A Smart Home System Doesn’t Have to Be Daunting  

The phrase ‘home automation system’ can sound intimidating. You may imagine a house filled with beeping technology and spying AI speakers. But a smart home system does not have to be a significant upheaval, nor should the technology infringe on your home’s comfort. The best setups are nearly invisible—a tool that enriches your everyday life with more convenience and fun.

As a smart technology firm based in Las Vegas, NV, we’re here to tell you that whole home automation is not as overwhelming as it may seem. With a correctly installed system that merges all of your technology, it should feel like it’s not even there (in the very best way). If you’re brand new to home automation, get started with our four tips below.

You Don’t Need to Hardwire Your Home for Lighting Control’s Safety Benefits

Smart lighting has been one of the most exciting technology developments in recent years. The ability to customize our lights with scenes and color settings makes our homes comfier and more relaxing. Typically, though, smart lighting is powered over low-voltage wiring. This is a reliable system but requires hardwiring in your walls, which can be a time-consuming project.

So if you’re interested in smart lighting but not undergoing a wired installation, there’s another option for you: wireless lighting control. Not only does wireless smart lighting enhance your home’s aesthetics, but it can also keep your household safe. How? Continue reading to see how your Las Vegas, NV home will be better protected by a wireless lighting system.

How Tunable Lights Can Improve Your Sleep & Wellness 

Light (or a lack of it) has a profound effect on the human psyche—it’s one of the reasons Seasonal Affective Disorder exists, after all. We may receive more sun than other states do here in Las Vegas, NV, but many of us spend substantial amounts of time indoors. Our brains’ chemistry depends on sunlight patterns to regulate when serotonin and melatonin are released. In the morning, the bright blue-white sunlight energizes us. Later in the afternoon during ’golden hour’, the amber-hued light prepares our mind for rest and eventually, sleep.

But if you’re indoors with the same lightbulbs on all day, you’re missing the benefits of natural light. Living with improper lighting may cause headaches, fatigue, and irritability. But it’s not always practical to spend the entire day outdoors, so what can be done? That’s where tunable lighting solutions by manufacturers like Savant and Lutron are changing the game. Continue reading to learn how it works and whether your Las Vegas home is ready for it.

Build Smart Technology Into Your Next House

It’s no secret that homebuyers are interested in smart technology. A Houzz survey in 2016 found that nearly half of renovating homeowners were interested in installing smart technology, with security and intelligent thermostats topping the list. Given the plethora of smart devices and capabilities that have been introduced since then, interest in smart technology and the options for it have only grown.

Can you build a smart home around available consumer technology? Yes, but be prepared for a learning curve and to be your own integrator and programmer. One thing you need to be aware of is ecosystems. The ever-popular Amazon Alexa is one smart technology ecosystem, Google Home is another, and Apple Homekit is a third. Some smart devices work across all three; some only work with one. Sometimes, you have to look carefully at what works within a given ecosystem, as sometimes you only get basic capability through one of them. One example of this might be the ability to turn a light on and off through voice control while not being able to change color or temperature through that voice command – you have to resort to a specific app.

Keep things basic and consumer technology could work. But if you are looking to design and build your dream smart home in Las Vegas, you might want to look beyond the consumer do-it-yourself approaches. Perhaps you don’t want restrictions on which types of bulbs you use for smart lighting, you want motorized shades that work in concert with your climate control, and you don’t want to worry about which device works with the other. If you work with a professional like Eagle Sentry, you can design the best-of-breed smart features you want in your home – at the optimal time in the construction or remodel phase.

Read on to learn more about the advantages of a professionally designed and installed smart home system.

Designers - Build These Features Into Your Projects From the Start

As a designer, architect, or builder, you keep an eye on current trends to bring into your renovation or new construction projects. Whether it’s the large kitchen island, more seamless flow from indoor to outdoor space, or large dual showers, you know all the ways to bring fresh and modern ideas to your plans.