There is no place like home for the holidays, and that is even more true of a smart home. During the holiday season, we ask a lot of our homes. They are where we entertain friends, host family dinners, and create memories that will last a lifetime. For all that our homes do for us in this season, I think we can still ask for just a little more, we can ask them to be smarter!

There are a lot of ways a smarter home can make for a better holiday season, and below are a few of them. 

A Better Timer

Light timers are one of the most frustrating technologies around now that VCRs have all but expired, but the functionality is incredible. Lutron smart plugs and lamp dimmers give you the functionality of a light timer, but with tremendous ease-of-use and a whole lot more power. The Lutron Outdoor Smart Plugs allow you to easily control your exterior holiday lights, and either the smart plug, or even a lamp dimmer, can control your tree or other decorative lights around the house. The best part is that each year when you get the lights out of the box and plug them in, they will be ready to go with the exact same settings as the year before.

 

Above: Lutron Smart Plug/Lamp Dimmer

Party On

While planning holiday parties can add some stress to the holidays, the party itself should provide the enjoyment. Nothing goes better with a holiday party than festive music. In a BRAVAS home, we place speakers in the ceiling and walls throughout the home. Our goal is for guests to be able to circulate the home while hearing a consistent volume of music no matter where they are. This makes it easy for partygoers to carry on a conversation wherever they are, without missing out on the atmosphere that the perfect holiday playlist can provide.

Above: Small aperture ceiling speakers installed by BRAVAS Colorado

Light up the Night

If you feel that the festive lights on the outside of the home should be reflected inside the home, Ketra is the product for you. Ketra lighting can mimic the sun's color automatically throughout the day, with the goal of helping you have more energy throughout the day, and more restful sleep at night. But on top of that, it is also a fully programmable RGB light source, meaning you can tune any Ketra light to any color with the touch of a button, taking your holiday party, family photos, or Christmas Eve movie night to the next level.

Not so Home Alone

Many of us travel for the holidays, which creates an opportunity for home break-ins. If you don’t have a Kevin McCallister protecting your home, it is best that a potential thief not know you are out of town. One of our favorite features of a lighting control system is the ability to make your home look occupied, even when no one is home. Lutron can learn and then reenact a lighting program that mimics how you use the lights in your home. This gives you peace of mind to enjoy your vacation without the guilt associated with leaving lights on for the entirety of your trip.

Above: A BRAVAS Baltimore home at night

There are dozens of other ways that a smart home can improve your holiday season. If you want to learn more, please reach out to BRAVAS San Francisco today.