Technology pervades every part of our lives – why not your home as well? The latest developments in smart home technology are making everyday tasks easier than ever, as well as encouraging sustainable practices.

Here are just 5 elements to consider implementing when creating your dream custom home design in Maitland, Newcastle or surrounds.

1. Lighting

Forget getting up to turn a light on, or leaving the house wondering if you turned the bathroom light off – smart lights can turn on, off and dim via an app or a voice assistant, such as Google Home or Alexa.

If you’re worried about security, you can even add pre-programmed settings to make it look like you’re at home when you’re not. Alternatively, if it’s energy efficiency you’re after, you can program your system to turn off lights after a preset period of inactivity.

2. Security

There are a wide range of security measures you can install in your home, which can all be controlled by app or home assistant. Control entry to your garage through an app, activate keyless entry to the house or monitor unwanted visitors using smart cameras – they can even be connected to your wifi and controlled remotely.

Smart locks are becoming increasingly common, allowing residents to see who is at the door and unlock it without coming to the door. Some brands are even offering time-limited keys for third parties, perfect for allowing the likes of a cleaner or pet sitter into the house without you being there.

3. Entertainment

Wifi speakers have been on the market for a number of years, offering a wireless option for your music and television. However, smart speakers have taken this one step further with the addition of a voice assistant. You can connect either piece of equipment to your phone and computer, allowing you to play, pause, stop or skip music without being in the same room. Should you opt for a smart speaker, you can also undertake all of these by voice.

Smart TVs are now common in many homes, with a whole range of features in-built, including wifi connectivity. While some brands have established their own smart assistants, plenty of smart TVs on the market these days will connect to common voice assistants, such as Google Home or Alexa. These allow you to action common commands such as ‘turn on the television’ or ‘increase the volume’, without needing a remote.

You can also look to integrate technology such as Google Chromecast or Apple TV with your smart TV, which link up to your phone, computer or tablet for remote streaming.

4. Appliances

Smart appliances are more popular than ever, with most offering some sort of smart capability. In the laundry, smart washing machines and dryers connect to Google Home, Alexa or to an app, allowing you to turn on a cycle when you’re not at home. This means no damp clothes sitting in the machine for hours on end!

Similarly, ovens and microwaves now have ‘smart’ capabilities, with the potential to receive alerts when a timer is up, or a meal has finished cooking. Smart fridges generally include a wifi-capable touchscreen and intuitive temperature controls, as well as internal cameras, which can save you opening the fridge unnecessarily.  This also assists in saving energy, as the fridge doesn’t need to work as hard to maintain its optimum temperature.

5. Efficiency

Solar panels were one of the earliest iterations of home technology and are just as valuable in a modern smart home. They provide a sustainable energy source, capturing a natural resource that our region has plenty of! Many appliances will also be able to track energy and water consumption or activate ‘eco’ settings, reducing your overall usage.

Other ‘smart’ sustainable measures include hydronic water heating and app-controlled lights, all designed to reduce your carbon footprint.

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Homes by Elite is Newcastle and Maitland’s premier custom home builders, specialising in quality, architecturally-designed homes, renovations and extensions. We can help you build a smart home, with technology that’s designed to make everyday life easier.