3 Ideas to Make Your Outside Areas More Fun and Functional
Summer is upon us, and we’re ready to take advantage of the outdoors. We’ve recently discussed several options for bringing your entertainment outdoors with outdoor speakers and Seura TVs that are expressly designed for outdoor use.
We will cheat a little here and use outdoor entertainment as the first idea. An outdoor audio-video setup can keep you relaxed with great music and not missing any of your shows or sports that you might otherwise retire indoors to watch. For even more outdoor entertainment options, read our aptly named guide to outdoor entertainment.
What other ways can technology improve your outdoor living in Chappaqua, NY, this season?
SEE ALSO: Bring the Entertainment Outdoors this Summer
Outdoor Lighting Control
Just like indoor lighting is critical to creating ambiance, the same can be said for the outside. Considering lighting control solutions for your key areas like covered patios and outdoor kitchens. In the outdoor kitchen use spotlights on the grill and cooking surfaces so you can know when the steaks are perfectly done. Put custom keypads in covered areas that can set scenes for different activities — soft lighting scene for enjoying a cocktail by the bar, and brighter task lighting for cooking the meal.
To set the stage for either evening parties or relaxation, use landscape lighting to show off the gardens and trees. If you have a pool and spa, consider adding color-changing LED lighting. Whether it’s for a big summer party or just a relaxing moonlight swim, color lights can set the perfect mood. Apply them to your landscape too, and control it all from an outside keypad or an app on your smartphone. If you don’t want to spend much time adjusting them, automate the lighting with a smart home automation system. Of course, the automation system can take care of your outdoor water fountains and features and ensuring your pool and spa are always at your preferred temperature when you are ready to use them.
Outdoor Entertainment, Simplified
When you’re enjoying your time outside, whether it’s a party or not, you want the entertainment to be uncomplicated. No matter how many speakers and outside zones you have, TVs, or lighting, you want it to be simple to activate and control. A home automation system like Savant can make it a snap. If the only remote control you want to deal with is the one in your pocket — your smartphone — you could control everything from there if you so choose. Pick a playlist from Spotify and play it on the patio speakers. Or turn on the game and direct the sound to speakers by the outdoor kitchen while you grill and your family can enjoy music in the pool zone. Make the lighting gradually fade up as the sun sets. If you want even easier control with no button pushing, you can do it via voice commands through Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa.
Security and Peace of Mind
You put a significant investment in your outdoor spaces, and you want to feel secure about the outside of your property as well as the inside. Protect your area with smart security solutions like outdoor surveillance cameras. The latest models can detect real motion, and not get fooled by rustling leaves or the occasional squirrel. While you’re inside or away from home, you can get notified if someone is lurking outside and react accordingly.
While you have that big summer party outdoors, you may want to ensure that only your guests show up and not the uninvited. If you have an entry gate, you can have a video entry system so that you can remotely view who is at your entry and let them in with a touch of a button. You won’t need to keep your gate and home open and advertise to passersby that there’s a party. Even if you don’t have a gate, a video doorbell and smart lock can put you in full control of who comes in, no matter what’s going on out back. Are you ready to enjoy better outdoor living through technology? Give us a call, click the chat box below, or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation with our team. We’d love to hear from you!
