(BPT) – Integrating smart home systems into our homes is a trend that’s here to stay. From making home life more efficient, to upping the luxury ante, it can also greatly enhance the living experience for couples living in close quarters. Whether you’ve already smartened your space with products that take convenience to the next level or you are just starting the process, here are five ways that smart products can help improve your connection with your significant other.
1. Reimagine Your Morning Ritual
Kicking off the morning with a steaming hot cup of coffee is the only way to start the day for most, but it can also be the perfect way to show your partner a little thoughtfulness as they prepare to take on their busy day. If your partner can’t miss a morning workout, place an order directly from your phone via the Home Connect™ app to your WIFI-enabled coffee machine to ensure her order is ready by the time she says Namaste. Whether a double espresso or almond milk latte, a little boost of caffeine — and technology — can go a long way in the consideration department. Happy wife, happy life!
2. Make the Most of Your Meal Time
At the end of a long day, whether you’ve been wrangling kids or juggling conference calls (or both), when dinnertime strikes you can be left feeling pretty uninspired. But what if you had a built-in sous chef to help take some of the load off and help get your meal prepared? With a smart oven configured with Home Connect™ from Thermador, you can spend less time stressing over prep and more time enjoying your spouse’s company. You can even turn the evening into a date night at home. Select recipes and receive step-by-step guidance to cook like a pro via the Home Connect™ app and enjoy creating a delicious dinner together. Pro tip: Make the most of your moments after a long day, by pre-heating — and monitoring — the oven from afar with your Apple Watch so that you can catch up over a glass of wine on the patio without having to interrupt the conversation. You’ll certainly be nurturing your connection.
3. Ease Your Partner’s Mind with Energy Efficiency
We’ve all been there — that moment of panic as you and your spouse settle into your airplane seats for a long-awaited vacation, only to wonder about what loose ends you forgot to tie back at home. Did you lock all doors? What about the appliances? The blame game begins and your happy vacation mood suddenly sours. Enter Home Connect™. With the app, easily set the refrigerator to vacation mode so your partner’s energy worries will wane long before you touch down at your travel destination. To further calm the waters, you can also monitor the temperature, humidity and a range of other controls from your phone so that the only temp you have to think about is at your holiday spot. Save the argument for your return flight!
4. Access the AC from Anywhere
She’s cold, you’re hot — what else is new? Often times, couples will find themselves disagreeing over what the perfect temp is, leading to annoying arguments. If you run warm, you might find it frustrating that your partner keeps cranking up the heat — and even worse, if you’re the one having to get in and out of bed to adjust the thermostat. While you’re unlikely to be successful at changing their body temperature, smart thermostats can at least help you to control the climate of the room, without having to get up, thanks to AI-operated voice assistants such as Google Assistant that are specifically designed to work together for an ultra-convenient automated experience. An added bonus? You can save on your expenses by controlling the thermostat while you’re out of the house. By managing the temperature directly from your smartphone, returning home to a space that’s too much in either direction will be a thing of the past.
5. Breeze Through Your Bedtime Routine
As anyone in a long-term relationship can attest to, partnership is all about compromise. And smart home systems can work wonders to make this facet of your relationship all the more seamless. Take your evening routine. After winding down with a glass of wine, diving in to your favorite book or streaming your must-watch movie, the last thing you want to do is get up from bed to turn off the lights as you’re both falling asleep. But with automated home features and voice control, you can simply use your voice or mobile device and comfortably stay put if you’re feeling stubborn (stopping an argument before it starts).
Experience a complete smart home system engineered for seamless connection throughout the whole home with systems such as Crestron. Because it’s not always one size fits all when it comes to technology, customize your settings so that both of you benefit. If your partner likes to take in the view in the morning and watch the sun rise, set your system to bring up the blinds for when he’s waking up. Along the same lines, as she tries to catch a few more z’s, automatically set the snooze on your alarm to allow her a bit more rest time. Not only will you both enjoy the convenience of the technology, but you’ll also appreciate each other’s thoughtfulness. It’s a win-win situation for all.