Smart homes are becoming more of a reality and less of a futuristic feature only seen in movies, and they can do much more than science fiction writers could imagine. These days you can talk to your virtual assistant to set reminders, schedule appointments and find the answers to questions. You can also integrate that assistant with your smart home to keep track of groceries, monitor security systems and even reset the thermostat from miles away. Some of the most accessible features to add to your home renovation plans are also some of the most effective ones which offer the most benefit to homeowners.

Streamlined and Integrated Controls

Many smart devices and whole homes have apps you can access with any mobile device to monitor or change settings. Integrating each separate device into one centralized dashboard interface allows you to easily adjust the lights and thermostat, brew a cup of tea and turn on your favorite movie with one, often verbal, command. With the proper dashboard interface, you can even access Prometheus metrics to optimize your systems further.

WIFI and Entertainment Systems

Built-in electronic systems are often thought to be more hassle than they are worth because of the cost necessary to replace or update the systems in the future. Modern designers and entertainment systems experts, however, can help you integrate speaker systems, WIFI boosters and much more with your home wiring to make it easy to pull out old components and plug in new ones. With spaces with the correct wiring capabilities, you can set up the electronic entertainment devices you want in a specific room or carry around to different ones without worrying about overwhelming the breaker box or shorting something out.

Cleaning and Kitchen Appliances

Some of the first home appliances to get a "smart" upgrade were kitchen and cleaning appliances such as refrigerators and clothes washers. Including these features in your renovation plans can help make home maintenance tasks easier and keep your shopping lists updated and accessible from anywhere your dashboard is. For instance, you can have your fridge keep track of how much milk there is and put it on the shopping list maintained by your virtual assistant when it reaches a low point, and you can have your washing machine send a push notification to your phone when your load of clothes is clean.

HVAC and Water Heaters

Your thermostat is a home feature that is essential to include in any home renovation plan, so why not upgrade it to a smart one? A smart thermostat can be programmed to adjust the temperature at different times of the day automatically, accessed remotely if you forget to turn it off or down before leaving for vacation, and even let you track energy usage. You can even find wifi sensors to help monitor different rooms without redoing the wiring completely. Your water heater can also get a "smart" upgrade and be accessed remotely when you want to adjust the temperature or check for leaks or other problems from your mobile device.

Power Outlets and Lighting Fixtures

The shape of power outlets is changing as more companies switch to USB-C chargers and data connectors. You can skip searching for a power block that matches your wall outlet by installing some USB-C outlets in your rooms, especially where you tend to charge mobile devices. Not only can you find lighting which can be controlled from your home dashboard, but you can also find energy-saving fixtures and LED bulbs.

Smart Textiles and Automatic Blinds

Smart textiles are seemingly the next big thing in home technology integration, with many companies working on blinds that open and close automatically, generate solar energy, react to changing light intensities, and much more.

Each year more smart technologies are hitting the market which can be integrated into your home for more convenience and safety. Not only can your kitchen appliances tell you when you need to stop for groceries, but your blinds can automatically raise or lower at different times of the day, and your water heater can alert you to leaks. You can set up your bedtime routine and command multiple items or rooms with one word.