Entertaining large numbers of people at home enjoyed a resurgence during the McMansion days of the 1990s and early 2000s. Now, entertaining at home is poised for another renaissance thanks to home automation technologies. A full range of smart devices can turn home gatherings into high tech parties unlike any parties our parents and grandparents threw.
Are you on board? Are you ready to take home entertainment to a whole new level with home automation? Below are some tips for making it happen. As you read, bear in mind that you have options for building a home automation system. You can buy an out-of-the-box system from a brand like Vivint Smart Home, or you can build it piecemeal using devices from multiple brands.
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Automate Your Lighting
For my money, the best starting place is with lighting. The very first high-tech home automation party I attended was at a friend’s house. This friend had removed all his standard lighting and replaced it with smart bulbs, fixtures, and switches. He was able to program separate scenes for every space in the house.
That’s not all. He could activate scenes with his voice. He just issued a command within listening distance of his smart speaker and it did the rest. I vividly remember him turning on the patio and pool lights while standing in the kitchen talking to his smart speaker.
Lighting and Home Entertainment Systems
As long as we’re talking about smart lighting, combining it with a home entertainment system can really make a party come alive. I have been to homes where smart lights have been synchronized with audio systems. Whenever there is music playing, smart lighting responds. The net effect is mimicking a nightclub atmosphere at home.
I have also seen home theater systems enhanced with smart lighting. In one instance, lighting automatically adjusted based on what was seen on the screen for the purposes of reducing eye strain. In another instance, the homeowner synchronized smart lighting to enhance the viewing experience. Certain scenes really came alive thanks to backlighting installed behind the TV set.
Automate Virtually Anything
Modern smart home technology makes it possible to automate virtually anything that runs on electricity. The extent to which certain devices can be automated varies based on individual features. Nonetheless, automation capabilities are only as limited as one’s imagination.
Automate decorative lighting so that it turns on when the sun goes down. Automate the coffeemaker so that it starts brewing at whatever time you expect dinner to wind down. Create a series of cascading events that follow you and your guests around the house. As you move from one room to the next, everything from lighting to music adjusts automatically.
Your Results Will Vary
Based on my description of home automation capabilities, you might be tempted to think that you can do whatever your brain imagines. That may be true in theory, but individual results will vary based on the home automation devices in your system and your knowledge of how to use them.
It is true that home automation comes with a significantly steep learning curve. Very few people install home automation devices and have them working exactly the way they want them to in just a couple of hours. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can accomplish some amazing things with home automation.
I have not yet fully tricked out my home. I am working on it. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to the next high-tech party at my friend’s fully equipped smart home. His parties are always a good time.
