Mixed materials , textures and technology are just a few of the major home trends in 2018 . Homeowners are foregoing selling and updating their current homes with fresh ideas and innovative technologies . Thinking of upgrading a room or two ? Check out 2018 ’ s trends in home features and furnishings .
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SMART HOME
The Internet of Things , or IoT , refers to a growing network of devices that allows objects to connect and exchange data . These devices are increasing at a rapid pace throughout many industries . Wearables allow consumers to track their steps and keep a closer eye on their fitness , and connected cars are equipped with internet access to send information to manufacturers or , as seen on the streets of Pittsburgh , to drive themselves . The smart home is one of the most popular and accessible markets for IoT application .
• Everything is connected : This can include heating and cooling your home , turning on a light with a simple command , locking your front door from work , even checking to see if you have milk in the refrigerator from the grocery store . These are all features that make up a smart home . The list continues to grow , with ways to track and monitor everything in your home . Devices are learning how you live — when you get up and when you leave for work — and can adjust room temperatures , turn off lights and safeguard your home . All of which can be monitored from your smart device .
• Energy tracking devices : These devices connect to your electricity meter to monitor how much energy you ’ re using , from tracking appliance usage to providing recommendations on how to save on energy . If cutting down on bills is on your list for 2018 , a household monitor or individual appliance monitor may be just what you need .
• Residential electric vehicle charging stations : Growing in popularity , hybrid and electric vehicles need somewhere to charge up before hitting the open road . These charging stations are accessible at home , allowing you to charge from a typical household socket . With advancing technologies , higher voltage charging stations are available to charge a car as much as four times faster than a typical charging station .
• Importance of keeping IoT devices secure : IoT devices are growing exponentially , and security features aren ’ t necessarily keeping up . There are only a few regulatory standards set in place for IoT devices , elevating risk for security breaches . It ’ s important to always authenticate your devices with unique usernames and passwords .
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