In the home: New tech driving trend toward personalized decor

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Did you know that you can match your house’s lights to your favourite sports team or even some techno music? These are just a couple of the hot autumn trends I learned about at the recent Ottawa Fall Home Show at the Cohere Centre. 

I first spoke with Matt Lee and Travis Lee, who are the co-owners of Bright Neighbour. Their company specializes in permanent outdoor lighting. They showed me how, with a few quick commands on an app, you can customize your home’s lighting motif to, well, just about anything.  

There are literally hundreds of options to complement any holiday or theme you might want (and when you’re not celebrating, the soft white default light serves as gentle general lighting around your property). 

You can even connect your lights to your Alexa device, allowing them to move and flash along with the music. Best of all, the colour-matched tracks holding the LEDs blend in perfectly with your home and tuck seamlessly under your roofline – or just about anywhere else you’d like a little extra illumination.  

Once they’re installed, they’re essentially maintenance free and you’ll never have to worry about climbing up ladders to put your Christmas tree lights up again. However, the trend doesn’t stop with houses.  

The Lee brothers told me that personalized landscape lighting is a huge trend this fall. Me being me, I immediately envisioned shrubs and rosebushes all bedazzled with lights, but thankfully they clarified that the landscaping in question is more about decks and patios. That makes a lot more sense! So if your backyard needs a little pizazz, this is the way to go. 

Colour, personalization, and plenty of tech were also on display among the gorgeous fireplaces being showcased by The Stove Store.  

I had a personal interest in this one as I grew up with a wood stove and I just love their warmth and sound. Alas, my current home will only allow for electric models, something I didn’t know much about.  

President Brian Belanger showed me just how far electric fireplaces have come over the years, and they’re highly realistic now compared to the models of yore. I loved that they now have subtle crackling sounds, just like the wood fires I grew up with.  

However, some decidedly not-so-realistic touches are super hot now, if you’ll pardon the pun. Flames with green and purple accents immediately caught my eye. It’s all about colour here too! I also enjoyed hearing Belanger describe how homeowners are customizing their units.  

Unusual faux wood, glass marbles, and even toy cars are some of the fun accents he’s seen. Those touches require a hands-on take with your decor, but when it comes to customizing the intensity of the flames, their colour, the heat, the sound, and more, you can control everything from your phone, perfect for when you are far too cozy on the couch to get up and change things around. 

Want to take your lighting to the next level? Most electric fireplace units have a discreet input on the side that lets you connect custom LEDs or other electronics to complete your high-tech look. 

So what’s behind this trend of personalized home decor that is driven by tech? I spoke with Danica Guibord, a selections coordinator and designer, and Becky Chekan, a project coordinator, at Amsted Design-Build to get more insight. They confirmed my suspicions. 

This fall, it’s all about personalization and if you can amp that up with a little integrated technology, even better. Integrated lighting with sound systems, home automation, and device control are all major forces in home design and renovation. However, not all homeowners are motivated strictly by the fun of personalization. 

Guibord and Chekan report that aging in place and prioritizing accessibility are really catching homeowners’ attention these days. How exactly do those priorities line up with a high tech home?  

Guibord shared two examples of seemingly simple things that can make a huge difference. She noted that homeowners who have recently started using a wheelchair might find that integrating lights into a smart device is a much easier and more affordable option than rewiring and lowering switches.  

Meanwhile, people with visual changes can take advantage of specially designed lighting along stairs and floors to navigate their homes more safely and easily. 

Of course, for many a trend, there’s also a corresponding anti-trend. Maybe there’s a counter- movement out there to make houses as old-school and anti-tech as possible? Nope! Guibord assured me that this is one trend that’s moving full speed ahead.  

There are so many ways to make a house a home and the intersection of personalization, accessibility, and technology have only just begun to make an impact.