Summer’s here. Let’s automate the outdoors

Technology 10th Aug 2022 4 mins
Author:
Felicity Haythorn

The sun is out, the evenings are long and a relaxed hybrid of indoor-outdoor life is here. But let’s not get too ‘outward bound’ – what happens if you want to enjoy all your smart home comforts in your garden? Here, we take you through some ideas on how to enrich your outdoor space, from a futuristic all-weather, anti-glare TV and crystal-clear outdoor sounds to al-fresco lighting to keep the party going long after the sun goes to bed. And what about working-from-garden? We have an outdoor WiFi plan, too.

What happens if you want to enjoy all your smart home comforts in your garden?

Outdoor TV

Over lockdown, TV was LIFE. As we’ve spent more time at home, we’ve seen how the humble telly has played an even more essential role in our everyday lives as an entertainment centre and news source. And we’re not going to stop watching just because the sun’s out. The clever folk at Samsung cottoned on to this and created the Terrace – a weather-resistant TV and soundbar system that has all the benefits of Samsung’s QLED 4K line, including pristine picture quality, sleek design and intuitive smart TV features. The Terrace also features enhanced brightness and specs that are optimised to make outdoor viewing as immersive as the indoor experience. It was even included in last year’s Oprah’s Favorite Things holiday gift list featured in the December 2020 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine and on OprahMag.com. As Oprah says: ‘The next-best thing to a drive-in? This futuristic outdoor television. Designed to withstand rain, snow, and extreme heat and outfitted with anti-reflection technology, it ensures socially distant screenings with minimal glare.’ If it’s good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for us. 

Johnlewis.com, from £3,999

Outdoor audio

If you want outdoor sound that’ll knock your socks off, head to Sonance. The architectural-audio specialist’s Landscape Series is a totally scalable outdoor speaker system that delivers even volume coverage and unbelievable sound quality throughout any size space. Compared with other outdoor audio systems, such as the typical rock speakers commonly used in garden sound systems, the equipment doesn’t try to mask what it is, yet still goes unnoticed in a garden. It’s designed to fit in with your garden, rather than stand out. Small satellite speakers and below-ground subwoofers are hidden completely out of sight among plants and under foliage. The satellite speakers are constructed from a dark-brown composite that won’t flake or corrode over time, camouflaging under your shrubs. Plus, they’ll withstand everything the weather brings their way. 

Contact us to find out how to install Sonance in your outside space

Outdoor furniture

An automated garden needs some pretty high-end outdoor furniture to do it justice. We love designer Piero Lissoni’s Borea, a new lightweight aluminium outdoor furniture collection for B&B Italia, featuring seating and tables with sustainability at its core. Borea includes outdoor chairs, sofas, armchairs and tables, creating a landscape of light furniture that is stackable, versatile and suited to face the elements. The frames are available in four painted earthy colours – anthracite, sage, clay and tortora – while the seats come in a selection of monochromatic and printed outdoor upholstery fabrics. Borea is designed to be 95% sustainable, featuring both recycled and recyclable materials, and built to be disassembled (so that each part can be disposed of separately at the end of its life). 

bebitalia.com/en/bebitalia/outdoor

Outdoor lighting

Lutron is our go-to for lighting at home and in the garden. You can control different zones throughout your outdoor space via an app on your phone. Add lighting control to set the right ambience for relaxing with a book in your outdoor living spaces, such as patios, pergolas and balconies. For that long-awaited family or friends reunion, set your outdoor lights to match the occasion, whether it’s a cosy dinner on the balcony, a barbecue on the terrace or party in the back garden.

Contact us to find out how to install Lutron in your garden

 

Outdoor wifi

Expand your home office into your yard with fast, reliable networking capabilities from Araknis and Pakedge via our favourite smart home system, Control4. Add an outdoor access point to expand your WiFi network outside your home so your remote workday can come with a side of fresh air and sunshine.

Contact us to learn more about using Control4 in your home