The Best Smart Home Tech Trends in 2021

Ever heard of the term “smart home”? If you’re curious to learn more about smart home technology and what it can do to make your life easier and more efficient, read on.

As smart technology becomes more affordable and widespread, the use of smart home technology is fast becoming the high-tech makeover of choice.

Home automation has the ability to reduce electricity bills, increase energy-efficiency and add safety & security to your house. It’s also a great way to up the value of your home and keep it updated and modern.

Here are some of the best smart home technology trends you can adopt for a safer and more convenient living environment. But first,

What exactly is a smart home?

In a nutshell, a smart home is a house that is connected by gadgets to automate everyday tasks or chores such as:

• Turning lights on/off
• Operating heating & cooling systems
• Operating appliances and TVs

Smart technology aims to minimise the effort required by humans to perform a task. Just like your smart watch or smartphone, smart home technology makes it possible to operate all functions of the home from one central device.

Top smart home trends in 2021

There has been a significant resurgence in home automation and mid-century modern home design. Homeowners want their home to feel like a home, but are open to adopting modern technologies to reimagine their traditional home design.

For anyone looking to adopt smart home technology, here are some of the best home automation trends to start with:

1. Smart home security

Home security is incredibly important in an increasingly voyeuristic world. Not to mention, if you’re living alone or have a family, it’s natural to want to protect yourself from any potential threats such as home intruders.

Smart home security systems can be installed to monitor your home and alert you of any perceived threats. Get alerts straight to your device whenever someone enters your property or if a door has been left open or unlocked. Some integrated security systems will also alert local authorities or your security provider so that they can come straight to your home as soon as a threat occurs.

2. Voice-control devices

Home voice assistant technology makes it easier to consolidate all connected device in your home. From stereo systems, speakers, TVs, lighting and appliances simply voice your command (for example, “dim the lights”) and your smart speaker will automatically do the task for you.

Having voice-controlled home automation means you can do everything from make your morning coffee to finding the TV remote with just your voice.

There are a range of voice-controllable devices including the popular Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana. These also make way for several other independent brands including Ivee Sleek, Jibo and voice-controlled TVs like Samsung’s Smart TV.

3. Smart lighting

One of the first smart home technologies that continues to trend is smart home lighting.

If you want to increase the efficiency of your home and upgrade your home’s function, then replace white LEDs with a smart light system such as Wyze lights, where you can turn on/off and change the colour of your light with just your voice. All you need to do is connect with your home automation hub on your device and you’ll enjoy the benefits of:

• Lower energy use
• Longer lightbulb lifespan
• Increased functionality
• Convenience: control lights from a device or via voice command wherever you are.

Smart lighting is also a great first step if you’re curious about smart home technology but don’t know where to start.

4. Zone-based thermostats

Home zoning is one of the biggest trends in smart home technology. The idea is to minimize energy consumption by only operating lighting or heating & cooling in a room that is occupied.

Zone-based thermostats control your heating and cooling independently. These thermostats have in-built sensors that will adjust temperature based on room occupancy - saving a lot of energy.

Zoning your home this way means that you eliminate any hot or cold spots in the house. It also maximises the comfort of your family or guests by providing a more even temperature distribution.

Whether you’re building a home or wanting to modernise your existing home, installing smart home technology is a great place to start. Smart technology gives you more control of your appliances and fixtures, meaning you have a better chance of saving time, energy and money.

These are just a few smart home trends to look out for. As time goes on and more sophisticated technology becomes available, you’ll get to witness many possibilities in home automation - offering you a more safer and comfortable home life.