Improve Your Productivity with a Smart Home Office

In the past most people had to be in their company’s office to do their job. Only a small percentage of Americans were able to work from home. The Covid pandemic changed all that. Now almost 60 percent of U.S. workers say they can do their work from home. And, more companies have shifted their workforce to remote work or hybrid work. This has led to more consumers investing in better and smarter home offices.

If you are one the millions of Americans who now work from home, you already know about all the perks. However, you may have discovered some disadvantages such as slower internet, more distractions, and a need for better computer and video conferencing options. There are a ton of ways to improve your productivity with a smart home office. Here are a few ideas for creating the best smart home office.

1. First things first, reliable high-speed internet is a must-have!

Everyone loves the idea of working from home, but there are a few things you may take for granted when you do. When you work in a corporate office, you may have gotten used to your company’s high-speed internet. Business plans generally provide internet speed that’s as much as five times faster than you can get with a personal internet plan. This may not seem like a big deal when you’re streaming movies or surfing the web, but if you need to upload large media files or presentations, you will quickly discover just how inadequate your home’s wifi network is.

If you’re not a networking professional, your first thought might be to upgrade to a business internet plan. While this may give you more speed, there’s more to a fast, consistent network than just having a high-speed internet plan.

If your wifi network isn’t professionally set up, you may still have issues with a splotchy or slow internet connection. This is especially true if you live in a large house, or your office isn’t located close to your router. If you want the fastest speed for uploads and downloads, it’s best to have a professional come out and configure your network for you. A professional installer can also make sure your network is secure.

2. Your lighting matters more than you might think.

If you’re trying to make improvements to your home office, the lighting may not be your first priority. But, great lighting is essential for a smart home office. Even if you have the best ergonomically designed desk, office chair, keyboard, and mouse, that won’t make up for bad lighting. According to research by J Environ Public Health, inadequate lighting can lead to anxiety, fatigue, lethargy, headaches, eyestrain, migraine, nausea, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, poor concentration or lack of mental alertness, and daytime sleepiness.

If your office has windows, you can optimize the lighting by opening the blinds and moving your desk closer to the window. But, an even better option is installing a smart lighting system. Not only will it improve the lighting, but it will also make your home office more efficient and you more productive.

You might also consider smart blinds. Motion sensors and a smart home automation system like Control4 can automate your home office for the best lighting. You can use smart home scenes to create the perfect morning routine, such as automatically opening the blinds and turning on the lights when you enter your office. And at night, your blinds and lighting can be programmed to close and turn off automatically.

3. Add smart speakers to make your office even better!

If you do a lot of video conferencing, the right set up is a must. If you handle any type of video conferencing like Zoom meetings, client-intake meetings, or company conferences, having the right set up is important. A noise-canceling headset with a built in microphone will make your sound quality better so that everyone can hear and understand you.

If you want an even better sound system for your conferencing or listening to music, adding smart speakers will make your home office more enjoyable. One of the perks of working from home is that you can blast your favorite music while you work — if you want to. Plus, music boosts productivity and energy, which are two things you need a lot of if you work from home.

These are a few ways to improve your productivity with a smart home office. If you’re ready to find out more about home automation or designing a smart home office, call us today at (678) 392-2363 to learn more.

Control 4 4Sight: What Is It and Do You Need It?

If you’re thinking about adding smart home technology to your home, you’re not alone. There are so many reasons to make your home smarter. Smart home technology adds convenience, security, and energy savings to your home. You can automate just about anything with a smart home system.

A smart home operating system like Control4 allows you to control nearly every device and system in your house such as your lights, thermostat, and sound systems. This isn’t like buying a bunch of different smart devices. It is a smart home operating system that connects nearly every device in your home to one easy-to-use interface.

Control4 works with thousands of brands and devices, so you can use it to operate a large number of products in your home — and add virtually any smart home feature you can think of.

While Control4 is incredibly easy to use, even for the people who aren’t tech savvy, because it’s a professionally installed system, there are a few limitations. Your installer will create most of the home automation features for you, so If you want to add a new feature or customize an existing one, it can be inconvenient. This is where Control4’s 4 Sight comes in.

What is Control4 4 Sight?

4 Sight is a subscription feature that allows you to get more out of your Control4 system. It includes a ton of extra features including remote access, voice integration, When>>Then personalization, Intercom Anywhere, and more. This yearly subscription allows you to personalize your smart home system without having to call your installer. Let’s go over some of the additional features you get with 4Sight.

Remote access

With Control4, you can manage your home from your smartphone or tablet. You can check on the status of locks, check cameras, control your lighting, sound system, thermostat, or other connected devices while you’re at home. But, what if you want to operate your smart home when you’re not in it? 4Sight allows you to operate and control your home automation remotely. You can check the status of your door locks, view your cameras, or operate your lights, music, and more – all conveniently from your smartphone.

Adds the ability to use Voice Control

Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home are very useful additions to any smart home. These virtual assistants can control your lights, temperature, and smart home scenes. They make it quite easy to turn on lights, raise the temperature, or close the garage door, all with a simple voice command. With 4Sight you can use Josh, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant with your Control4 system.

WHEN >> THEN Personalization

One of the advantages of a Control4 system is that it is installed by expert professionals. They will set all of your automation up for you and make sure everything functions properly in your home. After your Control4 system is installed, you can use 4Sight to add new features or make changes to existing features. When>>Then personalization is available to you with a 4Sight subscription.

With When>>Then you can personalize your smart home without having to call your installer. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works. With your subscription you can visit the When>then personalization page to access a library of “if/then” options. “When” options correspond with “Then” actions. For example, “when it’s 9pm”, then ‘lock” the door.

Intercom Anywhere

A smart home allows you to see who is at your door and speak to them through an intercom system and a smart doorbell.. Intercom Anywhere lets you do this from anywhere. You can use your smart video doorbell wherever you are. Would you like to check who is at the door? Or use your intercom remotely? With 4Sight’s Intercom Anywhere, you can unlock the door and let guests enter, and then lock the door again once they leave. Intercom Anywhere lets you do this, and so much more.

Do you need a 4Sight Subscription?

You can use all of the features of Control4 without having a subscription to 4Sight. However, if you want to be able to operate your home remotely — a major perk of having a smart home – then you definitely need 4Sight. Priced at $100 per year, it’s well worth it.

Are you ready to make your home smarter? If you’re interested in learning more about a Control4 smart home system, give us a call at (678) 392-2363. We can help you design a customized smart home system tailored around your needs and budget.

Outdoor Patio TV Ideas: Transform Your Patio with an Outdoor TV

Are you getting the most out of your outdoor space? Improvements in technology have made it possible to watch TV and entertain guests outside, and not just inside the home. With an outdoor TV, you can turn your patio into a place to entertain friends and family. So, your guests can enjoy BBQs, sunshine, the scenery, and watch TV all at the same time.

A big screen TV with surround sound can turn your patio into an outdoor home theater. However, if you’re looking for outdoor patio TV ideas, you have to think beyond just furniture and an ordinary television. These ideas will help you create the ultimate entertainment space outdoors!

Transform your patio with the right outdoor TV

You can’t just take an indoor TV outside. It’s not weatherproof and can’t withstand the sun, heat, or rain. But, a normal TV won’t give you the best picture either. If you want to create a great outdoor experience, you need more than just a decked-out patio and a television. You need a television designed for outdoor use.

Sunbrite is a top-rated television that’s designed for outdoor use. It’s a great choice for any outdoor patio because of its affordability, 4K HDR picture, and durability. Sunbrite offers three series, each engineered to be used in different conditions. Their Veranda Series is designed to be used in the shade and can handle rain, dust, insects, humidity, and extreme temperatures. The Signature Series can be used in partial sun and the Pro Series can be used in full sunlight. All of Sunbrite’s TVs are designed to handle any weather condition.

Add outdoor speakers to get the best surround sound outdoors

If you want to create a home cinema experience outdoors, adding outdoor speakers to your patio is an excellent option. When you watch TV outside, seeing the television is important, but if you can’t hear it, it’s not going to be a great experience. Outdoor noise like kids playing, neighbors having parties and road traffic can be distracting. Adding outdoor smart speakers gives you full control over your music and sound. Your guests can hear the game or movie no matter where they are sitting.

If you want to listen to music or TV outside, Origin Outdoor speakers are the perfect addition to your patio. These speakers are designed to look great in any environment and blend with your landscaping. Instead of disappointing audio, your backyard will get concert-quality sound. If you love entertaining outdoors, these smart and stylish speakers will make you feel like your favorite performers are right there with you.

Top it off with smart outdoor lighting

Lighting is an incredibly important part of your outdoor decor. If you plan to entertain at night, outdoor lighting will make all the difference. Proper outdoor lighting provides more safety and security, too. Consider adding smart security lights, or in-ground path lights or bollard lights to highlight your landscaping or patio decor. Placing the right types of lights around your patio area will create an amazing effect and make night-time entertaining more enjoyable.

A smart lighting system can help you design the perfect patio entertaining space. Imagine walking out to your patio and all the lights coming on automatically. You can automate pretty much any device with a Control4 smart home system, including your outdoor lights, speakers, and television. Want to create a spectacular setting? Automate your path lights to illuminate the path as your guests walk to their seats.. You can even control the lights, music, and television all from your smartphone.

Do you love these outdoor patio TV ideas?

We can professionally install a Sunbrite TV, so you have the best television watching experience. And if you want to add Control4 automation to your patio, we can handle that too! No matter how small or large your project, we can help you transform your outdoor patio into an entertaining paradise. Contact us today at (678) 392-2363. to discover all the options in outdoor televisions, speakers and entertainment.

Smart HVAC Vents are a Smart Idea

If you’re like many Americans who are interested in saving money and technology, you may have invested in a smart thermostat. Even if you aren’t using one now, you’ve probably heard of them. While most people know about smart thermostats, not everyone has heard about smart HVAC vents. What are smart HVAC vents and are they a smart investment?

If you’ve purchased a smart thermostat, it makes sense to continue upgrading your home automation. One way to do this is by installing smart vents for your HVAC system. Before you do this, however, it’s important to understand what they are, what they do, and all the advantages (and disadvantages) of smart vents.

What are Smart HVAC Vents?

Most people don’t think about the air vents in their homes, but those vents are what control the airflow in your home.  With a traditional ventilation system, in order to open or close a vent, you have to get up and open or close vents manually. This is inconvenient and most people don’t routinely do this. However, if you don’t need to heat or cool a certain area of the home, closing the vent can save energy and money.

Additionally, having greater control over the airflow in your home can give you more control over the climate of your home, allowing you to heat or cool your home more evenly without cold or hot spots.

Typical HVAC systems are designed to regulate the temperature of your whole house, not a single room. Airflow is one way your heating and cooling system regulates the temperature of your house.

Smart thermostats, while responsive, do not control the airflow in the home at all. Generally, they adjust the temperature throughout the whole house, not in individual rooms. The best way to have complete control of the temperature and airflow in your house is to install a smart ventilation system.

Smart Vents Make a Smart HVAC Automation Smarter

A smart thermostat paired with smart HVAC vents gives you complete control of the temperature in each room of your house. You can adjust the temperature in a single room, without altering the temperature of any other room by controlling the airflow. This is useful for rooms that are infrequently used, such as an extra guest room. You can save energy by not heating or cooling those rooms, without having to manually open or close the vents.

If you’ve ever tried to heat or cool a two-story home, you know how difficult it can be to get the temperature even throughout the house.  In order to get the bottom floor comfortable, the top floor might feel like an oven. Smart vents can help with this. They not only make your home more comfortable, but they are also much more energy-efficient.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart HVAC vents?

-Smart vents are generally affordable and easy to install.
-You do not have to do a complete overhaul of your home’s air vents to take advantage of smart HVAC vents.  You can install smart vents in one or two rooms at a time.
-When integrated with sensors they can be programmed to automatically turn off or on when nobody is in the room.
-You can control your vents with an app or voice control.
-They integrate with other smart home technology.
-They allow your HVAC system to heat and cool your home more evenly. No more hot spots or cold spots.-They provide more energy savings than a smart thermostat alone.

Disadvantages of Smart HVAC Vents

-In order to use smart HVAC vents to work, you must purchase a separate smart thermostat. The thermostat works with both the smart vents and your home’s existing thermostat.

-An HVAC system using two thermostats can potentially cause problems. For example, if you close off all the vents in your home, but continue forcing air through the system, it can potentially damage your HVAC system.

-The motors that control the HVAC vents take up space which can sometimes cause reduced airflow.

Overall, installing smart HVAC vents is a smart idea. Their affordable, easy to implement, and make a great addition to your smart HVAC automation. If you’re just getting started with smart home technology or automation, Intuitive AV is here to help with any questions you may have. We can answer any question you have, whether it be about installing a smart thermostat or designing a fully-automated home.

5 Smart Home Features Everybody Wants

A smart home might make your home the coolest on the block, but being cool isn’t what most people are looking for in a smart home. There are a lot of smart home features that people want right now, but the main features they’re looking for are home security, efficiency, and ease of use. There are many trends happening in the smart home industry right now, but these are the main features that everybody wants!
Smart home security

Consumers want a smart home security system that is responsive. They want the best automation in their homes and a system that does more than just sound an alarm when an emergency happens. Advanced smart home security systems are the most sought-after smart home feature that everyone wants. Traditional home security systems are just too simplistic.

People want to know their home is safe, but they also want to be able to monitor it remotely. Security systems can send real-time notifications to a homeowner’s phone, and allow them to take action from afar. They can see who’s at the door before they open it, or even see if there’s a fire in the kitchen when they’re at work. An “integrated” smart home alarm system can also take things a step further and provide additional security by turing on flood lights or opening an access gate in the event of an emergency.

Built-in Wifi

Newly constructed homes are being wired for smart home integrations. These homes are called Wi-Fi-certified homes. These homes are built to accommodate a fully integrated smart home system. This means you can connect to the internet from every room in your home. While mesh networks help you get a wireless signal in every room, a Wi-Fi-certified home takes things further by hard wiring the internet connection into the house.

Homebuilders anticipate the direction the smart home industry is going in, where every home is a smart home. Wi-Fi is becoming just as important to a home as its electrical and plumbing systems. New homes will have the infrastructure needed to run numerous smart appliances and smart devices at once because the wiring is built-in. By hard wiring every area of the home, people can use any wireless device such as smart TVs or gaming systems without affecting the rest of the family’s internet connection.

Remote access

One key feature everybody wants in a smart home is remote access. This, and the ability to use voice commands within the home are two of the most desired smart home features. Everyone wants to be able to control all of their home’s smart devices by using a simple touch screen or voice command. But they want to be able to control their home both when they are in it and when they are away from home.

For example, they want to be able to check their homes while they are on vacation or to change the temperature on their way home from work. They are looking for seamless remote access from anywhere. They are looking for a way to always be connected, whether it’s to change the temperature in their house or see what is happening at home.

Smart Thermostat

Pretty soon everyone will be using a smart thermostat. There are numerous advantages to using a smart thermostat including the fact that they can be controlled by voice commands and operated remotely. But, they do more than that. A smart thermostat truly is smart. It learns from the surroundings and automatically adjusts the temperature in the house accordingly.

People love their smart home thermostats because they can be voice-controlled. But the main reason people choose them is that they are energy efficient. In time, traditional thermostats will likely become obsolete, since smart home thermostats allow you to heat or cool your home in the most efficient way.

Smart Lighting

Imagine turning off your lights from the comfort of your couch. It’s pretty cool. A smart home feature everybody wants is the ability to control your home lighting system from one app. Whether it’s dimming the lights before a dinner party or turning the porch light off automatically at night, people love smart lighting systems.

Smart lighting can help homeowners save energy and be more comfortable in their homes. You can schedule lights to turn on and off automatically and adjust exterior lights to suit the mood you want to create. You can also adjust your window blinds and exterior lights to control the ambiance and energy use in your home.

While smart homes of today have so many incredible features, these are the smart home features everybody wants! Of course, as smart home technology improves, people may discover other interesting features they want in a smart home.

Small Home Theater Room Ideas

If you have a small room in your house that you’re thinking about using as a home theater, you may be unsure if it’s possible to make it look nice. The good news is, that you don’t need a big home theater room to have a great home theater experience. It’s very possible to turn a smaller room into an amazing home theater. If you’re ready to turn your small room into a home theater room, here are some small home theater room ideas to get you started.

Although having a large room to work with is ideal, not everyone has one. If you have an extra room you are not using, you can still create a home theater with immersive sound, cool seating, and create your own cinematic experience.

Raised or tiered seating

The next step to making your spare room into a theater room is adding the right lighting. There are some simple affordable ways to create the best lighting in a small room, or if you have the budget you can install recessed lighting or add smart lights to your room.

Smart lights are really great because they can be automated to create a unique movie-watching experience. You can dim the lights with a voice command or set up smart home scenes for entertaining guests. It’s an awesome feature that will improve your small room’s overall entertainment value.

Wall sconces can create a warm and inviting ambiance, as well as make the room look bigger. They can be adjusted to shine light in different directions, and they can also project light onto the floor or wall. Sconces are a great way to add some romantic lighting for a date night or for a movie night with friends.

Hidden surround sound

The sound in your theater room is even more important than the lighting, and the look of the room. If you want to add surround sound to your small home theater room, ceiling or in-wall architectural speakers are an excellent choice. This makes the sound much more immersive but with a cleaner aesthetic that most clients are looking for. Your guests may not realize why the room sounds so amazing because ceiling speakers can be recessed or hidden.

Acoustical panels are another great addition to any small theater room. It’s the final step in providing great sound quality and “Immersion” and is an often overlooked detail. Not only can the right panels make the room sound better but also add to the visual appeal.

Flat Panel Install

No home theater is complete without a flat-screen television. An amazing picture will make your home theater stand out.

A flat-screen television is an essential component of any small home theater. A stunning picture will make your place stand out. When shopping for a TV, there are many options and features to consider. Should you go with 1080p, 4K, or 240 Hz? You also need to decide whether to go with a smart TV, Plasma, LED or OLED. It can be confusing, so it’s helpful to get professional advice before you decide

If you are planning on installing a home theater, there are many things to consider. You shouldn’t try to do everything yourself. Mounting a TV on the wall is difficult and if you’ve ever tried to mount a television, you know that getting it in the right location securely is not as easy as it seems.

If you would like features like hidden wiring, such as concealing your TV’s power cord behind a wall, this is best left to a professional. It is not only dangerous but also illegal because it violates electrical code.

If you need help with turning your small space into a gorgeous home theater room, get in touch with our professional staff at Intuitive AV.

4 Smart Home Trends to Look for in 2022

The smart home industry is rapidly growing. In the last decade, all of the things we used to see in sci-fi movies are becoming a reality. There are many trends in smart home technology, but one thing is certain – every U.S. home is becoming smarter.

Will more homes be fully automated in 2022? What trends can we expect this year? With new technology and consumer interest, we expect the smart home industry to continue growing at an accelerated pace. These are a few exciting smart home trends to look for in 2022.

1. More Options in Smart Security

The Covid pandemic was responsible for much of the growth in smart home security. There’s been an increase in working from home, leading to what is called the “Zoom boom”. It has not only changed how we live and where we live, but it has also made people more interested in making their homes secure. Americans are investing in smart locks, smart doorbells with cameras, and smart home security systems now more than ever.

Consumers are looking for smart home security systems that are easy to use, accessible remotely, and use voice control. At the same time, they have concerns about privacy and data breaches. They want to know what information is being collected by their smart home system and if it can be hacked. This is why it’s so important to work with trusted brands. At Intuitive we are extremely selective about which brands we work with or integrate with to preserve our clients’ privacy.

Smart home security systems will continue to add more features like CCTV cameras, management of lighting, and the ability to make our homes look occupied when we are not home. As more people make the move to smart home security, the systems will be easier for anyone to use.

More companies are jumping into this space, offering smart home installation and smart motoring as consumer interest drives growth in this segment of the smart home industry. Although it can be tempting to jump at every new product on the market, working with a trusted industry partner can ensure your system is designed with a product that has been tested and proven in the market. This way you will have peace of mind that you have a system that will stand the test of time.

2. Smarter Offices

Energy efficiency is one factor that attracts people to smart home technology. People want to live sustainably, and they are willing to make investments for the long term. Smart technology is more efficient than standard devices because of its ability to connect with all the devices in your home.. For example, rather than having to adjust the temperature manually, a smart thermostat can do it all for you.

Smart thermostats and smart lighting have been around for a while, but the technology is getting better. A smart HVAC or lighting system can save energy and money. These smart devices monitor your energy use, and automatically adjust your lighting or temperature so that you are using only the energy you need.

This is one reason more people are making changes to their home technology. How much money could you save if your home only consumed the energy it needed. What if you never had to worry about whether your porch light got turned off at night? Or if your home automatically lowered the temperature when nobody was home?

Although the smart home market has seen significant growth in recent years, it’s honestly still in its infancy. Smart home technology is rapidly improving. We expect 2022 to be a big year for the smart home market and these are a few of the big smart home trends to look for!

6 Tips to Reduce Internet Lag When Gaming

If you enjoy gaming, internet speed is a big deal. There’s nothing more irritating than being in the middle of a great game when all of sudden your internet connection starts to lag. A slow internet connection is annoying in general, but it’s even more frustrating when you’re gaming. Internet lag can completely ruin your game. If you’ve ever yelled at the internet during a game, we have some tips on how to reduce internet lag when gaming.

Internet lag is when there is a delay between when you do something with your controller and when it actually happens on the game server. This can be extremely frustrating because even if you press a button first or move your player first, it doesn’t matter. What you do doesn’t happen on the game server immediately because there is a lag. This can cause you to lose even if you’re faster than other players.

What causes internet lag?

You might think internet lag is caused by a slow internet connection, but your internet speed is not always the cause of the lag. When it comes to gaming, you need both a high-speed internet connection and low network latency. Latency is the amount of time it takes for your game system to send data to the game server and receive it back.

If your WIFI network is configured incorrectly, your router is out-of-date, or your game system is too far away from the router, you could experience internet lag.

Tips to Reduce Internet Lag When Gaming

If you are frustrated, yelling at the game won’t fix it. But, there are a few things you can do to reduce lag and latency when you’re gaming.

Check your internet speed and bandwidth

One of the first things you should check is your internet speed. Look at Fast.com or Speedtest.net. These will tell you how fast your internet is. You need at least 10 Mbps to have a good gaming experience. However, if other people are using the internet while you are gaming, this can significantly affect your gameplay.

Make sure you have a fast enough internet plan to support the number of users in the home. If several people are streaming movies or surfing the web, you might need a high-tier plan that offers faster download speeds and more bandwidth.

Reduce the number of connected devices

If several people are using the internet in your home, you may experience some lag. Not only does it affect your gaming, but the other devices connected to the network may also slow down. Try to choose a time when no one else is using the internet to play a game. This will allow your game to have all of the bandwidth it needs.
Move closer to the router

Moving your game console closer to the router, or moving the router to a more central area of your home may reduce game lag. This can be an issue if you have a larger home. Wifi signals can be blocked by walls and furniture, and cause a laggy game experience. If you can’t move the router or the console, you can try adding a wifi extender to help improve the range of your router.

Replace your router

If you’ve tried moving your game system closer to the router, you may need a better router. A good router can make a big difference when it comes to network connectivity. This is especially important for gaming. An outdated router may be what’s causing your internet lag.

If you are looking for a better gaming experience, it may be time to upgrade your router. A new router will provide better speed and lower latency. If you want to have a lag-free gaming experience, upgrading your router may be the best option.

Use an ethernet cord

The purpose of wireless internet is to not have to hook up your devices to wires. However, a wired connection may be better for gaming. If you experience lag frequently, connecting your game system to the internet with an ethernet cord may solve the problem. A wired connection is faster, more consistent, and less prone to interruptions and internet lag.

Check your TV settings

If you’re having lag issues with a game, it may not be the internet. Many newer smart TVs come with display settings that can cause delays. The issue is not with your internet connection, but with the television. Basically, it’s taking too long to show you the picture. You may have a high refresh rate that is causing your lag. Change your refresh settings to a standard 60 Hz.

If you want to make sure you have the best wifi for gaming, consider consulting with a professional. Intuitive AV offers wifi networking services. We can troubleshoot any networking issues so that you can enjoy your gaming without lag.

Automate Your Life with Smart Home Scenes

If you’re just getting into home automation, you might not know all the cool things you can do with a smart home system. Smart homes can do a lot more than just turn your lights on and off. With a smart home system, you can create scenes that automate everything in your home, from your lighting to your HVAC system.  If you want to get the most out of your smart home, you need to learn how to create smart home scenes that can be used in your daily life.

What are smart home scenes and how do they work?

A smart home scene is a preprogrammed configuration of settings for lights, outlets, and devices in a given room. It tells the lights, outlets, and devices to turn on (or off) and to what level. You can activate a smart home scene with a voice command, by pressing a button on your smart home app. You can also program a scene to happen automatically. For example, you can program your lights to turn on at a certain brightness when it’s time for dinner. You can also set the connected devices or outlets to turn off at a certain time.

Types of Smart Home Scenes

You can use smart home scenes in two different ways to make your life easier. The first way is to set up routines that use voice commands. This is possible when you connect your smart home with an app like Alexa, Siri, or Google Home. Saying a voice command can initiate a programmed scene. For, example “Hey Alexa. Make my coffee.” Or, ”Hello Siri. Let’s cook dinner.”

Remember the sci-fi shows where dinner just popped out of a food slot? Well, a smart home can’t make your dinner magically appear in a food slot, but it can help you make dinner. You can create smart home scenes that help you prepare dinner. Each time you say a voice command, your home will respond by completing a preconfigured set of tasks such as preheating the oven or turning on the kitchen lights.

Using voice commands around your house is pretty cool, but automated scenes can really simplify your life. Automated scenes are scenes that happen automatically. It’s possible to automate every area of your home with a smart scene. You can use scenes to help you wake up in the morning, to remind your children to do their chores, or to keep your home safe at night.

How to set up Smart Home Scenes

Getting a smart home set up and learning how to use all the features can be confusing. If you want to use all the features in your smart home, it’s best to work with a professional. A fully connected home automation system that controls all of your devices will require a professional installation.

There are smart home devices that you can install on your own, but there are some drawbacks to a DIY smart home. A professional will make the setup and process of learning to use your system so much easier.

Setting up a scene is pretty similar no matter which smart home system you use. Your app will have a place to add or create a new scene. Although each system is slightly different when you create a scene you tell the app what to do and in which room.

What can you automate with smart home scenes?

There are virtually endless possibilities when it comes to creating smart home scenes with your smart home. Any light, outlet, or device that connects with your smart home app can be programmed with a scene. Scenes can be programmed to make any device do what you want — like turn on or off, brighten or dim, or increase or decrease the volume. There are limitless possibilities for scenes.

You can create a scene to wake you up in the morning. For example, you can set your window shades to slowly rise when the sun rises to gently wake you up. You can talk to your home, too. Instead of hearing an annoying alarm beep over and over, you can program your speakers to talk to you in the morning in a soft voice saying, “It’s time to get up, sleepyhead.” Your smart home can even start your coffee brewing, warm up the house, and turn on the morning news for you.

At night, your smart home can automatically turn off all the devices in your child’s room. It can also turn off lights throughout the house and lock the doors. The more scenes you created, the more automated your life will be. Once you get the hang of creating smart home scenes, you’ll want to automate everything in your house.

If you are interested in getting started with smart home automation in your home, get in touch with Intuitiv AV. We can answer any questions you have and help you find the smart home system that’s right for you.

Home Theater Lighting Ideas

Is your home theater dull and uninspiring? A great home theater requires the right setup. Although there are many ways to make your home theater more fun and exciting, great lighting makes the biggest impact. The right lighting can turn your home theater into an incredible, immersive movie theater-quality experience Here are a few home theater lighting ideas to make your home theater more exciting.

7 Home theater lighting ideas

Your home theater lighting should enhance your movie-watching experience. You don’t want the room to be too bright or so dark you can’t see. You want the lighting to create the right mood for relaxing and watching a movie. The immersive sound in the room should be matched with immersive lighting. There are several things you can do with the lighting in your home theater to make watching movies more enjoyable.

Eliminate Natural Light

To create a cinematic experience in your home theater, eliminate any natural light. How you go about this will depend on where your home theater is located. If it’s in your living room you may not be able to eliminate all the natural light from the room. But, if your home theater is in a separate room, use black shades or curtains to reduce the amount of natural light entering the room. If your home theater is in your living room, you can close the curtains and turn off any lights in the surrounding rooms.

Overhead Ceiling Lights

Overhead ceiling lights are essential for any home theater room. These are the main source of lighting in the room. When nobody is watching movies, they should be able to illuminate the entire room. The best way to use ceiling lights in a home theater room is to install two rows of dimmable LED lights along the ceiling. This makes the room bright enough for everyone to see when nobody is watching movies. Then, when you want to watch a movie, all you have to do is dim the lights.

Column Lighting

If you want to recreate the feeling of being in a theater, use column lighting in your home theater. You can buy theater columns to put in your room or use LED strip lights to make it look like there are columns. Simply place the lights along the wall of your home theater, spacing them out evenly so they create the illusion of theater columns.

Wall Sconces

Wall sconces are a great way to create ambiance in your home theater. Attach them to the walls of your theater room. They can cast light on the walls and floor, or they can be used to direct light at different angles. These lights can provide soft lighting during movies and are a great way to add dimension to your home theater. They can also remain on without distracting you while watching a movie.

Recessed Lighting

You can add a nice touch of elegance to your room by using recessed lighting. These lights can be seamlessly integrated into the ceiling, so you don’t notice them. They can provide ambient light or accent lighting to the room, depending on how they are installed. Installing recessed lighting in your theater room will give you better control of the lighting in the room. If you need extra lighting, you can turn on the lights and make the room brighter. But if you want a darker room, you can dim them.

LED Strip Lights

LED strip lights can be used in several different ways in your home theater. You know how a movie theater has lights along the floor to light your path? You can use LED strip lights to create the same effect in your home theater. Place them along the floor to create a path on both sides of your seating area. They are a great way to make your home theater look like a real movie theater.

Smart Lighting

Smart lighting is a great addition to any home theater. If there was ever a cool place to have smart lighting, your home theater is it. Adding smart lighting to your theater room allows you to have complete control of the lights. You can dim the lights all at once, or set up scenes to create the lighting experience you want when you watch a movie or entertain guests.

If you are interested in implementing any of these home theater lighting ideas in your home theater room, get in touch with us at Intuitive AV. Our professional installers can take your ideas and bring them to life.