Brick, Mortar and Alexa

Just a decade ago, technology was anything but aesthete. With focus being centered only on functionality rather than design, most interior designers found it extremely difficult to incorporate some really cool tech into a modern house. Consequently, today, in light of the innovations listed below, they are as medieval as the castle of Edinburgh.

iRobot E5 – There are vacuum cleaners and then there is the iRobot E5. This is a smart vacuum cleaner like no other. Simply set it up once in a convenient corner of your house, set up the time schedule that you would want to have your house cleaned using the Roomba app and you are done. The E5 will get to work as per your schedule, by moving away from the charging dock, clean the house, and dock itself back when the task is done. It has an in built battery that is capable of powering the device for 90 minutes, and if ever the battery starts getting low during a task, the E5 will find its way back to the charging dock, charge itself, and continue with the task. Using the app, you can also set up cleaning tasks manually and abort whenever you need to. Oh, and did we mention that it is supported

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Available on irobot.in/Roomba-e5 for ₹49,990/-

Ecobee4 Thermostat – The Ecobee4 is one of the most exciting and versatile thermostats. That is to say it is also one of the most smart thermostats. Because it has Amazon’s Voice Services integrated, it can respond to your voice commands with a breeze. Moreover, you can also ask it to read the news, play your music (provided you already have Echo speakers) and do everything that an Echo can. The additional temperature sensing units also allow the Ecobee to automatically adjust the temperature that suits you best.

Available on Amazon.in for ₹29,999/-

Somfy Motorised Curtains – Manually adjusting drapes and blinders is so passé! Motorised Curtain rails are the future! Although there are several motorized curtains available in the market, Somfy’s product caught our eye. No other product offers the automation options like Somfy at their price point. The Telis 6 Chronis RTS for example, their premium control device allows you to set everything from timers to the amount of sunlight that enters your room, for how long the curtains should be drawn etc. Plus, if you get one of their automated sensors, you can select certain presets that allow the curtains to be drawn and shut depending on the sunlight, whether or not someone is present on the room, and even according to the room’s temperature. Moreover, you can control the curtains using your smart phone, once you set it up.

Available at somfy.co.in; pricing available on request.

Philips Hue – A smart home cannot be imagined without the Philips Hue LED lights. The best thing about these LEDs is that they are not only great for the environment, as they consume very little power, they last longer than your traditional LED bulbs. Starting at ₹2000/- for each bulb, they may seem a bit pricey, but given the fact that these can last for more than 5 years, they are probably the bargain of the century. Moreover they are an interior designer’s dream come true as they can not only match a certain ambience and décor, but can change colours to accentuate your décor, using the Hue app. Moreover, you can set the lights to pulsate, flicker softly, strobe or change hues by setting presets. And again, the main control hub, or the Hue Bridge is compatible with major smart assistants, so all the functionalities can be accessed over voice commands.

Available at Amazon.in, starting at ₹6500/-

Godrej Locks Advantis – Who would have thought the humble lock and keys would one day get a stylish makeover? With their Advantis Locks, Godrej has managed to do just that. Not only do they look drop dead gorgeous, especially in black, they are practical as well. There are two variants of these locks, the higher end of which uses a biometric system. Both of the variants come loaded with features – upto 100 passwords, support for up to 100 RFID cards. Other features include auto locking, a privacy function that only allows the doors to be unlocked from the inside. It also has a Fire Sensor that will unlock, when it detects a fire. Moreover, it also has a function which allows flat owners to be notified whenever someone tries to tamper with the lock.

Available at Amazon.in, starting at ₹27,000/-