Living in a smart home isn’t just about turning the security alarm on and off with your smartphone. A professional system allows you to create what we call “scenes”—a set of actions that all work together to make a unique experience. You can unite different settings for lighting, shading, security, audio/video and more under one name and use it any time you like. To discover what it means to live in a connected home in Orlando, FL, keep reading.

SEE ALSO: How to Control Your Smart Home with Your Voice

Creating Scenes

In Hollywood, a lot of work goes into creating a movie set. The lighting, fog machine, and music all have to work in sync at exactly the right time to make you feel as if you are in another time and place. Smart home scenes work in a similar way in that they help you set the mood for different activities, or simply to manage your day to day schedule.

In the morning, you don’t have to worry about turning all the light switches to on, drawing the shades, or turning on the news. Your smart home can do it for you all at once. First, choose a time you want your scene to start, then pick a date or set it to occur every day. Select the settings for all the systems you want to activate and then save them under a unique name, like “Wake Up!”

The beauty of having one of our smart homes is that you can easily change these scenes at any time. You won’t be stuck using the same routine for years and can customize it day after day. Some of the most common scenes people use every day are “Morning”, “Goodnight” and “Away” for when they leave the house. But you can also use scenes for parties, home workouts, or any other activity. Here are a few suggestions:

Pool Party

It’s sunny almost all year round in Orlando—there’s a good reason Walt Disney picked it as his prime location for the Disney theme parks. A pool party scene is perfect for your Florida home. First, create a music playlist that includes your favorite songs and distribute the music to your landscape speakers around the pool and hot tub. Turn on the outdoor TV and stream the baseball game or a fun movie. If it's a late-night rendezvous, you can add a lighting setting to the scene and brighten the pool, walkways, and bar area. Press one button, and it all turns on instantly! You'll have this scene at your fingertips all year long so you can work on that tan or party with your family and friends.

Movie Night

Whether you have a dedicated home theater or a media room, setting up movie night can be a breeze with this smart home scene. Press a button on the keypad on the wall, or using your mobile device, and the shades will come down to prevent glare, the thermostat will lower to a cool degree, the lights will turn off so you can see the screen better (except for the backlights or walkways so no one trips) and the projector and screen or TV comes on. If you have a movie server, you can pick a flick ahead of time, purchase and download it so that it's ready when you are. That way if it's Friday or Sunday afternoon, you're one click away from a fantastic show.

Hit the Gym

In-home gyms are super convenient—they are always ready to use when you need them. Use a smart scene to feel energized as you get in shape. Choose a bright lighting setting, peppy music, and a cool degree on the thermostat, and then all you have to do is press a button, and you’re on your way to burning calories. You could even add some colored lights in your gym to make it feel like you’re in a fun club.

Now that you can picture what it's like to live in a smart home, why not give us a call? We can install home automation that mirrors your daily lifestyle. Get started by filling out this online form.

In the wintertime, the daylight leaves us earlier, and we tend to spend more time inside. Even in sunny Orlando, Florida it can be easy to get off schedule and feel affected by the time change. One unique benefit of having lighting and shading control is that you can keep your family on a schedule and ensure your home looks beautiful all year round.

You could have stunning furnishings, lovely colors on the walls and artwork throughout your spaces, but the wrong lighting settings will affect the overall look and feel of your home. Control Designer not only meets Florida homeowners’ basic needs of lighting and shading installation, but we also incorporate lighting fixtures, designs, and automation into the overall look and feel of your home. Here are three ways we use lighting and shading control design to make your property look gorgeous.

You may wonder, 'what makes a smart home run perfectly?’ While there are many factors to installing a fully integrated smart home, there is one key factor that is often overlooked – the network. It may seem obvious, but many times the problem lies with the Internet connection, not with the device, design, or the installation company.

The true secret to an effective smart home is the network installation. In order to live an electronic lifestyle, you need strong internet connections established in your Winter Park, Florida home. Without it, every other aspect fails. Your wireless Internet connection is the backbone of the smart home. Continue reading this article to discover why a home network is so important and what services we offer to guarantee a perfect smart home operation.

Usually people associate Thanksgiving with food, and lots of it. It’s also one of the best times of the year to reconnect with family and friends over a delicious meal. But when you’re not catching up with your relatives, you want to enjoy a football game or holiday program this time of year. After all, quality time isn’t just about great conversations; it’s also about making memories together during fun activities. A lot of work goes into preparing your home for the holidays, so we have a few ideas for you on how to get your Steamboat Springs, CO home ready with home audio and video and without the hassle. Keep reading this blog to learn more.