Contributed by Ana Bera of Safeatlast.co
If you happen to be living in a home that is wired up – one of those smart homes – you're uniquely situated to throw a party like no other
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With all the trappings of domotics (home automation) now readily available online and in your neighbourhood hardware store, you could bring mature properties into the 21st century with an internet router, a voice controller, and a collection of smart plugs to automate your electrical appliances. With some of the latest smart appliances released in the last few years, you could go several steps further and host a house full of guests with unprecedented ease. Here are some of the ways a smart home could elevate your house party to whole new levels today.
Arrivals
Guests tend to arrive at different times, and everyone has their own understanding of being “fashionably on time” (or late). If the timing is just right (or rather just not right), you might be playing bellhop when you should actually be entertaining guests. That's a problem smart locks can help with. Smart locks can be operated directly from your smartphone so you don't have to run to the door every time the doorbell goes off.
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An advanced setup with a camera, and perhaps even a motion sensor, would enable you to check on who is at your door before opening it – and if your smart lock is the kind with a number pad, you could also send access codes to the front door of your property so that invited guests could let themselves in as they arrive. With some smart locks, these access codes can also be set to expire once the party has concluded – which prevents the repeated use of these codes.
Photo by Jan Antonin Kolar on Unsplash.
Set The Atmosphere
Every aspect of your home's ambience is fully within your control with the right set of smart devices. You can set parameters such as temperature and humidity, programmed in advance on a digital thermostat connected to your home's WIFI network, or on the fly with a voice assistant as more warm bodies fill the room.
Photo by Justin Schüler on Unsplash.
Pro tip: Hit all the senses with scent dispensers to emit pleasant fragrances and enhance the atmosphere of your party.
Light It Up
Smart blinds and lights can also be operated from your phone or through your smart speaker – but if you looking to impress, have all these fixtures programmed to regulate the lighting automatically depending on the time of day and the mood you want to set.
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Smart lights burn more efficiently, so if your entire house is lit up for a soirée, the electricity bill won’t break the bank. These lights can also be coupled with motion sensors so guests won’t even have to know where the light switches are. Lights can be programmed to automatically switch on as movement is detected in a room and can also be set to dim as guests wander off to other parts of the home.
Photo by Daniel Tseng on Unsplash.
Play It Right
A decent selection of music is perhaps the most important ingredient of a successful party. Use a few smart speakers to play music throughout the house – and you don’t even fret about the genre of music you’re going to play.
You could rely on ready-made playlists of everything from the latest hits to evergreen tracks curated by other listeners around the world, or take the time to build a customised playlist tailored to your guests’ tastes and your party's theme.
Food and Beverage
You would expect some compliments on the food you serve – but that you don't have stand and sweat over a hot stove all day. You don’t have to struggle all by yourself. Get help around the house from your smart kitchen appliances.
Photo by Naomi Hébert on Unsplash.
With certain smart fridges, your party can be kept stocked with fresh cold water and a continuously refilled ice cube tray throughout the night. Prep all the meals and snacks in advance with the help of your smart fridge and oven. Download recipes from your favourite celebrity chefs straight from the internet onto your fridge and have the recipes read to you while you prepare. You could also keep an eye on the contents of the fridge by checking the onboard camera on some newer models.
Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash.
You don’t have to be stuck cooking in the kitchen whilst everyone else enjoys the party. Place your pre-prepped meals in your smart oven and let the device take over as you return to hosting what everyone will be calling the most awesome (and smart) dinner party of the year. The decent smart oven will know when a meal is cooked to perfection, maintain temperatures to keep your dishes warm – and even send a notification to your smartphone to let you know when dinner is ready to be served.
Photo by Thomas Kolnowski on Unsplash.
You can be the most awesome host whilst sweating it out in the middle of your party, or you can do it the smart home way. Smart homes are meant to help you in everyday life, make chores easier and cheaper too. The right set of appliances and peripheral devices can also help you to throw a heck of a party.
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