“We love hiding technology in your home”, an odd statement from Director, Jonathan Apaloo, he continues “it adds to the wow factor to any install, if either its elegantly disguised or it emerges from a well-designed interior.” It’s no secret that Interior Designers have a love hate relationship with Smart Home Technology. But there is no denying we’ve come a long way from TVs being a huge black addition to a room that previously required a team to lift, to lightweight mounted screens that can mask themselves as artwork or mirrors when not in use.
We spoke to a local Interior Designer to get her thoughts on intelligent homes and how they inform her designs. Victoria Tainty – A Touch of Yorkshire, appreciates that modern smart home applications are unique to the client and have to be tailored to the requirements of each home. Victoria commented how, when working with smart home technology, there is always an application out there, “best of all they can be as minimalist or as out there as the client wants.” Victoria went on to note how “technology is incredibly important in how design and construction will work in the future.” With a background in construction and an incredible eye for design, Victoria shares our love for a challenging project and has a skill for working with unusual spaces and constraints, she notes “it makes the design phase so much fun!”
As a Smart Home Technology provider, we look for ways to ensure technology is not only functional and works for the individual but is complimentary to the setting and enhances the interior design. Victoria, stresses the importance of lighting design within her projects and reinforced the fact that “lighting is absolutely key for interiors” and can “really enhance how a room feels”. The benefits of well executed lighting to help us work rest and play are undeniable – we design this accordingly in conjunction with the homeowner’s requirements. For the long winter evenings exterior lights can be programmed to operate from dusk, internal lighting control can have set scenes for cooking, entertaining even security scenes for long periods away from the home.
Most of our clients don’t realise to what extent we can simplify their lives. It’s not just your music or TV that can be centrally operated, we can integrate your blinds and curtains operation from the touch of a button or, for those early risers, time them to open with the sunrise of a new day. Blinds can be programmed to track the sunlight and can adjust to give the homeowner the required amount of light in the room and lighting can be tuned to help circadian rhythms to support wellness, productivity and overall health. Voice command and control from your tablet or phone means no more ugly remote controls. Integrated climate control systems allow houses to be comfortable and energy efficient and even managed on the commute from work, ensuring its toasty for your return. Integration is key – the simplicity of these components relies on a professional and holistic approach to ensure the harmonious smooth running of these elements. We integrate seamlessly – wires are hidden, switches match the style of décor – intelligent systems can also be beautiful and can be tailored to suit all budgets and spaces.
From fresh, contemporary to traditional retro fit, Inspire Audio Visual have dealt with it all. After 12 years in the industry we have breathed life into homes creating harmonious lighting and audio – providing soundtracks to many evenings, meals and special occasions. Adding that element of media or muted lighting can really add to and not hinder the aesthetic of room.
As Victoria notes, “there is always an aesthetic solution for all requirements,” technology in the home no longer needs to be a distraction. Products such as the canvas art type speakers from the likes of Artcoustic which can be colour matched along with the speaker grill/covers (with an exhaustive range of exclusive artwork to cover your speakers) and mirrored TV’s that take pride of place above the mantle or sit subtly disguised against a wall – juxtaposing functionality and pure style. As for the future, we are excited to see the next inspirational mash up of technology and design and aspire to be the first to put it in the hands of our customers.
We would like to thank Victoria from A Touch of Yorkshire for speaking with us and encourage you to take a look at her Instagram page @atouchofyorkshire
