WHAT IS A “SMART” KITCHEN?

As a professional interior designer in Bergen County, NJ, one of the most sought after projects today are kitchen renovations.  It may be an update or a complete makeover.  One of the biggest challenges in kitchen design today is incorporating home automation and smart appliances and devices into the kitchen.

Those people who make their kitchens “smart” and include new technology help to minimize their work in the kitchen and get more free time.  Today we can control lots of new devices for the home remotely and wirelessly.

What are some of the products and issues facing us when we use smart devices in kitchen design?

#1. What are some of the tools we use?

This year Apple’s Home Ped, Amazon Echo and Echo Dot and Google Home are vying for your attention. They can be used to control various functions such as kitchen lighting, playing music, turning on the oven, unlock the doors or lock them, buying our groceries and having them delivered, turning on the heat or a/c etc.

Sorry, they do not walk the dog in the rain—yet!

#2. What are some of the issues we have when using smart technology?

A smart speaker system is always listening for our needs. There are settings that enable the system to record us, and send our personal data to the cloud– if we agree.  That means you no longer have the rights to the conversations that occur in your home.

Sometimes the voices on TV commercials have been known to trigger your device to phone into online stores to order/purchase products you may not want.

But on the other side, if there is an emergency, Alexa can call 911 for you!

Although voice recognition is about 95% accurate, it still may not be where we need it to be.

#3. What about privacy in your home?

Right now, the companies want your data. Amazon needs your data to be the leader in sales; Google needs your data to be the leader in search.  Apple doesn’t send your data to the cloud and thinks your privacy is more important than making a huge profit.

#4. What’s coming?

With a surge in artificial intelligence, the newest innovation is the Echo Look from Amazon.  It is a smart camera which is also a smart speaker.

We are moving at warp speed. We no longer need touch screens, keyboards and mice.  We can just talk to our computers.  There are great benefits.  But we also need to include privacy protections regarding collection of personal information, etc. in new law.

As we improve, our voices will be able to do things in our homes that will provide us with great benefits and potential uses.

Fasten your seatbelts and get ready! Home automation will become the standard in new homes and remodeled homes now and in the future.