The Future of Smart Homes: Innovations in Technology for Modern Living
From new inventions displayed at the World’s Fair, to Westinghouse’s Total Electric home, and Monsanto’s 1957 (plastic) Home of the future, designers, architects and brands have been considering designs for a truly Smart Home for over a century. As with previous technological developments, the acceleration of home and personal computing in the 1990s and voice technologies (Alexa/Google Home) and generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) have reignited our curiosity about what an actual smart home might look like in the future.
While it’s possible some new technologies out today may be misapplied or entirely fall by the wayside, it’s clear that advances in smart home technology will continue to offer new ideas and opportunities for homeowners who want to experiment with new smart home products or completely reimagine the future of living.
One-Off Smart Home Solutions
For those who want to begin adopting smart technology in their homes, it is possible to make a few modifications that will greatly enhance comfort without reorganizing the house based on smart technology. As predicted in the 1950s design of Westinghouse’s total electric home Some of the most common and easily implemented smart home systems include the Smart Light, Smart Climate controls, and Smart Security systems.
“Smart lighting systems like Philips Hue or LIFX are a great entry point for anyone new to smart home tech,” says Luke Dormehl of Digital Trends. “You can control everything from brightness to color with a simple voice command or an app on your phone. Plus, these systems can be expanded over time, making them a flexible option as your smart home evolves.” The ability to control lighting with a voice command or through a scheduled routine can save time, reduce energy usage, and add a layer of security when integrated with motion detectors or presence sensors
Similarly, smart thermostats like the Nest Learning Thermostat can adapt to your schedule, learning your heating and cooling preferences over time. Not only does this ensure that your home is always at the ideal temperature, but it also helps reduce energy bills by optimizing usage when you're not home.
And for homeowners who prioritize security, smart doorbells like Ring or Nest Halo allow for video monitoring and two-way communication with visitors, even when you’re not home. Integrating a few one-off ideas like these can make your home smarter, safer, and more efficient without having to build from the ground up.
Building a Truly Smart Home of the Future
For homeowners, questioning the relevance of smart home products they’ve come to know, they are not alone. While products like Alexa and Google Home, Nest etc. have proliferated, they have failed to fully integrate with the home to solve household problems in the ways we once imagined.
One of the biggest steps forward in building fully smart homes is whole-home automation. Manufacturers such as Control4 or Savant provide systems that combine all your smart devices into one, easy to use, hub. Thes hubs can assist in controlling most every aspect of a home, from simply turning off the lights before watching a movie to drawing the curtains as soon as the sun sets.
“Automation is really about making your home responsive to your life,” says Blake Kozak, senior analyst at Omdia. "By integrating all of your systems together, you can create scenes or routines that trigger multiple actions at once. For example, a ‘Good Night’ scene might automatically turn off all the lights, set the thermostat to a comfortable sleeping temperature, and lock all the doors with a single voice command or button press."
In the future of smart homes, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to take a central position in the management of homes particularly as these hubs become increasingly intelligent and conversant. Google and Amazon and others are not just developing Al features that can take orders, but they are learning to anticipate home needs. The Nest Hub Max by Google, for instance, will automatically recommend a set of routines based on the actions being performed; or homes that will make predictions without the owner requesting it to do so.
Smart Kitchens and Bathrooms: A Step Toward the Future
Two areas where smart home technology is advancing rapidly are the kitchen and the bathroom. Smart appliances like refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers now come with Wi-Fi connectivity and voice control, adding convenience and intelligence to cooking and cleaning.
For example, Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerator not only keeps your food fresh but also provides a touchscreen where you can leave notes, watch videos, and even shop for groceries directly from your fridge. It can also track expiration dates and suggest recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand.
The smart bathroom is also becoming a reality. Kohler’s Numi 2.0 toilet offers everything from seat warming to personalised settings for each user, while Moen’s U by Moen Smart Shower allows you to preheat your shower and control the water temperature with a simple voice command or app.
As homeowners look to build the ultimate smart home, these innovations go beyond convenience—they represent a shift toward homes that are truly connected, offering personalised experiences that adapt to the needs of each user.
Cutting-Edge Technologies on the Horizon
For homeowners looking to create a home that’s truly cutting-edge, the future holds some incredible possibilities. Smart homes are evolving at an unprecedented pace, with new innovations that can make your space even more intuitive and responsive.
Other new inventions that are expected include smart glass which has the ability of changing from a frosted glass to a clear glass within the shortest time possible, all by a single push of the button away from the nuisance of curtains and blinds. “Smart glass is poised to change the way we consider windows and dividing walls of a house,” said Nick Statt from The Verge. “Think of being able to convert your living room into a cinema in a snap or having a bathroom with natural light” without an in-room window.
Another game-changer is the rise of robotics and personalized assistants in the home. While robotic vacuums like Roomba have been around for years, we’re now seeing more advanced robots like Moley’s Robotic Kitchen, which can cook a meal from scratch without any human intervention. Enabling these physical robots with the knowledge and ability of personalized generative ai assistants, like ChatGPT, robots can not only perform tasks, and anticipate our needs, but they can access and retrieve information on our behalf.
Finally, 5G technology is set to further enhance smart home capabilities in that it is defined to greatly enhance home networks’ speed and stability. This will also make many more connected gadgets – from speakers to security cameras – work smoothly without getting interrupted.
A Holistic Approach to Smart Living
Of course, smart living doesn’t always mean integrating the latest tech. In a previous article, we explored design innovation that focuses on multipurpose, modular spaces and how smart design can transform even the smallest homes. For homeowners who are interested in both high-tech solutions and smart design principles, the two approaches can complement each other beautifully.
As Wired magazine notes, “The most successful smart homes are the ones where technology and design work hand in hand.” By blending technology with thoughtful design, homeowners can create spaces that are not only functional and high-tech but also aesthetically pleasing and perfectly suited to their lifestyle.
How More Wow Can Help You Design a Truly Smart Home
At More Wow, we pride ourselves in establishing well designed and complex living solutions that are tailored to your needs. As the former head of artificial intelligence at a major global consumer electronics company, we also have our finger on the pulse of technological developments in the market. We understand that every homeowner is committed to building the smart home of the future or is ready to consider smart technology as an integral part of their home design. Some may simply want to buy a few gadgets or smart appliances. Others may prefer to eschew technology altogether.
Bear in mind that smart home design is not only about technology and smart solutions (see our article: Smart Living From a Smart Design Perspective: Modular and Multipurpose Design) Smart living can also be achieved through smart spatial planning—using considered design principles to create rooms and furniture that are multi-purpose. Most importantly, at More Wow we believe that the smartest home is the one that reflects how you want to live, meets your needs and reflects who you are.