wanted everything to be perfect!" The 23- by 16-foot addition, located at the back of the house in Cypress, looks out onto a manmade lake in the homeowners' subdivision. The focal point? A 9-foot-8-inch-high-by-7-foot-wide corner fireplace in Earth Grey rustic ledgestone from Colorstone in Houston. The fireplace features a custom wooden mantel, stone bench seating and a 52-inch Sunbrite outdoor TV. Another highlight is the flooring - silver travertine tile laid out in a Versailles pattern. "We chose silver travertine in a 'Tumbled' color palette with variations of cream and brown," says Lisha. "So we had those two colors, plus grey, to pull from." The 7-foot-long, stucco outdoor kitchen island's countertops are also noteworthy - Absolute Black granite in a leathered finish offering a modern look and a dark grey hue that works perfectly with the color palette. The kitchen island also houses an RCS 30-inch grill and fridge. The seating area includes a sectional couch, coffee table, two swivel chairs and two ottomans - all from Restoration Hardware. "We used Restoration Hardware's Biscayne sectional, swivel chairs and ottomans in gray, with textured linen weave in Sand and cushions and peacock accent pillows in gray," says Lisha. The coffee table is made of solid teak with a concrete top - as is the matching side table. "We added a console table, also in teak, behind the sofa. And for accents, we added three Amalfi lanterns from Restoration Hardware in weathered zinc." A Sunbrella® Heathered area rug (in Gray) was added to anchor the space and visually tie it together. "The space as a whole leans towards a transitional style, in that it has many traditional cozy comforts and colors, but the furniture gives it a more contemporary look," says Lisha. "The idea from the beginning was to marry these two styles, as our clients wanted a look that would not age and be in vogue for years to come." On the exterior, you can see how we worked to make the addition blend with the existing home - matching the shingles and stucco and continuing the landscaping. 3D graphic renderings and a virtual video tour allowed the clients to know exactly what the space would look like beforehand. "It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process," says Outdoor Homescapes' graphic designer, Kristy Buell Franks. "Floor plans and elevation drawings are good for giving an idea of the overall scope of the project, but it's the 3D renderings that really show what the space is going to look like." The 3D graphics and video tours also help immensely when choosing finishing materials and furniture, she says: "The clients' choices can be put into the design to allow the clients to see how the materials will work with the existing materials on the house and how the furniture will look in the space." What do you like about this space? Post a comment and let us know! URL http://www.outdoorhomescapes.com

Windsor Products Used: Pinnacle clad windows. www.windsorwindows.com With Windsor’s manufacturing plant located in the same metropolitan area as Ironwood Homes, it was convenient for the builders to tour the plant to learn about us and our manufacturing process. Bill Knapp, co-founder of Ironwood Homes stated. “This firsthand experience confirmed our decision and made us certain that we are using a great product in our homes." Builder: Ironwood Homes, Urbandale, IA, www.ironwoodiowa.com Architect: Plum Building Systems, LLC, West Des Moines, IA Distributor: Gilcrest Jewett Lumber Company, Waukee, IA, www.gilcrestjewett.com Windsor Products Used: Pinnacle clad windows and sliding patio doors, www.windsorwindows.com Home Builders Association of Iowa – HomeShowExpo Website: www.dmhomeshow.com

Add elegance and beauty with this alluring glass tile backsplash from CAP Carpet & Flooring. CAP Carpet & Flooring is the leading provider of flooring & area rugs in the Twin Cities. CAP Carpet & Flooring is a locally owned and operated company, and we pride ourselves on helping our customers feel welcome from the moment they walk in the door. We are your neighbors. We work and live in your community and understand your needs. You can expect the very best personal service on every visit to CAP Carpet & Flooring and value and warranties on every flooring purchase. Our design team has worked with homeowners, contractors and builders who expect the best. With over 30 years combined experience in the design industry, Angela, Sandy, Sunnie,Maria, Caryn and Megan will be able to help whether you are in the process of building, remodeling, or re-doing. Our design team prides itself on being well versed and knowledgeable on all the up to date products and trends in the floor covering industry as well as countertops, paint and window treatments. Their passion and knowledge is abundant, and we're confident you'll be nothing short of impressed with their expertise and professionalism. When you love your job, it shows: the enthusiasm and energy our design team has harnessed will bring out the best in your project. Make CAP Carpet & Flooring your first stop when considering any type of home improvement project- we are happy to help you every single step of the way.

Weathered Antique Flooring, Paneling, and Timbers come together in this rustic cabin kitchen, layering reclaimed wood from the floor to the ceiling for a warm, cohesive feel that fits perfectly against the forest views beyond the windows. Each element carries the same honey and reddish brown tones and natural patina that only comes from decades of aging, tying the entire space together. Sourced directly from a 19th or early 20th century barn, this Weathered Antique wood retains its unique sawn faces and naturally aged character even after more than a hundred years. At Manomin Resawn Timbers, every plank, panel, and timber goes through a detailed process of denailing, kiln drying, and precision milling, preserving that antique charm while preparing the wood for a beautiful, functional place in a modern home. Whether you are a homebuilder, a home remodeling contractor, or a homeowner looking to bring reclaimed wood flooring, paneling, or timbers into a kitchen or any living space, Manomin Resawn Timbers has been helping people discover the antique charm of reclaimed wood since 2002. Visit our showroom in Hugo, MN or reach out to us with a call or a message to get started.

Cindy Shealey
Arts and crafts bathroom photo in Atlanta with furniture-like cabinets

Calming and Warm, this Traditional Grand Island Bathroom remodel is a really relaxing space. Bright Cherry cabinets are complimented perfectly by a creamy beige shower tile. Dark Accents in the shower bring back the wood trim throughout the bathroom. This custom shower features a dual control setup that can delicately change the pressure and temperature to suit your needs. Using an acrylic pan in the shower base makes the install process a little easier, but you can still customize with a built in tile shower seat. This shower even features a custom built niche box to help fit the narrow shower space. No matter the size of your space, you can design a bathroom to suit your style and needs!

This is a Dolby Atmos 7.2.4 Home Theater room consisting of Key Ultimate Home Theater Speakers which are all THX certified. All of the speakers are hidden behind all the custom made wall treatments that surround all the wood working. The Screen Innovations Black Diamond Film Screen is 144" diagonal and is setup with 2:35:1 to accommodate true widescreen. The screen has LED back lighting for added ambience. The video projector is being done by a Kef Laser projector so no bulbs to replace. The signal processing for both video and audio is by an Integra Processor and all the speakers are being driven off Parasound Halo series amplifiers. The seating was custom made by United Leather seating. The original chair the client liked was from another manufacture that no longer sold seating so we shipped it to them and they custom built them but with their standards. All control is from Control 4 to include A/V, Lighting and HVAC integration for the theater.

Milan Kovacevic
Example of a large transitional master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and multicolored floor bathroom design in San Diego with louvered cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

This alluring neutral, patterned backsplash is balanced by the natural wood tones found throughout the cabinets. CAP Carpet & Flooring is the leading provider of flooring & area rugs in the Twin Cities. CAP Carpet & Flooring is a locally owned and operated company, and we pride ourselves on helping our customers feel welcome from the moment they walk in the door. We are your neighbors. We work and live in your community and understand your needs. You can expect the very best personal service on every visit to CAP Carpet & Flooring and value and warranties on every flooring purchase. Our design team has worked with homeowners, contractors and builders who expect the best. With over 30 years combined experience in the design industry, Angela, Sandy, Sunnie,Maria, Caryn and Megan will be able to help whether you are in the process of building, remodeling, or re-doing. Our design team prides itself on being well versed and knowledgeable on all the up to date products and trends in the floor covering industry as well as countertops, paint and window treatments. Their passion and knowledge is abundant, and we're confident you'll be nothing short of impressed with their expertise and professionalism. When you love your job, it shows: the enthusiasm and energy our design team has harnessed will bring out the best in your project. Make CAP Carpet & Flooring your first stop when considering any type of home improvement project- we are happy to help you every single step of the way.

This is a Dolby Atmos 7.2.4 Home Theater room consisting of Key Ultimate Home Theater Speakers which are all THX certified. All of the speakers are hidden behind all the custom made wall treatments that surround all the wood working. The Screen Innovations Black Diamond Film Screen is 144" diagonal and is setup with 2:35:1 to accommodate true widescreen. The screen has LED back lighting for added ambience. The video projector is being done by a Kef Laser projector so no bulbs to replace. The signal processing for both video and audio is by an Integra Processor and all the speakers are being driven off Parasound Halo series amplifiers. The seating was custom made by United Leather seating. The original chair the client liked was from another manufacture that no longer sold seating so we shipped it to them and they custom built them but with their standards. All control is from Control 4 to include A/V, Lighting and HVAC integration for the theater.

In the summer of 2012 we embarked on a remodel of our 1912 Craftsman. We wanted to redo the kitchen and the upper floor which contained the master bedroom, bathroom, guest room and office. We interviewed approximately 5 other architects prior to finding Mark. We knew right away he was the right person for the job. He was patient, thorough and we could tell he truly loved our home and wanted to work with us to make it even better. His vast experience showed through during the interview process which validated his portfolio. Mark truly became a trusted advisor who would guide us through this remodel process from beginning to end. His planning was precise and he came by many times to re-measure to get every detail accounted for. He was patient and helpful as we made decisions and then changed our minds! He was with us every week of the 10 weeks of the remodel. He attended each weekly meeting with the General Contractor and was at the house numerous other times guiding and really looking out for our best interests. I came to trust him enough to ask his opinion on almost everything from layout to colors and decorating tips! He consistently threw out ideas....many of which we took. Additionally Mark was a tremendous help in referring us to contractors, designers, and retailers to help us along the way. I am ecstatic over the results of the remodel. The kitchen and bath are truly beautiful and full of modern conveniences while maintaining the integrity of the 1912 structure. We were right about our decision to hire Mark and we wholehearted recommend him as an outstanding architect, and more!!

Calming and Warm, this Traditional Grand Island Bathroom remodel is a really relaxing space. Bright Cherry cabinets are complimented perfectly by a creamy beige shower tile. Dark Accents in the shower bring back the wood trim throughout the bathroom. This custom shower features a dual control setup that can delicately change the pressure and temperature to suit your needs. Using an acrylic pan in the shower base makes the install process a little easier, but you can still customize with a built in tile shower seat. This shower even features a custom built niche box to help fit the narrow shower space. No matter the size of your space, you can design a bathroom to suit your style and needs!

Behind the scenes of our meticulous kitchen cabinet refinishing process. To achieve a true factory-grade finish, we dismantle the doors and drawers, bringing them to our controlled setup for professional spraying. Every single piece is thoroughly cleaned, sanded, masked, and suspended to ensure an ultra-smooth, durable coating without a single brush mark or drip. Preparation is 90% of our work, and we treat your home like a showroom.

This magnificent custom fish tank was designed and installed by Aqua Creations of NJ to enhance the kitchen with living art. the size is 72" long by 24" deep by 36" tall built from "starphire Glass. The decor is a hand made coral reef build with custom corals . The substrate used is actually crushed glass. While using high end LED lighting, This aquarium adds warmth and life to this beautiful setting. This custom bow front aquarium is everything short of a typical setup. The space we worked with (see image) was small wasted closet space and upon seeing the potential we hit the road running. With a small floor space we chose to incorporate height to balance it all out. The filtration and water processing systems was plumbed to the basement to reduce sound. Another system designed, built and installed by Aqua Creations 732.730.7060 www.Aquacustomfishtanks.com