No 2 smart homes are exactly the same.
So, I know it can be confusing to decide how you’d like yours to be.
But today’s your lucky day.
Because by the end of this article…
You’ll know the best smart home additions you shouldn’t miss out on.
Continue reading to find out:
- How smart homes help you have better energy management.
- 13 amazing smart home trends you should definitely hop on this year.
- 3 ways smart homes let you control your devices without physical contact.
- And this is just the beginning…
13 smart home trends
#1: Touchless tech
Gone are the days when you need to touch every house appliance you want to use.
Because 1 of the main smart home trends that have kept its popularity over the years is…
Touchless technology.
There are several ways smart homes let you control your devices without zero contact.
The main one?
Voice assistants
Most smart devices now have built-in AIs like Alexa or Google Assistant.
And their primary purpose is to help you communicate with your gadgets verbally.
“Do all smart gadgets have voice assistants?”
Not necessarily.
Because some smart devices let you have touchless control with…
Smart sensors
Imagine entering your front door, and your lights automatically turn ON.
Well, that’s pretty easy to achieve with smart sensors.
Because these devices have thermal or visual detectors that trigger your smart devices.
Automation
Voice assistants allow you to set Automation.
A feature that lets you schedule your devices to do certain actions:
- During specific times.
- When you do a trigger action.
- After saying a voice command.
To see how Automation would look like in real life, you may watch this video:
You might also want to know: 101 Home Automations Ideas (#7 Is My Favorite)
#2: Advanced lighting setup
1 of the easiest ways to turn regular households smart is to transition to smart bulbs.
So, this smart home trend won’t be going away anytime soon.
Now, some think that smart bulbs are simply lights that can turn to different colors.
But this device can be so much more than that.
To expand further, here are…
3 reasons smart lights are better than regular bulbs:
Energy efficient
Regular light bulbs are divided into 2 types:
- LED.
- Incandescent.
Now, LEDs are more energy-efficient.
Because unlike incandescent lights…
None of their energy is converted to heat.
Luckily, unlike regular models, all smart lights are made with LEDs.
So, if you want to avoid buying incandescent bulbs without reading through labels…
You should opt for smart lights.
Scheduling
It’s easy to schedule smart lights to turn ON/OFF during specific times of the day.
For example, you can set your bulbs to turn ON when your alarm goes OFF.
Or you may also set them to turn OFF when the clock hits 10 PM.
This way, you always have the perfect lighting you need.
Plus, you’ll avoid wasting energy with your smart home.
Smart sensors
As mentioned earlier…
Smart devices like bulbs have sensors.
So, you won’t need to manually hit the switch to turn the lights ON.
#3: Smart home heating
Most people like maintaining a comfortable temperature inside their homes.
And while that’s a bit challenging to do inside regular households…
Keeping your home at a steady temperature is a piece of cake with smart thermostats.
After all, you don’t have to manually adjust your device’s settings when the weather changes. A routine you can’t skip with regular models.
“How do smart thermostats work?”
Well. It’s pretty simple.
These devices learn the temperature you prefer.
And they’ll try to maintain that level of heating/cooling when you’re home. Regardless of the temperature outside your house.
As a bonus, you can also control smart thermostats through voice commands.
So, with a simple…
“Alexa, make the room cooler.”
You can lower your smart home’s temperature without moving a finger.
Fun fact: Smart thermostats can also be controlled remotely through their mobile apps. And some models, like those from Nest, detect your phone’s location. So, your thermostat can set your home to the perfect temperature when you’re almost home.
#4: Home integration
Smart devices can function independently.
Meaning, you can set your smart lights to only interact with its mobile app. And not with other smart gadgets.
However, the trend bends toward home integration.
Which refers to smart devices working hand-in-hand to serve you better.
For example, whenever you unlock your smart lock…
It could command your living room’s smart bulb to turn ON. And also tell your smart coffee maker to start brewing.
This way, you’ll spend less time controlling your smart devices yourself.
Now, not all smart devices can work together on their own.
But luckily, there are smart home systems that can save the day.
Because these platforms act as the bridge between your gadgets. So they can communicate.
#5: Energy management
Using multiple smart devices at any given time can take up a lot of electricity.
But luckily, it’s popular (and easy) for smart homeowners to be more energy efficient.
See, most smart devices already have power-saving features.
So, all you need to do is to utilize them. A process that could be as simple as clicking a button.
To give you an example…
Nest thermostats have a feature called Eco Temperature.
And it saves energy by using a more power-efficient temperature when you’re away or sleeping.
Of course, other smart devices have similar energy-saving functions as well.
For example, smart refrigerators notify you when you’ve left the door open. Or if it’s time to defrost the freezer.
Similarly, voice assistants notify you when you accidentally leave any smart gadget ON.
With all that said…
Don’t forget to check how your smart devices can save energy when building a smart home.
#6: Bringing the office home
When COVID-19 hit, the work-from-home setup significantly rose in popularity.
And unsurprisingly, until now…
A lot of people are still opting to work from the comfort of their houses.
Hence, many smart homes now have home offices set up.
Want to hop on the trend?
Don’t worry. Bringing your office back home is child’s play with smart devices.
It’s so easy to do that you can complete your WFH setup with just a single TV.
How?
Well, some models, like those from Samsung, have Remote Access. A feature that allows your Smart TV to remotely communicate with any PC.
With this device…
Whatever you do on your TV screen also reflects on your PC.
So, for example…
Your employer could also see what you’re working on in the office. Even if you’re not physically there.
To make your home office even better…
You could also add noise-canceling windows and smart blinds to the mix.
So, you always have a ready-to-work-in environment any time of the day.
#7: Improved health and wellness
Here’s another trend that appears consistently inside smart homes:
Improved health and wellness management.
And luckily, it’s not that hard to follow this trend yourself.
Because just by using your smartphone…
You can already improve your health and wealth.
For example, Apple’s Fitness application (iOS):
- Tracks your heart rate through your Apple Watch.
- Calculates how many calories you burned or need to.
- Has thousands of exercise videos that vary in difficulty.
So, you don’t need to invest in more gadgets just to take care of your health.
Of course, though, you can always take your wellness management a step further.
For example, you may use smart scales that track your body composition, not just your weight.
And you can also get smart posture trackers to improve your posture.
#8: Making robots do your chores
Here’s 1 of my favorite part of having a smart home:
Having fewer chores on my plate.
And unsurprisingly, many people are just like me.
Because the majority of smart homes have…
Robot cleaners that do chores in your stead:
Smart mops
Spilled something?
Well, you don’t have to do the entire cleanup process yourself.
Because smart mops will wipe away spilled liquid from your floor in your stead.
You can control these devices with a button tap or through voice commands.
Or you may also schedule them to mop your floor regularly.
Robot vacuums
This device can vacuum the places you want exactly when you want it to.
And luckily, a robovac consumed less electricity than regular models.
So, you’ll save both energy and time. Hitting 2 birds with 1 stone.
Read next: Robot Vacuum vs Regular Vacuum: 7 Biggest Differences
Smart sprinklers
Got a lawn to take care of?
Then, this smart device is for you.
It’ll water your lawn upon your voice command or during the schedules you’ve set.
My favorite part?
It monitors your local weather, so it won’t water your grass when heavy rain’s approaching.
#9: Smarter kitchens
Whether you enjoy cooking or not…
Surely, you could always use a little help in the kitchen.
And that’s when smart kitchen gadgets come to play.
For example, with smart fridges, you can:
- Monitor your food items’ expiration dates.
- Check what’s inside your fridge remotely through an app.
- Make Alexa automatically order groceries when you’ve run out.
On top of smart refrigerators, you could also get smart faucets that you can:
- Control through voice commands.
- Turn ON/OFF with contact-free motion.
- Order to dispense precise amounts of water.
Or, you may opt for smart cooking appliances like ovens, stoves, and microwaves.
So you can preheat or turn them OFF even when you’re not physically in the kitchen.
#10: High Internet speed
Sure, you can use IoT devices without the Internet…
But this isn’t common for most smart homes.
So, the trend is to always stick to a router with stable Internet.
Now, there’s no official standard on how fast your WiFi should be in smart homes.
But based on experience…
Your Internet should be at least 100 Mbps.
“What if my router only accommodates less than that?”
Well, your smart devices will still work.
However, you may experience some delay whenever you command your gadgets.
#11: Upgraded home security
If there’s 1 thing smart homes undeniably do better than regular households…
That would be ensuring your physical safety.
Because smart security devices have more security features than regular models.
For example, while regular locks simply protect your house with a physical key…
Smart models monitor who enters or leave your home.
Plus, they also allow you to unlock your door in multiple ways, which include:
- Fingerprints.
- Mobile app control.
- Custom passwords/codes.
To make your house more secure…
You could also add smart cameras or doorbells that can:
- Record footage when motion is detected.
- Activate your house alarm in case of an emergency.
- Notify you when someone’s lurking outside your house.
Interesting fact: Smart surveillance systems often come with professional monitoring services. Which lets your smart home company contact authorities when your house alarm activates.
You might also be interested: 9 Vital Tips To Secure Smart Homes Devices (How-To)
#12: Smart entertainment
Smart homes aren’t just for convenience.
They also entertain you better than regular households can.
For example, smart TVs let you choose from thousands of shows and movies at the tip of your finger.
In comparison, regular models only have access to limited networks.
Or, if you’re into gaming…
You could also include smart VR systems and gaming consoles in the mix.
#13: Total customization
This trend will most likely never leave smart homes.
Because, really, there’s no set-in-stone rule when building this setup.
See, you could create a smart home even just by adding 1 smart device like a smart plug.
Or, you may opt for the more extensive approach: turning all your appliances smart.
And either way…
You’ll still have a house you can call smart.
See, there’s no right or wrong way of starting a smart home.
So, you should follow your wants and needs when transitioning to this setup.