You may still be enjoying that summer vacation or parties at the pool, but school is right around the corner. Before you know it, it will be time to get supplies and get back into a routine. A home automation system installed in your Carmel, IN home can help by guiding your schedule every day using lights, audio/video and more. Here are some great ideas on how to go back to school organized.

SEE ALSO: How to Entertain Guests with Home Automation

Use Your Smart Home to Wake Up

There’s nothing harder than having to wake up super early—unless you’re a morning person. To start getting used to hearing that alarm go off at 5 a.m. after sleeping in all summer, create a wake up scene using a Control4 system. Create a playlist of some fun songs and schedule them to come on at 5 a.m. You can even make the volume start off soft and gradually get louder to not startle you out of a heavy sleep. At the same time, your lights will turn on at 50%, the shades will open, and the TV in your bedroom will turn on the morning news. 

You can do the same thing for your children too. Ask them which songs they would like to hear in the morning while they get ready, and program their lights and shades to activate at 6 a.m. after you’ve had your coffee or got in a morning workout. 

We have a lot of summer blockbusters to look forward to, but the truth is it’s never fun to fight the crowds at the box office. With so many fun flicks to watch over the next few months, why not bring the big movie experience home? Installing a home theater system in your Indianapolis, IN house is essential, but there are multiple ways to do it—including outfitting your backyard. Yes, it is possible to put your home theater outside. Here are some tips on how to work with us to do it right.

SEE ALSO: Theme Ideas for Your Dedicated Home Theater

The Outdoor Theater Basics

Currently, you need to purchase an outdoor TV to enjoy watching movies, sports, and more outside. But if you want a big screen, the reality is you will need to use it primarily at night. Outdoor TVs have special anti-glare technology that can display high-contrast images in even the brightest sunlight. However, there currently aren’t professional-grade projectors that can handle bright sunlight. Here’s what you are going to need to make watching movies outside possible.

The Projector

Every surveillance camera has a specific purpose, but do you know what each one is used for? We don’t recommend you use the same type of security camera in each area of your Indianapolis, IN property. In this blog, we will cover the different types of cameras and where you should use them. Only a security and surveillance professional will be able to install these cameras properly and tie them to an integrated system for quick and easy access. Keep reading to learn more.

Lighting is essential in every home, but did you know that how you install your lighting will largely impact how your home feels and looks? Lighting control isn’t just about functionality or convenience; it’s also about beauty. The décor in your Zionsville, IN home will look better in the right light. So how do you highlight your artwork and other furnishings with light control? Read this blog to find out. 

SEE ALSO: 7 Ways to Improve the Lighting in Your Indiana Home

When updating or renovating your Zionsville, IN home, you may want to consider how you are going to host guests. You need to have a room ready for relatives and friends who want or need to stay with you. Providing a comfortable bed and clean bathroom are musts, but what about making their stay extra special with home automation? Add a 4K TV, invisible speakers, and custom controls and your visitor will be in awe of your smart home. Not only will they feel welcome, but they will also have a story to talk about! Read this blog to discover some ideas on how to be the perfect host with technology. 

SEE ALSO: An Audio/Video Installer’s Guide to New Construction 

According to a survey done by Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Americans are starting to think differently about homes that are “move-in-ready.” Last year, the survey which included 1,250 adults, showed 71 percent of Americans not only want move-in ready homes instead of fixer-uppers, but they also want them to be “smart-ready.” Forty-four percent of people said that smart-home technology should already be installed and another 57 percent would consider an older, renovated home if it had smart home technology. If you are a builder, architect, or designer, these findings are clear—new homes need to have new technology, and a professional audio video installer with home automation and home networking expertise should be the one to manage the project. Here are our top three reasons why.

1. Increase Your Home’s Value

With the Internet of Things and automation on the rise, more families are interested in upgrading to a smart home—whether it be by building a new house or renovating a current property. If you add smart technology to your new home now, it will be well worth the investment down the road. Your home will have a higher resale value and be enticing to buyers if you sell in the future. From the perspective of a builder or real estate agent, the home will surely sell faster with a whole house audio system, smart thermostat, or whole home controls. Families want safe and stylish homes, but they also want the luxury of using today’s most current tech too.

SEE ALSO: 5 Smart Home Features to Attract Buyers

2. Make Your Home Future-ready

Of course, it’s essential to know a new house has the proper structural foundations, but does it have the right audio, video, and network foundations to support the current technology as well as the gadgets of the future? We live in a super-connected society—one that is online all the time. By installing the proper wiring, you’ll support all of the devices in your home—from distributed audio and video to lighting controls and surveillance systems. Installing the most up-to-date infrastructure in your new home will make it reliable and relevant for future generations. Even if the technology does change years down the road, you will be able to easily update your system in a connected home.

3. Add Convenience and Simplicity to Your Home

We’ve talked about the benefits of luring homebuyers and prepping your home for future generations, but what about your own personal rewards? Smart home technology is convenient and can greatly enhance your lifestyle. You’ll be able to control every room and every feature easily on a smartphone or tablet, as well as prepare your spaces for any occasion with one simple press. Customize your settings with the swipe of your finger and save them for future use. You’ll find that a smart home will make your hectic schedule easier to manage and will simplify a lot of your activities. Who wouldn’t want that in their new dream home?

People tend to focus on brands of equipment when planning to purchase a whole house music system.  However, there are many important factors to consider in order to make your next home audio project a success.  While the size, type and quality of speakers and amplifiers are certainly important, the location of the speakers in each room, and the room acoustics are often overlooked.  These items are critical to achieving a satisfactory result.  The overall scope of a great audio system should include a solid design plan, the proper equipment installed by an experienced professional, and should include exploring any necessary acoustic modifications that need to be made to ensure your music system sounds great. The team at The Premier Group is well versed in specifying the right music system solutions, including acoustic treatments, and we also take great care to properly tune your audio system when the physical installation is complete.  

1. Align the Speakers

Single speakers broadcast sound in one direction and transmit all of the audio at once. A better approach is to place multiple speakers around the room so they project the sound towards you from every direction and provide even coverage.  You also want to make sure that the speakers perform with a minimum of loss. That means the speakers should be focused toward your seating arrangement so that you and your guests don’t miss a note.

While there are plenty of diagrams available online that illustrate potential layouts for your audio system, consulting a professional will yield the best results with your investment in your individual space.

SEE ALSO: Which Source is Best for My Whole House Music System?

2. Check Your Surfaces

The type of surfaces you have in your room play a big role in how the sound will perform. Have you ever walked into a large corridor with a tile floor, walls of stone or glass, and hard ceilings?  You will hear a lot of echo. Even in a smaller room, hard surfaces quickly reflect the sound, and you end up focusing on the reflections rather than the original sound.

If you are a new mom, you are discovering that everything changes when you bring an infant home—from your sleep schedule to your daily habits. A smart home automation system complete with security and surveillance will help you and your spouse care for your newborn. From smart doorbells and intercoms to thermostats, lighting, and surveillance, The Premier Group is ready to help protect your little one with technology.

SEE ALSO: Use Security Cameras to Protect Your Valuables and Enhance Your Home in Indianapolis, IN

1. Silent Doorbells, Intercoms, and Smart Locks

The last thing you want after putting a baby to sleep is for your doorbell to ring loudly through the house. To help prevent your infant from waking up, use a video doorbell or intercom system to get a silent notification on your phone that someone is at the door. When your smartphone buzzes, you’ll know a guest has arrived to visit and then you can unlock the door right from there, or open it quietly for them. Of course if you see it’s a stranger using the video intercom, you can ignore the buzz.

Another way to eradicate the use of loud doorbells is installing smart locks. If your mom comes to visit the newborn, you can create a custom user code so when she arrives, she can just punch in the code and walk inside your house. Your baby won’t wake up and you’ll get to spend more time catching up with friends and family.

Dedicated home theaters are one of those focal points in a home. Not only do they add value to your property, but they also enhance your entertainment experience. To give your home theater that extra ‘wow’ factor, pick a theme that will serve as the overall design scheme for the room.

Have you taken a good look at how you use the lights in your home and whether or not they meet all of your daily needs? Homeowners sometimes don’t know what they’re missing until they see what’s available. Smart bulbs and automated controls are some of the best ways to control your lighting. There are many ways you can improve how your lighting looks and operates—from affordable and quick fixes to more expansive installations. Read our blog to discover a multitude of ways you can enhance your home with lighting control. 

SEE ALSO: What does your lighting installation say about you?