Get Your Systems Ready Ahead of Fall & Winter  Early fall sends everyone back indoors. Dinner parties move from the patio to the dining room, movie nights return to the theater, and your home network now has more devices and demand placed on it. Suddenly, devices are responding more slowly than they used to.  Before that shift happens, it’s worth taking stock of how your home’s technology has held up over the warmer months. Maybe you’ve been away for a few weeks, or have been living at a second property. You may be returning with new devices, or they may have updated their software automatically, causing communication conflicts within the system.  In a connected home, a seasonal technology checkup catches the small issues before they turn into an evening where the lights won’t dim and the Wi-Fi stalls while you’re trying to stream the game. We know it sounds too early to be thinking about the holidays, but they sneak up on us every year. Here’s what you can do to ensure your smart home is running smoothly for the fall and winter. 

Image courtesy of Lutron. All trademarks and image rights are owned by Lutron.  Why Motorized Shades Are Summer’s Best Accessory  As we move into the height of summer, many homeowners find themselves battling the same frustrations. Rooms become uncomfortably warm, utility bills skyrocket, and when you’re away traveling? Studies show burglars are most likely to target homes in the summer months.  But here’s a little secret many people don’t realize: motorized window shades can help keep your home cool, save energy, and even boost security — automatically. With luxury fabrics and discreet hardware from premium brands like Lutron, motorized shades make a smart addition to any interior. Here’s how they work.  

What is a fully integrated home? Unlike owning a collection of smart devices, an integrated home means every system in your house (lighting, shading, entertainment, security, climate) is synced to one centralized control platform. Everything communicates through one interface, regardless of the individual device’s manufacturer.
Creating such effortless integration requires careful planning and, ideally, data wiring run discreetly behind the walls. If you’re building a new property or renovating, now is the perfect chance to create a fully integrated experience. Here’s why that matters and will pay off in the long run.

It’s that time of year again when the Connecticut and Rhode Island shoreline starts to buzz. For second-home owners and summer residents, Memorial Day serves as the unofficial starting gun for hosting season. 

But if you’re still relying on a portable speaker and single porch light to set the mood, you’re leaving the best parts of your property in the dark. Your backyard can be your own private resort — you just need the right solutions to make it happen.

Experience Your Favorite Recordings & Movies Like Never Before  Spring is a time of renewal. A time when homeowners across the country take on renovations they’ve been looking forward to for years. A recent study found that almost ⅔ of homeowners are taking on renovations this year, with kitchen and bathroom remodels leading the way.  Since many people think listening room improvement is just about “buying gear”, this room often gets lost in the mix. But that’s a short-sighted view. There are a lot of upgrades you can make to create an experience that brings your favorite recordings to life.