SquareRooms Issue 181 Mid-Year 2020

1 8 ideal homes Raise your home’s IQ 10 Six modish smart home devices that make everyday life at home more convenient MORE SMART CHOICES How to make the most of your home technologies Invest in rechargeable batteries. Regular alkaline varieties are environmentally wasteful because they require constant replacement. Buy what you need. Splurging on electronic devices that you won’t use frequently will only end up as clutter. Purchase wisely! IMAGE COURTESY OF IGLOOHOME PHOTO BY GRANT RITCHIE ON UNSPLASH Smooth entry Consider installing a smart lock if you’re looking into updating your door’s simple lock-and-key system. Whether it’s a retrofit model that incorporates your old padlock or an entirely key-free one, you’ll enjoy its nifty features such as Bluetooth access, a built-in keypad, and a fingerprint scanner. Ultimately, you will be able to control who enters your house and what kind of access they have via the accompanying smartphone app, giving you a remote overview of people’s movements wherever you are. Hands-free tunes Whether you’re cooking up a storm or bathing the dog, smart speakers let you switch songs at the drop of a hat via voice command – this means no more frantically dropping whatever you’re doing mid-way to tap on your mobile device’s screen manually. They also help you get shuteye easier by playing sleeping tips aloud and calming ambient sounds via Google Assistant and Alexa. Smart living THE FUTURE IS HERE, AND IT BRINGS THE COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, AND SECURITY FEATURES OF HOME AUTOMATION WITH IT