Modernize your home in 2017

Taking a home from old school to modern is something that a lot of homeowners want to do this year and there are fewer times like the present to make that happen. 2017, like all the years before it, has promised to bring about many new improvements for homeowners, but which ones will make your house the most chic and functional? This year, let’s take advantage of all the awesome new innovations and gadgets on the market and make your home as modern as we can.

Turn Your Home Into a Smart Home

Smart technology is not a new concept. There are numerous smart devices out there nowadays. However, the real crime is that, even with all this technology, we still haven’t seen it get fully integrated into a plentitude of homes. Yes, sure, there are a handful of devices that have caught on, the full potential of smart tech as a home device has not been realized by the general public.

Now, many people aren’t necessarily sure why they should invest in smart tech. Well, the biggest reason is because smart tech is designed to make your life easier. Technology does a lot for our wellbeing, and with its help, you can quickly and easily automate functions in your home that would otherwise take time out of your day.

Install Smart lights in your home

The first and most useful of smart tech out there for your home would have to be smart lights. Now, this may not seem really interesting at first, but they really can make life easier for you. You see, smart lights make it so you can easily control the lights in your home from a mobile device or computer. This means you can easily take control of the lights your house without having to get up and move across the room. Now, this is the simplest way that they can improve your life, you can also program your lights in some cases, and be able to make sure they are off when you are away from home so you can save some money.

Try Out Smart Climate Control

Ever since Google came out with the Nest, smart climate control devices have become very popular with many different kinds and brands flooding the market. But why did these make our list of must have modernizing gadgets? Well, it is simple, not only does the digital display of a smart thermostat make your home look and feel like it belongs in the Jetsons, but it will also give you precise and remote control over your house’s climate control. If you want to program your home to be warm when you get home from work or even warmer when you wake up in the morning? Well, now you can do that you don’t have to fiddle with the old wall mounted control box, but can program it right from your phone.

Invest in Smart Security

Smart security systems are the next biggest thing out there when it comes to security systems. Now, there are many different kinds of smart security systems, so the exact features you’ll be getting will depend on what you buy. The most popular are CCTV cameras that link right up to your phone or tablet. These allow you to check up on your home at any time and from anywhere and get real-time alerts if there is any suspicious activity around your property.

Another piece of smart security that a lot of people are buying into are smart locks. These can have pin number style codes, fingerprint scanners and more making them versatile and safe. One of the cool things you can do with these is to have multiple codes or multiple fingerprints uploaded into the lock’s computer. This way you can have one code for those that live in the house and another code for visitors that is only good for the duration of their stay. This makes it much easier to allow certain people access to your house without having to cut them a key.

Buy a Smart Fridge and Never Forget Anything Again!

Smart fridges aren’t necessarily the first thing you think of when someone mentions smart tech, but really, they are pretty cool. Essentially, what they do is sync up with your phone so you can check out what is in your fridge at any given time. This comes in handy when you are at the store and can’t remember whether you bought eggs the last time you were out or if you remembered to pick up milk to bake cupcakes for your friend’s party.

Tie all your Smart Devices Together with a Smart Hub

Smart hubs are a great way to give you ultimate control over your home’s smart devices. Just like Siri on your IPhone or “Ok Google” on your Android, a smart hub is a voice activated device that lets you control numerous things with your voice. So, if you want the lights dimmed, or the music turned up, you can simply say what you want it to do. The most popular of these smart hubs is Amazon’s new device the Amazon Echo and the Amazon Echo Dot. They are great because they can link up with almost all your devices including your amazon account so you can reorder some of your favorite Amazon products just by saying the word.

USB Wall Outlets

USB wall outlets are great for making your home more modern because they make it easier than ever to use your mobile devices. Essentially, these products make it so you can plug your USB charge cords directly into the wall without having to worry about getting an adapter. You can either buy a special outlet that would replace the one that is currently in your wall giving you one or two USB ports in addition to the original 3 pronged outlets, or you can buy a cover that would simply plug into the wall and do the same thing.

Use LEDs

LED lights have worked their way into almost every part of our lives. Whether it is as an indicator light or a light for a room you can see the influence of the humble LED. There are many reasons why they are so popular, especially in more modern homes, chief of which would have to be their efficiency. LED lights are efficient. They don’t use quite as much electricity as normal lights and they don’t waste nearly as much as well. This makes them great candidates for those who are looking to lower their electric bill. Another reason they are so popular is their size. LEDs are pretty small. By using LEDs your lights will take up much less space than the normal lights you have in your home making them space efficient as well as energy efficient.

Here are a few ways you can use LEDs in your home:

Cabinet Underside Lights

For many homeowners, putting lights under their cabinets is a must have if they want to really light up their counters and workspaces. However, a lot of the time, traditional under the cabinet lighting can be expensive, hard to install, and dare we say bulky. With LEDS though, you can avoid that problem altogether. You can find many small strips of LED lights online and in stores for very good prices. They can be easily cut to length and then stuck to the underside of a cabinet with simple adhesive. Once you have them all stuck in place, you can simply plug them in and voila! You have light! They are simple, easy, and compact making them the best option for lighting up the space under your cabinets.

Track Lighting

Track lights are a great way to add light to naturally dark parts of your home. However, much like cabinet lights, track lights can be bulky, expensive, and hard to install. However, with the power of LEDS you can have light in no time for much less. Not to mention, the LEDs don’t give off as much heat as normal lights making them much easier to work under and much better on your heating and cooling systems.

LED Floors

This is more of an idea for those who want to make a showroom floor or a dance floor. Essentially, you lay down metal tracks on the floor in the design you want the lights to sit before you do the flooring. Once they are set, you start cutting and laying the tiles or laminate that you bought. Then all you need ot do is to put in the lights and plug them in. There are some great tutorials on YouTube that show exactly how to do it. But be sure to consult with a professional before you do any of this so you can know you are doing it right.

Now, remember, these aren’t the only ways to modernize your home. For more information check out the rest of our blog. You’ll find some great tips for homeowners and real estate investors on how to make homes look and feel the very best.