M
ixed 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.
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.
14
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
icmags.com
OUTDOOR
Outdoor trends for 2018 are focusing on using nature to
nurture. From flower gardens and modern green spaces to
reflection pools and water features, outdoor spaces are bringing
serenity to your home. Create an outdoor living area that calls
you in with cushioned sectionals, accent pillows and outdoor
rugs that are inviting and functional. Add a focal piece such as a
fireplace or fire pit to add warmth and a relaxing ambiance to the
space.
• Patios that add style: When choosing your concrete style,
less is more. Paving in sections allows you to add interest to the
space. Whether it’s using a combination of concrete and grass,
or concrete and gravel, add depth and dimension by varying
shapes or sizes of concrete sections.
• Back decks get a facelift: Decks are getting a lot of love and
attention this year with more people wanting to spend their
time entertaining outdoors. Add multiple levels to a deck to
create separate spaces for dining, cooking, and relaxation.
No room for adding on to your deck? Get the same effect
by grouping different types of furniture together to create
distinction between the spaces. Water features are also making
a splash this year. Small whimsical fountains have a calming
flow of water to bring serenity to any area. Looking for more?
Create your own outdoor spa, with a hot tub integrated into
your deck design.
• Trends in landscaping: With homeowners spending more
time outside, ambiance is important. Whether you have a
sprawling lawn or a quaint space for outdoor living, creating a
welcoming space can be easy. Smaller areas should make use
of multipurpose features, such as container combinations,
arranging multiple plants into one pot to add interest and
depth. No grass? Add green to the space with a plant wall and
succulents, requiring little maintenance and minimal space.
Have a lot of space to work with? Think about planting many
of the same type of plant to create a community garden. This
way you’ll only need to manage one type of plant, rather than
tend to the distinct needs of several types.
WINDOWS / DOORS
Homeowners are veering toward natural, clean looks this year,
focusing on bringing the beauty of the outdoors into the home.
Bright, airy rooms are trending in all areas of the home, from
living rooms to bathrooms—the more natural light, the better. By
lowering energy costs and brightening up your day, homeowners
are designing with daylight in mind.
• Transforming windows to doors: If you’re looking to lighten
and brighten up a room, do it with natural light. Adding
windows or creating larger, more expansive windows will not
only bring in more of the outdoors, but can also change the
look of a room. Large windows that were once a custom option
are now available in mainstream models, with some that can
expand up to 24 feet wide.
• Allowing the fresh air in: ‘Tis the season for spring cleaning!
When you’re working in the garage this spring, you may find
it helpful to have a retractable screen door for the garage.
Whether you are doing projects, or using the space as a place
to hang out, garage screens keep fresh air in and bugs out.
• Smart windows with auto tinting: Gone are the days of
having blinds to dust, with the introduction of auto-tinting