Improved employment conditions and increased home values are prompting homeowners to start investing more in home improvement projects to increase their homes’ values. As technology becomes more entwined into our everyday lives, homeowners incorporating technology into their homes has been an upward trend for much of 2018. From smart refrigerators and coffee makers to high-tech security systems and smart lighting, home improvement projects have skyrocketed with all sorts of “smart” home technology. Let’s take a look at five trends sure to be huge in the coming years.
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1. Voice Control and Home Automation
By the end of 2018, the number of automated voice assistants reached 100 million and are expected to double to 200 million by 2020, according to Compelo. Voice control applications and automated assistants like Alexa and Echo allow users to perform certain tasks using just the sound of their voices. You can do things like check the weather, turn on the lights, get a news summary or start the coffee maker. Technology like automated assistants and voice control have made it easier to multi-task and get things done quickly and easily, and will likely to continue into the foreseeable future.
2. Smart Lighting Installations
With trends like Circadian rhythm lighting still popular, lighting installations will likely increase in the coming years. People are seeing the benefit of certain lighting patterns for health and wellness. The technology, according to Forbes, creates indoor illumination that matches the natural light you’d normally get from the sun in both appearance and warmth. When paired with home automation, you can set it to shift through the day with the sun to decrease the effect of man-made light on the human body.
3. 4K Security Cameras
4K security cameras are the future of security monitoring. As technology advances, there’s always a need for improved security. With Lorex’s 2K and 4K IP cameras, you’ll get amazingly crisp and clear images — even with digital zoom, which allows you to see further into the distance. The back-illuminated image sensor can help you capture more light, which helps improve the contrast, color, and low-light performance.
With waterproof capabilities and Easy Power-over-Ethernet installation, you can install this camera security system almost anywhere and get the best possible video quality so you and your family can feel safe knowing you’re always protected. In the near future, security systems might even be able to detect problems when they occur, keep the problem contained and fix it within just one day. Other upgrades might include the ability to detect carbon monoxide and fire.
4. Smart Refrigerators
Smart refrigerators are becoming the latest trend in home improvement. If you haven’t heard by now, they come with technology like built-in cameras, Wi-Fi connectivity, and user-controlled cooling options. Not only can your refrigerator scan what’s in your fridge and tell you when you’re running low on milk based on when you set the expiration dates, but it can also:
- Remind you to use food while it’s still fresh
- Look up recipes and read the steps aloud to you while you’re cooking
- Cast video from a smart TV in a different room
- Create grocery lists that you can sync to your phone
- Give you a peek inside the fridge without opening it (saving energy)
And that’s just a few of the many features of a top-of-the-line smart refrigerator.
5. Home Robots
We already have robots that vacuum our floors for us, but in the future, home robots could become even more advanced and perform other household tasks like doing laundry. The smart home market is already a $35 billion industry as of 2017 and it’s only expected to grow from there, says Compelo.
Technology will continue to improve our experiences at home by making our lives just a little bit easier. With the above-mentioned smart home features and security upgrades in mind, you can transform your home into a fortress of the future, equipped with automated features that simplify the most tedious tasks. In 2019 and beyond, we have so much more to look forward to when it comes to smart home technology.
