How to Design Your Ideal Smart Home?

Your home is your sanctuary away from the outside world. It is a place where you can feel comfortable and at total ease. Surrounded by your belongings and living within a space that is decorated to your tastes is a great feeling. But the way everyone is changing their home is undergoing a change over a period of time. Homes are no longer just four walls and a roof. Instead, people’s houses are now less inanimate and more interactive. So, what has changed? Well, our lives are now busier, and technology now evolves in a blink, and you will miss its pace. The combination of these factors has driven the advent of smart technology. 

We now expect more from our homes. The arrival of the Internet of Things (IoT)has made it possible to create homes that were previously the stuff of Science fiction. Now, our appetite for innovation and convenience means smart homes are increasingly the norm. But a smart home is far more than just a novelty. Smart homes are becoming a draw for house hunters, too. The research found that 54% of respondents would choose a home with smart technology over an identical property that didn’t. Plus, 65% of people would happily pay extra for a house that was equipped with smart technology. 

While you may already be sold on the idea of transforming your house into a smart home, you may be wondering what is next. Here is how to design your ideal smart home. 

Prepare Your Home

First up, you need to ensure that your home is ready to become smart. There is no point in investing in a smart transformation if your home is not ready for it. Making your home smart is going to be the final stage of creating your perfect living space. So, it is best to carry out any other work you want done to your home first. 

Fixing any issues with your home is also wise to do now. Any potential problems, such as a leaky roof or a patch of dampness, could damage your smart tech. So, addressing these problems as a priority is essential. The clear amber shop has everything you need to make those repairs and protect your home. Once the repairs are completed, you will be ready to move on to getting your smart home started. 

Check Your Wi-Fi

You are going to need constant Wi-Fi connectivity to keep most of your smart home powered and ready to use. Your smart home is not going to be a reality if your internet connection keeps sipping in and out. So, before doing anything else, you need to make sure that you have a stable and strong Wi-Fi internet connection. In case your Wi-Fi connection is poor, and you often lose your internet connection, it is advisable and in your best interest to act now. High latency can mean you’re left with TV shows buffering and super slow (and frustrating) downloads. 

If you suspect your Wi-Fi speed is low, or you are just curious to see how fast it really is, you can check this yourself. You can then decide whether your current Wi-Fi is going to be ready for your needs. You may decide to switch your broadband suppliers to help you get the best possible speeds. Or, your speed may be actually heaps faster than you expected. Either way, it is helpful to check your speed anyway. 

On the subject of Wi-Fi, it’s also good to know about the latest offerings. The new WiFi 6E protocol is now available. This offers lower latency, more security, and faster speeds. Basically, it is the Wi-Fi of the future, but it is ready to use now. 

The introduction of Wi-Fi 6E poses a  big question for you. Should you be an early adopter or get on board with Wi-Fi 6E in its infancy? Or should you continue like it does not exist?  The choice is entirely yours. However, there are a number of factors that you need to take into account before you take a call. First among the many is to think about your existing devices.  If you are planning to use your existing devices within your new smart home setup, you need to be sure that they are compatible with Wi-Fi 6E. Since not all devices are compatible with the new protocol, especially if they are a little older, so be sure to check this.  If your current devices aren’t compatible, you may want to consider upgrading. But the decision is yours. 

If you are starting your smart home from scratch, you may want to make Wi-Fi 6E compatible from the start. Choosing a Wi-Fi 6E-ready brouter and devices can help to future-proof your smart home. Ultimately, this could help you to keep your current setup for a little longer before you next need to upgrade. It can also make it easier for you to introduce additional devices to your setup going forward, as they are like to be compatible. 

Choose Your Platform

Once you have dealt with your Wi-Fi decisions, now, it is time to move and pick a smart home platform. This is really a vital consideration. So, it is best to think carefully about this before you commit to it. There are a number of smart home ecosystems available to consider. Alexa may be the most obvious choice, especially if you already use one. But your options extend further than this for a full smart home setup. 

Your main smart home ecosystem to consider are Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. So, which one should you pick? 

You can base your ecosystem decision on two main considerations. Maybe you have a particular digital assistant that you already use. If you find that it meets your needs and you are happy with its scope, you may want to stick with it and extend its use throughout your new smart home. Alternatively, you could start browsing smart devices. Understanding what is out there and the capabilities and specifications you are looking for can help. If you happen to find out the device that helps you serve your purpose and deems fit to deliver the desired results, it can influence your entire decision. Then, you are entitled to opt for your desired device and base the foundation of the smart home on this device. 

Don’t forget that you need to check that every smart home device you plan to purchase must be compatible with your ecosystem. This is pretty simple to check. All you need to do is look at the box, and it will often say which platform it works with. But, if you are unsure, always get it verified before you buy it and attempt to set it up. This will save you from making any costly errors. Obviously, you have to check out if each device is also compatible with the Wi-Fi system or not. So, if you are planning to move to Wi-Fi 6E, be sure to check if the device is suitable before you buy. 

Final Considerations

Since there are so many factors that need to be taken into account while setting up your living space as a smart home, when you are going to this effort, you need to be sure that your smart home really lives up to your expectations. If it does not, this is not only disappointing but means you have wasted time and money.

One final factor to consider is security. Making your house a smart home is convenient,  but it also needs to be safe. Be sure that your hub is as secure as possible and that your privacy is protected. Read the terms and conditions of your device carefully before you commit. 

There is no doubt that introducing smart technology to your home can revolutionize the way that you use it. Interacting with every aspect of your home becomes instantly simplified, and you have the advantage of managing your home from wherever you are.