co-living design

Incorporating Smart Devices in Co-living Design

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.

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How to Plan Your Co-Living Space for Harmonious Shared Use

Co-living is a wonderful and practical way for many people to enjoy city life. Whether you are designing a space for co-living tenants or planning the kitchen and livingroom of a home you share with friends, the shared spaces are what matter most in your co-living home design. These are the spaces where everyone comes together for meals or enjoys separately according to their schedule. To create harmony, your co-living space should both flow with easy use and be aesthetically pleasing to every member of the home.

Designing and/or renovating your co-living space is all about considering what is most beautiful and beneficial for the group. As professional designers, we can offer a few great tips on how to design beautiful and harmonious co-living spaces.

Create Open Spaces and Foot Traffic Flow

The first tip is to design with space in mind. An enjoyable co-living space is one where everyone can easily move around, reach the storage, and enjoy the seating without feeling crowded. A beautiful room is one that is spacious, drawing the eye to a few key pieces of decoration that make the entire space feel luxurious rather than busy. Make the most of your space with just the right furniture and artistic pieces while leaving plenty of room for both movement and gatherings.

Choose a Color Palette for Furniture and Decor

People are happier in co-living spaces when they feel well put-together. Your co-living design doesn’t have to be eclectic; your shared living room, kitchen, and other shared spaces can be as beautiful as magazine spreads and as inspiring. The key is in the color-palette. Choose a sunrise palette of warm yellow, gold, orange, and cream with hints of blue just like the sky at dawn. Or decorate in the cool shades of creamy gray for a touch of elegance.

By choosing a color palette, you will make it easy to find furniture and decorations that make the room design come together so that each aesthetic piece is a part of a more beautiful whole. Bring your palette to life with an accent wall, throw pillows, and a few pieces of art on the wall.

Hang Inspiring Artwork

Speaking of wall art, choose your paintings and prints carefully. Co-living means decorating in a way that shares the tastes of everyone in the home. For this, your best options are things that everyone finds inspiring. Choose landscapes, floral prints, and abstracts to hang on your wall. These can uplift the spirit and make each co-living resident feel inspired when they move through the space without presuming each person’s individual taste in art.

Many beautiful pieces can also make a room feel larger, acting as additional windows to places more spacious and majestic.

Place Small Aesthetic Decor on Tables and Counters

Small pieces of decor are the key to making a co-living space feel decorated while also keeping the surfaces clean and accessible. Little clusters of beautifully potted plants, sculptures, and lights are the perfect touch for a space that is both lived-in but also always kept clean to be harmoniously shared by all residents. Neutral tones and splashes of your chosen accent colors are the best way to make your decorations on tables and counters will be aesthetic to everyone and also remind residents to keep those surfaces attractively clean.

Clever Coaster Placement

Coasters can act as both a helpful utility for social gatherings and lovely decor. Stone coasters and inlay coasters are both a beautiful addition to your coffee table or countertop. Coasters protect your polished surfaces while also making it clear that social gatherings are welcome. This is a wonderful way to signal to your co-living residents that the space is decorated not as a museum, but to be enjoyed by all who share the space.

Pace a Large Artistic Clock on the Wall

Give your space a useful and elegant feature with a large wall clock. Many people, especially when cooking, like to glance at the clock to keep track of their timing. Residents moving through the space will always know what time it is and clocks are wonderfully neutral way to decorate according to everyone’s tastes. The right clock can also express the shared personality of the residents by adding a little quirkiness and refinement to your co-living space design.

If you are planning to design or renovate co-living spaces, consider the harmony and enjoyment of every resident in your design. The key to great co-living design is to make choices that are beautiful and useful to everyone. Give each co-resident plenty of space to move around, accessible surfaces, good lighting, and beautiful decorations that enhance each person’s ability to enjoy the space together and alone. Contact us today or explore our shop to find beautiful pieces and color palettes for your co-living space design.