How to Make Your Home Smarter Without Compromising Design

With every new device that enters the market to make our life easier, more efficient, or more automated, it’s made clearer and clearer: We live in the future. 

In so many sci-fi visions of what our world could be (utopian or otherwise), life’s bumps are often smoothed by technology. Today, those conveniences are a reality and just a screen tap or voice command away: Unlock your door from afar, dim the lights, turn on the sprinklers, check the security cam, turn up the music—all while barely lifting a finger.

But the best thing about the latest generation of smart home products is that they’re designed with more than just function in mind. With sleek finishes and minimalist details, smart devices fit right into design-forward spaces.

Whether you’re seeking something that stands out or blends in, it’s never been easier to make your home smarter without compromising design. 

Haute Home Assistants

Voice-controlled speakers are a helpful hub for controlling your smart home, and, lucky for design lovers, all of the major operators of smart ecosystems offer speakers in chic, modern finishes. Wrapped in muted fabrics or encased in sleek matte-finished neutrals, these devices are intended to integrate comfortably into your interior design. Choose a black or white space-age design to blend into your minimalist home, or go with a fabric-covered model to work with your eclectic-cool space. Or, if displaying your gizmos isn’t your style, these tools are typically compact enough to hide neatly out of sight.

Light Up Your Life

As any designer will tell you, lighting is one of the most powerful design tools we have. Whatever paint color you choose, whatever furniture you install, if your lighting isn’t flattering or inviting, you’ve created a room no one wants to spend time in. Smart bulbs and other smart lighting devices offer the opportunity to control your light like never before. Dim or brighten, adjust color or warmth, illuminate or enhance. Gold-toned light can warm up even the most crisp, clean rooms, while cool blues or purple tones can bring a modern touch to more traditional design. Slip smart bulbs into floor and table lamps or pendant fixtures to customize your light in layers.

High-Design Hardware

A well-designed home is one where nothing is left to chance and even the smallest detail has been considered. Fixtures and hardware may be some of the final touches added to a home, but they make a powerful impact. The right smart lock offers the convenience of keyless entry from near or far, and comes in sleek modern finishes to complement your taste.

Effortless Entertainment

Voice-controlled speakers are one way to get the party started, but smart televisions and monitors are another. These high-tech screens can be voice-controlled and connect easily to your other devices to seamlessly screen your favorite shows, showcase photos, or play music videos—and if you seek out a smart TV with a slim profile or minimalist frame, it’ll look just as good when it’s not in use. These aren’t just tech tools, mind you: these are design objects in and of themselves. For instance, frame TVs are a stylish option, available in a variety of styles, that can blend right in with your gallery wall, or even display a striking piece of art when not in use.

An Outlet for Expression

Plug a slim-faced smart plug into a standard outlet and remotely control any electronic product (hello, coffee maker!) with your smartphone app or with a voice control assistant. The world of tech and gadgets is often full of bulky designs, tangled cords, and clunky interfaces—but the quiet, minimalist design of smart outlets offers a moment of relief. 

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