Control4’s Architect & Designer Program Manager describes how smart home technology can enhance interior design
BY DANIELLE KARR
MORE AND MORE, I hear from the design-build community that they find themselves at a loss for how to elegantly meet the growing number of clients who want the latest technology incorporated into their major remodel or new build project. They are wading into unfamiliar waters and trying to navigate balancing technological functionality with design aesthetics and the client’s lifestyle expectations. That being said, many interior designers are beginning to learn that they do not have to navigate the world of technology alone; in fact, they are realizing—with great relief—that their designs can actually be enhanced by technology with the help of a smart home professional.
I have been reaching out to designers with a simple message: you are not on your own with technology. Our amazing Control4 team, like many other technology companies, help designers seeking out education and guidance on smart home technologies to learn how to successfully incorporate them into their designs.
Additionally, the concept of a smart home technology designer, also known as a smart home professional or systems integrator, is something they all are excited about because it gives them an ally they can call on in the space and takes the pressure off of them to learn everything about the technology themselves.
Just like tile or cabinetry or appliances, more than one person can expertly specify for a project—which is why designers have a team of experts they rely on when creating a beautiful and custom space for a client. Adding a technology designer to that team is how designers will set themselves and their work apart in the industry.
Supporting our design partners’ needs and goals as designers as well as business professionals is one of our industry’s main goals. That is why many manufacturers have invested in experience centers around the world that support your efforts on a local level—providing technology advice, guidance, and, if needed, product that is custom to the designer’s project.
One of the main goals of a technology designer should be to listen often and closely to understand the designer’s vision, and then bring that vision to life through home automation. I see so many partnerships in the design-build and technology worlds where everyone is genuinely excited to work together; with their partnership transforming them into innovators within their respective industries.
As designers know well, you can’t design in a vacuum. It takes a team of talented and passionate professionals to bring a project together. The same goes for technology. Technology looks best when well designed and functions best when well designed. So, who is on your team? Get out there and start expanding your network in what I call our “family of industries,” building genuine friendships, learning more about what other professionals can offer and how you can work together, and then creating homes that will truly delight clients. Whether you are a designer or an integrator, building out a talented team is what will transform your projects—and your business—in ways never before possible.
– Danielle Karr, Control4
