In the last decade, the demand for smart homes has accelerated as homeowners discovered the effortless living they provide. Automated shades rise in the morning, lights transition throughout the day, and the finest home entertainment is available with one touch or voice command.
And then it dawned on our clients. Wouldn’t it be nice to experience this same comfort, convenience, and enjoyment outdoors? Uncertain how to retain their beautiful outdoor oasis while integrating the latest cutting-edge technology, many left the thought unrealized.
Today, one of the fastest-growing trends is extending smart home living into backyards, patios, and pergolas, and creating entertaining outdoor spaces.
Let’s see how it’s done.
SEE ALSO: Creating a Touch of Paradise with Today’s Outdoor Entertainment
The Design-Tech Balancing Act
As more homeowners created seamless extensions into their outdoor spaces, manufacturers and designers paid attention. Soon, smart 4K UHD TVs and landscape audio systems, all designed for outdoor living, hit the market. Intelligent lighting in limitless fixtures and designs, outdoor motorized shades, and even smart grills and firepits beckoned to those wanting more from their backyards.
The challenge?
How to enjoy the latest technology without overshadowing your outdoor aesthetics. Bulky AV equipment and unsightly cables have no place in today’s sleek and refined outdoor spaces designed for relaxing and entertaining guests.
The solution?
Hidden, camouflaged, and discreet, today’s technology blends in with its surroundings or disappears when not in use. Soon our clients realized: great design and smart tech can complement, not compete with, each other.
Case Study: A Backyard Reimagined
A family with a dated backyard wanted a space for entertaining and relaxing. They had outgrown their traditional security lighting, plain deck with lounge chairs, and the Bluetooth speaker that sat on their patio table.
The transformation consisted of the following:
- Smart Lighting: Warm LED lights, embedded in pavers and under seating, create a near-magical setting. Hanging tree lights mimic soft moonlight filtering through the leaves.
- Audio Integration: Landscape speakers nestled under trees and shrubs provide an extensive high-fidelity soundscape that doesn’t disturb the neighbors or affect the home’s aesthetics.
- Smart Screens: A retractable outdoor TV with weatherproof casing delivers stunning images in full sun or under full moons, hidden until called into action.
- Climate Control: Overhead heaters and smart fans built into the pergola provide a comfortable setting year-round.
This technology is managed from the same user-friendly devices that control their smart home. Press ‘Outdoor Entertaining,’ and the lighting, playlist, and heaters adjust.
After we went over all the fine details and effortless controls, our clients said, “We were afraid it would feel like overcrowded tech; instead, it feels like magic.”
How Tech Enhanced, Not Distracted
The result was a backyard enhanced by technology, where every element added value without compromising the design. This tech was chosen and installed after design goals were finalized, not as a retrofit project.
Zoning allowed high-fidelity music to fill our clients’ entire property, following them from their indoor spaces into their outdoor oasis. They could also play different audio simultaneously, with some enjoying the big game on the patio while others tuned into a relaxing playlist in the pavilion.
No matter the activity at hand, the automated system effortlessly sets the stage, enhancing the occasion with the perfect music, lighting, and climate. When it’s time to relax at the end of the day, one tap ignites the firepit, heats the spa, and transitions the lights to a soft amber hue.
Key Takeaways for Homeowners
When extending your living space and integrating smart technology, consider how you want the space to feel. Are you looking to create a high-tech atmosphere for extravagant parties and late-night celebrations or a low-key retreat for relaxing?
Be sure to work with integrators who understand both design and tech, ensuring your aesthetics and functionality align with your vision. And, as the adage goes, less is more. Choose features that will elevate your lifestyle, not just impress your guests.
Are you ready to turn your backyard into something more? To learn how to turn your tech-savvy vision into a stylish reality or to schedule a complimentary consultation, contact Wipliance.
