Automate Your Abode

Now more than ever, we are craving systems and devices that will make our homes more convenient, comfortable and secure. As technology continues to advance, 2024 aims to see homes that are smarter and more integrated than ever before. The Indiana Design Center stands ready as a thorough resource to homeowners, designers and builders as these new innovations rise in popularity, with several showrooms to explore the latest on-trend, state-of-the-art smart home options.

At Premier Luxury Electronic Lifestyles (Suite 118, premier-group.com), customized smart homes are brought to life with the touch of a button or the sound of your voice. Offering lighting and shades, home entertainment, networking and security, Premier Group specializes in taking complex components and making them simple for the end user, creating effortless environments ideal for relaxing, entertaining or productivity. “We’re a tech company, but we’re really a creative design company,” says Jason Barth, CEO and lead designer at Premier. He adds that while there are plenty of ways to add devices and systems to preexisting structures, they often collaborate with architects and interior designers to create systems from the ground up that are integrated seamlessly into the design and construction of a space.

Some advances Barth is excited about are human-centric, tunable lighting that can change the entire mood of an area and complement our natural circadian rhythms; powerful camera surveillance embedded with artificial intelligence; and the incorporation of Josh AI layered with Chat GPT into voice control operations. “You can actually talk to your house. You can ask questions and get curated responses. This is not Alexa—this is Alexa on steroids,” he says, noting that this technology is completely secure and untrackable, unlike other devices.

Window treatments are an enhancement seeing increasingly cutting-edge options, says Caryn O’Sullivan, owner of Drapery Street (Suite 109, draperystreet.com). Almost every type of treatment now has a motorized option, which can enhance security, improve energy efficiency and bolster child safety. In addition, there are no longer restrictions when it comes to material. “If you have a beautiful fabric that you’ve fallen in love with—we can motorize that,” Caryn explains, adding, “You’re not limited in your design anymore.”

The Glass House Gallery (Suite 117, theglasshousegallery.com) has several high-tech options available, including automated sliding glass doors that open with the touch of a button or from your cellphone. This allows anyone in the household to operate these often heavy doors easily, says Cori Brown, owner and architectural products designer. She adds that another James Bond-esque feature they carry is a fingerprint scanner used to open large pivot doors, and it can even be hidden to provide access to a secure safe room.

As the future of home technology progresses, the Indiana Design Center at 200 S. Rangeline Road in Carmel is an acclaimed destination to discover and integrate high-tech home trends. It’s open to the public for shopping, inspiration and guidance on design. Learn more about showrooms, events and the upcoming designer-led workshop series online at indianadesigncenter.com and by following @indianadesigncenter on Instagram.