Setting up a smart home is easy and improves your comfort

You could hardly find a bigger smart solution enthusiast in our Communications department, and he closely follows the latest innovations within our Home smart range.?

In our interview, we found out how Petr feels about smart products, and as a bonus, he gave us tips and recommendations on how to get started when you want to make your home smarter. This interview was conducted just after the launch of IKEA's three new, affordable water-leak and motion sensors – VALLHORN , PARASOLL and BADRING .?

Where does your passion for smart home products stem from??

I like 苹果 products, so when Apple introduced its HomeKit smart home platform, I figured I had to give it a try. I was excited by the prospect of controlling my home using my voice and my mobile phone or watch – it was like something out of a science fiction movie. As I acquired more and more smart devices, it turned into a hobby for me.?

What was the main reason for making your whole home interconnected??

At first, I mainly played around with it. Over time, however, I started coming up with situations where smart home products could really make everyday life at home easier.?

Where do you see the added value??

I think the biggest benefit comes from automations and scenes. For instance, as it gets dark in the evening and someone is home, the blinds are automatically pulled down and certain lights turn on. If everyone leaves the home, all the lights turn off, the thermostat lowers the temperature, and the camera starts monitoring the home.?

Can you save money with smart home products??

This seems to be the case in certain scenarios. For instance, a combination of motion sensors and smart lighting can lower your electricity bills, while thermostatic radiator valves combined with sensors detecting open windows can help you save on heating costs.?

Where do you get your inspiration??

I follow various groups on social media – that's probably my most valuable source of information.?

What does it look like in your home?? In terms of smart products, I started with lighting, then I gradually added smart sockets, thermostatic radiator valves, a camera, an air purifier, a TV, smart blinds and various sensors. Most of these devices are connected to the DIRIGERA smart home hub from IKEA. My current plan is to add more smart blinds and I'm looking forward to trying out the new sensors from IKEA. I'm gradually tweaking various automations and scenes.?

Which smart solution is your favourite??

In the evening, when I'm on my way to bed and I say, "Hey Siri, good night," the lights in the entire apartment turn off, the dim red night lights turn on, the TV turns off, the thermostat turns down the heat, and the camera starts monitoring the home. That's when I always say to myself that smart products aren't just toys, but they actually make people's lives more pleasant.?

?What advice would you give to absolute beginners who are considering adding smart products to their homes??

There's nothing to worry about. It's not rocket science and the whole process of adding and setting up devices is constantly getting easier and easier. Try to think about situations where smart home products could help you, then choose your devices according to that.?

Where to start??

At first, it's a good idea to choose a platform that allows you to connect different products with a voice assistant. In my case, for example, it's Apple Home with the Siri voice assistant and HomePod as a hub. Then you should choose the gateway that each device connects to. I'm using the DIRIGERA gateway from IKEA, which is also compatible with the new Matter standard, which will make the integration of various devices even easier. Then you can start adding individual devices – I started with light bulbs. The advantage of smart light bulbs from IKEA is that they can easily be controlled using physical switches, so even your visitors can turn them on and off. What's more, they are affordable.?

What product that has worked well for you would you recommend to others??

Personally, I really like the FYRTUR smart blackout roller blinds. They offer great value for money that's very hard to compete with. The same applies to the STARKVIND smart air purifier, which has a great design to boot.?

What do you think are the benefits of a smart home from IKEA??

First and foremost, these smart devices are affordable. With the new DIRIGERA hub, everything works reliably and the process of adding new devices has been greatly simplified. The IKEA Home smart app itself is simple and easy to use. What’s more, 宜家 is continuously expanding its smart device portfolio. For smart lights, IKEA offers well-designed physical switches too. In many cases, it's possible to run a smart home purely in the IKEA ecosystem, but those who want to expand their options can easily integrate devices via the DIREGERA hub into all major platforms from 苹果 , 谷歌 or 亚马逊 .?