RAISING YOUR HOME’S The building blocks of a solid place are beams, bricks, and plaster. The elements of a thoughtful home go well beyond that, but the blueprint is equally simple: Begin with clever ways to run it more efficiently and save serious money; factor in smart devices that will make life easier; and create a space filled with things you love in a way that works today—and tomorrow. Achieve this marriage of form and function, and your home will be an exponentially better, safer, and happier spot to live in for years to come. And that’s just brilliant. PHOTOGRAPH BY RYAN LIEBE | TEXT BY SARAH COLLINS PROP STYLING BY LILI ABIR REGEN; TYPE DESIGN BY CLAUDIA DE ALMEIDA For sources, go to page 119. 82 83 Start with basic ways Choose smart gadgets wisely to save water, energy, Try a smart-home device or two, but proceed with caution, since they’re essentially mini-computers connected to the internet, and many of them still don’t communicate and money with each other. “Start with one, like a plug-in light switch or wireless thermostat, and add others later,” says Grant Clauser, a tech journalist at the product-testing site The Wirecutter. Before buying, ask yourself these five questions: 1 / Will this 2 / Is everyone in 3 / Is the brand 4 / Do I have 5 / Am I willing really be my household reputable? a strong Wi-Fi to take the LOWER YOUR WATER HEATER TO 120 DEGREES convenient? on board? “Cheaper versions connection? security risk? “Most manufacturers set them to 140 degrees, “Think about how “If you have smart are cheaper for a Barrett recom- Every time you add but 120 is hot enough,” says David Nemtzow, you usually operate light bulbs, and reason,” says Brian mends a mesh net- a device, you’re director of the Building Technologies your heating and someone doesn’t work router, more exposed, Office at the U.S. Department of Energy Barrett, tech (DOE) in Washington, D.C. With this minor cooling system have the app and editor at Wired. “To which is a pack of says Barrett. tweak, you’ll cut costs 6 to 10 percent. or appliances,” says switches a lamp off work, these things two to three “Hackers can use Clauser. “Will it physically, the app need to be consis- routers sprinkled devices for another TURN OFF THE “POWER DRY” simplify your life, or won’t work for tently connected throughout your purpose that you FEATURE ON YOUR DISHWASHER be neat at first, other people,” ex- to the internet; house. won’t notice, but This setting was designed to speed up the then grow tired af- plains Clauser. you don’t want a will result in slower drying process. But if you’re not going to ter a while?” product that Wi-Fi.” Always run another load right away, there’s no need, can’t get that change the default according to Tom Kraeutler, host of The consistency.” user name and Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home- password, too. improvement radio show. Plus, you’ll save about 30 percent on your dishwasher 7 STANDOUTS TO CONSIDER energy costs. Open shelves are au courant, Above all, go for gadgets you’ll get a lot of use and value out of. For instance, “the Alexa SWITCH TO “ADVANCED” POWER STRIPS but need regular voice assistant in Amazon’s Echo is now in a ton of other devices, like the Ecobee Smart These multiprong bars reduce the electricity dusting. Roberts Thermostat,” Barrett says, so you can vocally control heating and cooling. Our top picks: wasted when your desktop computer, had one in- printer, TV, phone charger, game console, stalled here for etc. are idle. Nemtzow points out that elegant effect, these “energy vampires” can add nearly 10 and put practi- percent to your monthly electric bill. cal closed cabinets every- REPLACE YOUR SHOWERHEAD where else. “Water-efficient models are phenomenal these days—they deliver a stream that wakes you up in the morning,” says Kraeutler. He likes ones from American Standard, which use 40 percent less water than conventional showerheads and can save a family up to 8,000 gallons a year. PERSONAL HOME ENERGY ASSISTANTS SECURITY SAVERS UPGRADE YOUR INSULATION Roberts raves It’s not sexy, but “it’s the number-one about brass way to reduce your energy bill,” Kraeutler faucets, which says. Peek into your attic. There should Amazon Echo ($179, amazon Nest Cam ($199, nest.com): Ecobee 3 Lite ($199, ecobee wear and be 15 to 20 inches of insulation throughout; .com) and Google Home It’s designed for both indoors .com): This thermostat can save change beauti- if not, hire a contractor or handyman to ($129, google.com): These are and out to keep tabs on com- you an average of 23 percent fully over time. install it. (Kraeutler suggests looking for one ideal devices to try first, be- ings and goings and spy on the annually on utility bills. It keeps at homeadvisor.com.) cause they’re user-friendly and dog. It shoots 24/7 HD video track of whether you’re at home fun. “Voice assistants can that can stream to your phone, or not via geofencing (it reads PLANT TREES STRATEGICALLY tell you your schedule, what the and stores it in the cloud for where your phone is), and gives Positioned near the south or southwest traffic will be on the way to 30 days. Schlage Sense Smart you energy reports. (Experts Make your STAY OPEN-MINDED SPEND SELECTIVELY BE A SNOB ABOUT YOUR SINK SELECT COUNTERTOPS WITH CARE corners of your home, deciduous trees work, or who won the college- Deadbolt (from $229, schlage still love the Nest thermostat, (ones that lose their leaves in autumn) offer football championship back .com): Enter your home with too.) Lutron Caseta ($100, kitchen shade in summer and let in light in winter. in 1988,” says Ismael Matos, an access code or by using your homedepot.com): These wire- If you prefer to cook (and Splurge on the one or two Invest in high-quality, They should be strong, heat- The DOE estimates that they can cut energy a deputy field marshal of Best phone. (Yup, you can forget less switches and dimmers work covetable clean dishes) behind closed items that matter most to you, classic faucets, suggests resistant, and nearly non- costs by 15 to 50 percent. Gigi Saltonstall, Buy’s Geek Squad. And more about forgetting your keys.) from your smartphone. They doors, you’re in the minority: and opt for tried-and-true Carlson. “There’s nothing porous. Marble, to the lament and more, they can control Nest Protect ($119, nest.com): also use geofencing, so when It’s the most Open kitchens are still popu- basics elsewhere. In the more annoying than a of every aesthete, comes principal at G2 Collaborative, a landscape- expensive room to architecture firm in Waltham, Massachusetts, other smart-home devices, like This smoke alarm will tell you you leave the house, your lights lar as hubs for entertaining kitchen, a “can’t-go-wrong leaky or temperamental one. up short. But there are lots of light switches. Asked to choose (out loud, in words) where the automatically turn off. Insignia upgrade, but doing and family togetherness. combination” of white subway And knockoffs of higher- gorgeous choices that meet loves the black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) so adds tremendous for this job: “It has beautiful horizontal between the two, Matos leans danger is, send a notice to your Wi-Fi Smart Plug ($20, bestbuy “People want informality and tiles and IKEA cabinets will end brands are made with these criteria. Natural stones value—and happy branching, and its fall color is a super-glossy toward the Echo because it’s phone (because if you’re not .com): With an app on your mo- rooms that are multipur- keep costs under control, plastic components. You include granite, soapstone, living—to your home. cherry red,” she says. been around longer. “If a prod- at home, you’ll still want to bile, this cost-effective starter pose,” says Elizabeth Roberts, says Julie Carlson, editor-in- want solid metal—we like and quartzite (just as lovely uct has a track record of work- know), and monitor for carbon gadget lets you control and Here’s how to an architect in Brooklyn. chief of the home-design site ones from Chicago Faucets.” as marble). For man-made, ing with other things, that’s a monoxide. program anything—air condi- tackle a refresh. “You’re prepping food in the Remodelista. (Big box stores, try composites like Caesar- big plus,” says Clauser. tioner, lights, appliances—you’ve kitchen, and the kids are like Home Depot, are also stone or Corian, or check out plugged into the same outlet. doing homework at the din- worth perusing.) Then, if you’re the new ceramic slabs— ing table.” Consider opening an avid cook, you can buy they’re hugely durable and PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS (PRODUCTS); OPPOSITE: DUSTIN AKSLAND (KITCHEN) (PRODUCTS); MANUFACTURERS OF PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY up your space if you can. the best range you can afford. come in lots of shades. 84 85 Pick a timeless palette Treat it like a retreat Seek help when And by “timeless,” we mean grays, whites, and natural A brainy home is cost-effective you need it and organized. But an emotionally tones. “Neutrals are durable and long-lasting,” says Nino intelligent home stimulates your Interior designers Sitchinava, principal economist at the home-improvement senses and makes you feel calm and aren’t only for deep- pocketed homeowners site Houzz.