Good Home Design

Archive for August, 2009

Sure we’ve heard these terms at any time, and also sure many of us know the real extent of these words.
In short we could say that talking about digital home mean to talk about the convergence of technologies and systems applied to our comfort, leisure and security within our house. We have heard many times words like intelligent, multimedia network, IP cameras and the like. When we integrate these concepts and unify into a single system for the user, then we speak of digital home.

Trying to simplify, we can identify three levels of technology within the framework of digital home:

Media and entertainment
In this case it is to access any audiovisual content either stored or through Internet, from any audio device or screen that we have at home. We could be seeing the same movie or listening to the same disk from the living room, bedroom or kitchen. We will discuss protocols such as UPnP, DLNA and systems such as Media Center and Media Center Extender. With this scheme, for example an Xbox can connect to our network and multimedia can automatically access all the videos and music that you store on our network.

Comfort
When we speak of comfort in the digital home, we talk about devices that integrate control of lighting and temperature of the home. We can create profiles for our home comfort, which automatically regulates the light of the rooms, blinds and room temperature. Here succeed as KNX protocols, digital thermostats, which properly configured can access the system from the handset, for example to turn on the heat before coming home.

Security
This level, home security refers to the various video recording devices, presence, alarms and sensors to provide security at home. We can for example see in real time from the mobile what’s happening in our kitchen, or trigger an emergency call with the push of a button on a screen in our house. Without doubt the key to the digital home is the integration and interoperability of these levels you and for that we must fulfill the following conditions:

- One or more physical networks interconnected
In this case we can choose different network technologies: wired Ethernet, wireless or PLC fundamentally. The first two are the most common when talking about multimedia networks, while PLC (network based on the power line) is more common when we talk about comfort, lighting and other aspects of home automation. So we might be combining a network based on wifi network for multimedia and another based on PLC for comfort.

- A main controller, content and communications server
On the one hand, our network will need a multimedia content server on the other hand, our network of comfort you will need a computer that controls all the devices that compose it.

- A single user interface and simplified
Located in the controller and client server to the scheme should be a single user interface that allows us to access and manage all the multimedia content and the various means of comfort.

The room decoration, and as a basis, the color of the walls of a small apartment a few aspects should be taken into account to achieve a visual extension of the proportions and use every inch of its surface.

The colors of the walls
It is known that light colors, especially white, wide spaces as we say in Create effects with the colors, why opt for pastel shades of every hue is the most recommendable. Avoid dark colors and warm too strong or bright. But this does not always meet the tastes of each one of us, sometimes we try to give life to the department and live in warm colors that brighten the rooms and create a dynamic and youthful. In the case of using these warm colors for walls can choose orange, yellow, earthy colors, green apple, all combined with shades of white or light wood and similar fabrics. Another option is light-colored paint most of the walls of the room, and use a higher pitch in a small wall to give the note of color and contrast. Another aspect that is often overlooked is the continuity of the colors in the move to different rooms. An apartment painted the same color or similar colors in different rooms, creates a feeling of continuity and consistency that increases the space visually have no color limits.

Type, shape, color and distribution of furniture
Not only just the right choice of colors, the furniture is the key to select in the use of space. Small furniture, particularly furniture to low table height, wall space and create space in the visual field of the occupants.
The simple forms are the best, the chairs look as bulky and cumbersome designs of a classic style are less suitable. Avoid unnecessary recharge stays, opt for a minimalist Zen or decoration can give an idea.
Try different layouts of the furniture to make space, opting for good transit. You can replace furniture and large side tables, modular furniture or TV stand shelves, brackets hanging on the wall or floating shelves. Take the corners.

Lighting, Fabrics and Accessories
The lighting is fundamental to any interior, especially in a small one. The light must not miss, giving priority to natural light. Avoid standing lamps that consume space. A central light, you can add sconces on walls and ceilings. And the curtains? Just they are permitted free passage of light, these fabric smooth, simple shapes, simple fall, light colors, especially white.

Place a modest amount of ornaments to decorate and same pictures, small size and few in number. If you want to place large boxes can do so at a bare wall and not to exceed one third of the width of the wall around. A common trick is to use mirrors which magnify a little more space, but generally mirrors where they are useful and are uncomfortable and not intimidating.