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emmelinewe

Would you invest in smart technology if it looked less 'tech-y'?

Emmeline Westin
hace 7 años
última modificación:hace 6 años

I think I'm a semi-technophobe. I dislike speakers with messy cables, I don't want to integrate too many appliances if they look too 'high-tech', simply because it just won't go with the style I like.

I heard something interesting the other day. Someone believed that if smart tech gadgets and appliances looked slightly less tech-y, more people would embrace it. Do you think this is true?

Living Room · Más información

Yes, definitely
Yes, potentially
No, I don't care about the design, I care about function
No, I'm more concerned about the cost
No, I'm more concerned that the technology will date
Other - share below!
Respuesta destacada
  • Lauren
    hace 7 años
    Última modificación: hace 7 años

    Yep - I prefer either a period/classic style for things or the more contemporary well designed/streamlined look which is often impossible to find when everything looks super futuristic!

    A nice example of what I think is a good take on a modern necessity is this kettle from muji:

    http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?Sec=8&Sub=29&PID=8019

    I don't want my kettle to look like a spaceship has just landed or a piece of plastic in an otherwise beautifully crafted space.

    That said I think there is a slow shift now towards more considered design for everyday items/tech by manufacturer's.

    Comentarios (27)

    • Isidora Markovic
      hace 7 años

      Definitely for me - quite a fan of minimalist interiors so anything that reduces visibility. Although, now you mention it, cost might be a bigger hindrance than cables...!

    • Kim Williams
      hace 7 años
      Yet more things to go wrong/upgrade in the house.
    • angelboyman
      hace 7 años

      The problem with technology is that it dates and becomes obsolete when new technology is developed and released and once you're invested in it then it's like a hamster wheel that you can't get off. I choose my tech very carefully and always consider it's potential 'use-by-date' verses that upfront cost and/or cost to replace.

    • Tim Price
      hace 7 años

      In a house (as opposed to a lab) tech should be there to give a result and not necessarily be on show unless the house owner wishes it to be so. If I am listening to music I care not what the speakers look like and when I am not listening to music I care a lot - meaning I don't want to see them really, so it is best if such items are not dominating the room. I use tech, indeed my work uses tech too, so I am not technophobe. In fact I like tech, but it doesn't mean I like seeing it all the time. Most of all I hate cables all over the place. Sadly, as I type this there are 2 cables trailing from my feet to a multiblock to a power point in the wall simply because it is now late evening so my notebook and smartphone (what is smart about a phone that barely lasts a day on a charge?) needed some power to avoid dying on me. I shall coil them away shortly. I have set up wifi to cover the whole house so tablet and notebook use need not require any sockets for internet access. Sadly speakers still require cables as bluetooth speakers still lack the clarity and precision of cabled ones and even if using bluetooth speakers, power would be required.

      I live in a 40 year old house built primarily with concrete so running a new concealed cable requires work akin to excavating a new iron ore mine. Strong house but hard to cable. For this reason our theatre sound system is still lacking rear speakers 8 years after being given the system and it is likely to remain that way. All houses should be built with cable ducting in place to be able to run whatever cables we need from anywhere to anywhere without creating even dust.

    • Tim O'Malley
      hace 7 años
      Is there an option missing here... we have smart technology and think it looks good - am I on my own? I think the Nest thermostat looks really good as well as being a great piece of technology (no need for any additional drilling either as it replaces your current thermostat). It also comes in a range of colours if you buy directly from Nest. We have the copper one shown below. The Nest heat and co detectors is similar in terms of replacing what you have as opposed to new cabling. It looks no worse than standard ones. We have a Bose Soundtouch too and I think it looks pretty cool. It is wireless and links into your Spotify account. I think IoT is getting there in terms of style.
    • PRO
      liv.
      hace 7 años
      Última modificación: hace 7 años

      Hi All,

      Firstly I would like to start by saying this is a very interesting topic (we deal in smart home solutions) and indeed very relevant in home automation - how to create and design products that are innovative yet practically stylised.

      @Isadora though cables can be an issue, all of our projects take extreme care when it comes to cable management. Racks are carefully configured to minimise the visibility of cables whilst keeping them all meticulously organised and out of sight. Pricing for smarthome solutions also varies greatly depending on what it is you desire. Having a fully automated home, from lighting and heating to security and entertainment, will of course be expensive, but discrete audio systems or wifi enabled heating are much less expensive. I feel like the idea of smart tech being incredibly expensive is a bit of a myth that needs debunking.

      @Tim Price & Lauren, I agree completely that unwanted cables and the futuristic design of certain smart tech render them unworthy for some people's homes, especially if they don't fit the aesthetic of the design. As Tim put it, you want to be able to enjoy the tech whilst using it but not have to deal with it being an eyesore in your home when it's not in use. *A perfect example of tech that we integrate are Amina Invisible Speakers, as the name suggests the speakers are rendered into walls and provide exquisite sound, all the while being invisible to the eye, so they do not disrupt your interior styling.

      An example of one of our projects that have smart tech, smartly integrated (sorry!) without disturbing design whilst enhancing the rooms functionality.

      @Tim O'Malley, we agree with you, don't worry.

      If anyone has any questions or queries about smarthome technology please feel free to give a quick call or send us a message. It won't cost you anything and we're really nice I promise!

      Communitec

    • PRO
      none
      hace 7 años

      The Connected Home will be a more prominent aspect of housebuilding moving forward and the maturity of the internet of things has got to the stage where household items such as fridges and TV's are already widely "smart" when bought off the shelf. The next wave of home tech will be much in the same vein as Hive or Nest and are all very easy on the eye. Amazon Echo will also be the entry point of many smart home systems with their exciting voice activated speaker that connects to the rest of your wifi enabled products to allow a seamless and dare I say, futuristic control point. The next few years will be very exciting in this space.

    • Laraine Clarke
      hace 7 años
      I'm way out of touch with kitchen tech, Do I really need it?
    • marron
      hace 7 años
      I think it all needs to be more reliable. I live in an ancient house into which my husband has shoehorned various "smart" tech... however I somehow fail to see the appeal of a system that can leave me without central heating on a freezing evening because the Internet or wifi went down.
    • Tim Price
      hace 7 años

      @Marron, good, no, excellent point. No override or backup controls? Ask your husband to install a control panel with a couple of buttons that are preset to your preferences so a 'one-touch' will put things right after a system outage. Technology is to make things more efficient and comfortable, not worse. When running properly such systems can save you a mint on energy bills, not to mention being able to deter burglars (making the place look like people are home) and so forth, so a bit of perseverance may be worthwhile. Hopefully it is only teething troubles. Power outages impacting controls can be overcome with a UPS and is not expensive. Wifi outages are another issue as they are usually not under your control but that is where programming to continue as normal until wifi is restored comes in. For example, a system that in the absence of user input does the same things as the same day last week would usually be okay as long as your thermostats work.

    • Jon R
      hace 7 años
      Some 'smart tech' works extremely well once set up (Ethernet over power, Sonos for music over wifi, Nest seems pretty good too) but the integration piece is seriously lacking (you'll probably need to install 20 different apps on your phone) and network security is pretty poor (the major internet outage last year was driven in part by vulnerabilities in 'smart' wifi-enabled surveillance cameras). After investigating smart home heating systems here in the U.K. I decided that it wasn't yet ready for prime time unless you wanted to be someone's beta tester: most of the power companies aren't used to thinking of themselves as software shops and so their offerings are pretty poor, while Nest doesn't seem to help much if your heating usage is already very low (one guy we spoke to had his bills go up because he had previously kept the house cooler had been happy with that!).
    • User
      hace 7 años
      Everyone loathes cables, especially when they're BLACK, (the most obtrusive colour in the world!) I've also long been amazed at how slow manufacturers have been in taking integrative design on board in many essential household items such as washing machines and dishwashers. Make them as unobtrusive and attractive as possibly PLEASE! As far as technology is concerned, we may need it, but the dream is wireless connections, invisibility and reliability! Not too much to ask is it?! :)
    • PRO
      Pat Oliver Interior Design
      hace 7 años

      I question how much technology we really need and how much is pressed on us by advertising. Does having the latest techno gizmos make you any happier?


    • kerfan
      hace 7 años
      the "look" is definately a problem for me. i do not like shiny, snazzy, cold looking things. i dont even like these modern cars with their angles and funny shapes, looking like they're about to POUNCE on the future! :) looking like batman's car :) i like life a bit more relaxed and laid back. a bit more warm and cozy. a lot more romantic and trusting.
    • Tim Price
      hace 7 años

      @Pat Oliver Interior Design, interesting question you pose via your modern tech electronic computer instead of quill and parchment. Actually, when you look around a home today compared to pre WWII you see all manner of tech that we simply accept as normal. Everything from hot and cold running water to central heating even before considering programmed controls of these services. Burglar alarms, colour TV, heck, even TV instead of the heavy radiogram stood in the corner. Cookers with thermostat controlled cooking, let alone microwaves, steam ovens, fridges and freezers, later the same that never need defrosting. All examples of what was modern tech as it arrived. Along the way there have been some things that came as tech for tech sake and soon left the scene because they were recognised as just that, tech for tech sake with no real benefit but time is always the revealer of such items.

    • PRO
      AST Joinery&Carpentry
      hace 7 años

      definitely YES as this is future of our living style.

    • Tim Price
      hace 7 años

      As a footnote to my earlier post, it is not that long ago that putting a bathroom, let alone a toilet inside a house instead of in an outhouse was considered revolutionary - the equivalent of what we are referring to as high tech today.

      A lot of things around the house would confuse people from a century ago - right down to such taken for granted things as light switches, electric lights, power sockets, thermostats, electric fans, radiators, air conditioning, tvs, any and all electric appliances. In general we see each new thing as a complication but not long down the road they are so common place and taken for granted that soon after we consider a house without them to be primitive and unlivable.

    • PRO
      liv.
      hace 7 años

      While I do agree with you Tim, I feel we may be veering off topic here slightly about smart home tech looking too "tech-y". The issue of appliances looking too "tech-y" is a problem mores with individual appliances such as washing machines or kettles or standing speakers and less to do with smarthome systems because these are integrated so that ugly wires hidden. In fact most are controlled by a control (or thermostat for example) that are designed to be as minimalist and unassuming as possible.

      There are several trustworthy options to smarthome tech that we could confidently recommend when it comes to security or lighting or audio systems etc. All of which are taking huge steps in making their tech more visually appealing and less obtrusive.

      I suppose what it comes down to is what aspect of your home are you trying to optimise (home entertainment or security)? Or what home systems do you wish you had more control over (lighting and heating) so that you can save more?

    • Tim Price
      hace 7 años

      Communitec, well I for one would like to put in a full electronic home security system with motion activated cameras so if there is an alarm I can view everything on my phone but my house has concrete walls and ceilings so potential installers all want to leave all cables on the surface - even wifi systems require power cables or new batteries way too often. For the same reason the rear speakers for my theatre system are in front with the other speakers - apart from cables to run the wall behind is a glass block feature wall.

      As for veering off topic goes, well I see people commenting on the appearance of things like thermostats and what functions they have as well as a lot on their aesthetics, so lighting, switches, sockets and control interfaces are on topic really.

      The fact that a lot of people simply accept these items without thought just goes to show how today's new tech becomes tomorrow's standard and expected items. Where we locate things has changed a lot due to changes in usage patterns and acceptance of items in different settings - phones are rarely in hallways now for example, even though that was a standard location up to the 1970s (and are disappearing in favour of hand phones). My computer always used to be in a room used as an office but I'm typing this on front of the TV on my notebook (no more PC) - tech evolving to suit environment or attitudes evolving to allow tech into what were exclusion zones or perhaps a mixture of the two?

    • PRO
      Digitalised
      hace 7 años

      Speakers can be heard and not seen, there is an Amina Invisible speaker above the TV in this photo

      Hunters · Más información

    • Sam
      hace 7 años
      I think technology especially with the advent of the internet of things will be used more but I don't believe in technology for technology's sake. When tech provides convenience and is not hideous to look at it will be embraced and now with visual design being more prominent in overall designs we will all probably embrace things without realising the additions.
    • PRO
      Pole Design
      hace 7 años

      Lately we have been looking at the design of home offices and medical centres. This requires such a clean look for phones etc. We have found these White Cisco VoIP phones which have been very popular The Company we used to service this was www.gripcom.co.uk. They just send you out the phone in a box all ready to go and plugin to your internet connection. It only has one cable and you don't need a telephone connection just Broadband. It works great and its where all technology is heading now. All the calls are linked to your Smartphone so you have total flexibility to take calls whether you are in or out of the office.


    • Pauline cotton
      hace 6 años
      When we renovated our bedroom (70s house), we decided we didn't want any cables showing from the wall lights, tv and speakers so did the mammoth task of digging channels out in the walls and running the cables either up into the loft or down to the plugs and then had an electrician do all the connections. It made a hell of a mess as both walls were exterior walls (house had been extended) with breeze block on one wall and solid brick on the other but the end result was well worth it
    • PRO
      User
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      The beauty of technology for me is in its functionality and simplicity. I'm sure many here will agree that tech-enhanced appliances and gadgets do bring a lot to the table, but at the same time can be pure ugly or just to complex to use by an average Joe.

      Starting from smart scales that measure body composition, through neat central heating thermostats, centrally located AV systems with speakers in each room, curtain automation, to smart kitchen appliances and intelligent security and access - technology is everywhere and it is not going away.

      Personally I don't really like futuristic looking gadgets with flashy displays and hundreds of functions and buttons that almost no one ever uses. I prefer gentle, clean lines, with cleverly hidden features that provides just enough functionality in a user friendly and easy to operate way.

      Best examples here would be Nest thermostat and smoke detectors or Whitings body scale and Thermo body temperature thermometer, but lets not forget about the technology enhancements that are totally or nearly totally hidden, require very sporadic user intervention, but yet make a huge impact on our life, like mechanical ventilation systems (HVAC's), no frost fridges, cool door ovens, remote gate openers to name amongst many.

      To answer the question - I would be more likely to invest in smart technology if it looked less techy and more traditionally.

    • PRO
      Kia Designs
      hace 6 años

      I think its a combination of style and dating. Tech should be discreet and able to blend in with the rest of the design, but also, many of our clients worry that they will invest in tech, for it only to outdated within the next 6 months. If something can easily blend in and be easily updated at the same time, you're onto a winner.

    • PRO
      AV Genie Ltd
      hace 5 años

      Plaster in speakers are completely invisible, what better solution than invisible? There are also in wall temperature probes, centralised TV distribution. Smart homes can be completely inconspicuous .

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