Co-living is among the most practical, economic, and friendly ways to live. Private bedrooms and shared public spaces provide for more efficient use of the space and amenities. The better the shared features of a co-living house, the more everyone enjoys their residence. Today, one of the best ways to upgrade a co-living house is to add smart devices and an integrated smart control system.
Smart devices are responsive and intuitive. They make the entire house more accessible to every member of the co-living household. Even personalization becomes possible when the smart home recognizes each person as they occupy the house.
Let’s dive into what is possible when incorporating smart devices in co-living.
Smart Lock and Individual Codes
When it comes to shared spaces, smart locks are an excellent upgrade. A keypad smart lock can have a different access code assigned to each member of the household. As co-living roommates come and go, codes can be generated or deleted. In fact, you can even activate codes during certain days and times – like the scheduled arrival of your cleaning service or a temporary gate code for a delivery.
Smart Check-In and Video Doorbells
Doorbells and check-in also play a key role. In co-living, who is inside the house can matter. A quick check-in app or tablet in the entryway can let other residents know who comes and goes.
Video doorbells are a great way to keep track of guests, share greetings, and even let in expected guests via the smart lock without personally answering the door. A video doorbell can also serve as a porch security system with basic features like alarms and security alerts connected to the program.
Smart Thermostat with Comfort Tracking
A smart thermostat can help coordinate comfort and affordable utilities for the entire co-living household. When no one is home, the smart home can optimize the HVAC to use the minimum amount of power. As residents return home, the thermostat can balance their comfort level to the perfect indoor temperature. Multi-zone smart thermostats allow for personalized temperatures in every part of the house.
Shared Control Tablet or Panel
Each co-living resident will be able to download the smart apps on their personal devices and log into the household account. However, many co-living homes will prefer a centralized tablet mounted to the wall or propped on the coffee table to share mutual easy control of the smart home. A central tablet may soon become the hallmark of shared spaces just as it has reached prevalence in hospitality industries.
Smart Parking and Garage Door
For co-living with a parking area, smart parking devices are essential. Garage door and gate openers, in particular, can respond to the approach of a resident’s phone to open only for authorized vehicles. Likewise, a quick app tap could easily replace the tedium of passing out gate openers. Even smart lighting can be used to easily indicate which parking spot each arriving resident should take.
Smart Lights and Voice Commands
Speaking of smart lights, this is often where most smart homes get started – and get personal. Smart lights are LED bulbs that screw into normal light sockets. However, they can achieve any color in additiont to illuminating white light and take voice commands in addition to light switches.
Smart lights can bring mood lights to the living room, personalized lighting to each bedroom, and custom lights in the kitchen. The key to enjoying smart lights is to build ‘groups’ by room, then build voice commands to control each light as the co-living residents enjoy most.
Smart House Decorations
Smart homes have become so advanced that even decorations can respond to voice commands. Light panels hung on walls and smart sculptures can change colors, glow in set patterns, pulse to music, and respond to smart routines to change the mood from room to room. Smart decorations are bringing the smart home experience to life in every corner of the home.
Announcements and Drop-Ins
Another great element of smart homes for co-living is the inner-house communication system. An array of smart home speakers listening for voice commands can also act as an intercom. Residents can make house-wide announcements or ‘drop in’ on another area of the house for an across-the-house chat.
Personalized Routines
Last but not least, routines can be what personalizes a co-living home for each individual resident and for the residents as a group. You can set up a routine – a set of commands executed with a single voice command – for anything. A “morning” routine might slowly sunrise the lights and start the smart coffee pot brewing. A “Night Security” routine might lock all the doors and set the doorbell to security mode.
Smart devices have great potential in co-living because they increase and personalize the value of shared amenities. When the home itself responds to the individual and group needs of a shared living household, it provides a better experience for everyone. Contact us today to explore smart home upgrades for your co-living space.