Journal

INCORPORATING TECHNOLOGY INTO OUR HOMES

Over the past 10 years, there has been a huge acceleration in home technology. In fact, technology is now a part of everything we do, touch, and see. It controls our appliances, entertainment systems, heating and air conditioning, security systems, lighting, and much more. Whether it is the device itself, a component or a switch panel, we see it. No longer can technology be hidden in the closet or in a three-drawer chest. It is something we live with daily, so we as designers need to embrace it, and then integrate it gracefully into our designs. If you are looking to design the best house for you and your family then visit Aveling Homes they have all the tools you will need to design your dream home.

With this in mind, I would like to share a recent experience:

Not long ago, I was at a friend’s home, and on the north wall (where at one time I had placed a piece of artwork for him), was a television monitor. While sitting in his wonderfully appointed Living Room (now referred to as “The Great Room”), I turned my head to the south wall where I had once placed an oil painting. There was another television screen.  Both monitors were on, and were displaying a montage succession of photographs of family and friends.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As we visited and caught up, my friend occasionally commented on a passing photo, as would I. It made for a delightful afternoon and a wonderful hour of conversation. And it was much more enjoyable and convenient than trying to balance a photo album on your knees, while constantly passing the book back and forth. Indeed, this “Moving Photo Album” was subtle, convenient and fun. I loved it.
A Custom Private Residence in a Posh Gated Community in Boca Raton, Florida

I must admit, however, that the thought of live media as an “art” form in an interior is something that I would have objected to in years past. But, because this photography show was artistically displayed (the monitors were both clad in the same frames that I had originally used for their artwork), it worked. And, perhaps because media and technology is now an inherent part of our lives, it was perfectly okay. The photos were compelling and colorful – representing my friend’s life over many years – and that too was, of course, okay. And since they were not just black monitors that hung on the wall, these new forms of technological “decoration” blended nicely into the room.

Maybe it’s not much different than the modern-day use of recliners, which have recently become acceptable – in particular in Home Theaters. In the early part of the century, interior designers and denizens of high society might have objected to them. But because of a simple mechanism that operates the recliner (invented in 1927), allowing the occupant to relax and enjoy “the show,” this particular chair has now become a commonplace piece of furniture in contemporary American homes.

It has taken many years, but I think that interior designers need to accept that new media and technology – like recliners – are here to stay. With an eye on the future, we need to embrace change, and find creative ways to effectively incorporate new technologies into our interiors. I’m on it!