28 | YOUR HOME MAGAZINE
DESIGNER Q&A
with Claudia Leah
HIGH-TECH INTERIOR DESIGN
The Internet of Things has made home design an increasingly
sophisticated process. The popularity and affordability of smart
home products has led research firm Gartner, Inc. to predict
that by 2022 a typical family home, in a mature affluent market, could
contain several hundred smart objects. Keeping them all connected has
become the domain of voice-activated systems like Amazon’s Echo or
Google’s Home.
LUXURY OR LIFESAVER?
This technology is a boon for homeowners, particularly for mature adults
who wish to “age in place”—remaining in the comfort of their own homes
as long as physically possible. While we may be tempted to think of them
Hunter Douglas
Motorized Shades are
the epitome of hightech
window coverings.
as frivolous or luxurious, technology-enhanced furnishings and décor can
mean the difference between a rest home and resting in one’s own home.
For example, a homeowner with declining strength or arthritic hands who
finds drawing heavy draperies difficult, can adjust motorized draperies
easily with the push of a button or by speaking a voice command.
Modern smart beds offer raised heads, raised feet, anti-gravity settings,
massage features, and temperature control, all of which aid certain
infirmities as much as they enhance sleep.
BEYOND THE BED AND BATH
Infinitely adjustable recliners and sofas, and motorized lift chairs add a
measure of comfort for everyone, and to some homeowners they are a