In celebration of National Bed Month, we’ve complied our top tips for getting a good night’s sleep. Run by The Sleep Council, this National Bed Month runs throughout March. Its goal is to highlight the importance of a comfortable bed on getting a good night’s sleep.
The Sleep Council’s website is packed full of advice on how to transform your bed into a relaxing haven.
Ambient lighting
Creating the right ambience in your room is essential and one of the best ways to do this is through light. As the sun sets our bodies start creating melatonin, a hormone that helps to promote sleep. If you’re exposed to bright light before bed then this can disrupt your hormones.
This is also why experts recommend switching off mobile phones, televisions and tablets an hour or so before bed. To encourage the release of melatonin opt for lamps that cast a warm light in the bedroom, rather than bright white lights.
Similarly, our bodies are naturally wired to wake up with the sun. We all know how unpleasant it is waking up to bright lights being switched on or curtains being thrown open. A sunrise alarm clock mimics the sun’s movements to ease you into waking up. Alternatively, leaving the curtains slightly ajar will do the same job for free.
Improve air quality
Whilst a candle is great for creating a relaxing scent, some people are sensitive to the particles they emit. If that is you, why not blow the candle out an hour or so before you head to bed? The beautiful scent will remain whilst leaving time for the air to clear. A great way to purify the air without using electrical equipment is to introduce air-filtering plants to the space.
Plants like aloe vera and Japanese peace lilies are naturally good at filtering air and look great whilst they do it. If you’re still struggling with mould or dust, it might be worth investing in an air purifier. These clever gadgets can help to filter out dust, smoke, mould and more.
Air moisture is as crucial as its purity. Of course the easiest way to do this is to keep air circulating by leaving windows and doors open. However, that isn’t always possible. Instead you can opt to use a humidifier if your room is too dry or a dehumidifier to remove dampness.
Find the right temperature
Being too warm or too cold in bed can easily disturb your sleep. Rather than relying on sticking a leg outside the duvet to regulate your temperature, why not reconsider your bedding? If you find yourself feeling chilly at night, look into getting a duvet with a higher Tog.
It may also be worth keeping cosy blankets to hand if you often wake in the night feeling cold. Memory foam mattresses are renowned for trapping heat and also make a good choice for cold sleepers.
If being too hot is an issue for you then make some simple changes to get a good night’s sleep. Mattresses with springs will help to regulate your body temperature and duvets with a lower Tog will retain less heat.
When it comes to bedding, opt for materials like linen which is more breathable than cotton. Find out more about how to select the right duvet and pillows using our detailed buying guide.
Invest in the right mattress
On average we spend 26 years of our lives in bed and a mattress can make or break whether you have a good night’s sleep.
Shopping for a new mattresses is often a minefield. Our top tip for you is to try them out in person by visiting a showroom. If that isn’t possible, then reviews, well-informed websites and phone calls can help you make your decision. But remember, every person sleeps differently so take reviews with a pinch of salt.
If you’d like to find out more about your sleeping position and the best mattress for you, read this.
[ INSPIRATION ]
Trends & Lifestyle
With global temperatures on the rise, more and more people are striving to live more sustainably. To help you make this change, we’ve compiled ten small ways to make your everyday more sustainable.
Go plastic free
Going plastic free is more than bringing a Bag For Life to the supermarket and remembering your reusable coffee cup. We need to start considering ways to forego plastic in all walks of life.
It has never been easier to shop for plastic-free alternatives to your daily essentials. For example, switch to bar soap, use a washing-up loofah rather than a chemically dyed, yellow-green sponge and embrace a natural deodorant. Discover plenty of plastic-free alternatives at EcoVibe.
Single-use plastic packaging on your pasta, rice and grains can be made redundant by showing your support for local plastic-free shops or market stalls. Find your closest zero-waste shop here.
If we support these pioneering shops then hopefully larger supermarkets will notice the consumer trend and reduce their plastic packaging. Getting supermarkets on board will hopefully make zero-waste shopping more accessible for those who can’t afford the premium that can come with shopping local.
Is it made sustainably?
Buying pre-loved or vintage clothes is the more sustainable option when it comes to fashion as they are already in the production cycle. Websites like Vestiaire Collective, Designer Exchange and HEWI all sell pre-loved designer clothing with the added bonus of a lower price tag.
However, if you insist on buying new then there are ways to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly.
A major consideration should be what your clothes are made of. Avoid fabrics that include fibres like nylon, polyester and elastane as these contain plastics which won’t biodegrade when they reach the end of their lifecycle. Not only do these fabrics release micro-plastics which find their way into your food and water, but they are created using carbon-intensive methods.
Instead, opt for natural materials like cotton and linen which will leave a smaller impact on the planet. Linen takes the lead in terms of sustainability because flax requires less watering than cotton and grows happily on poor soil.
You should also consider manufactured fabrics like lyocell, viscose and Tencel, which are all types of rayon. Rayon is created using naturally occurring wood pulp. Whilst rayon seems sustainably produced, it is chemical-treated and pulp farming can be detrimental to existing woodland. However, this will differ depending on specific fabric, for example Tencel’s lyocell is markedly more sustainable.
Keep your eyes peeled for up-and-coming fabrics like Qmonos, which is made using synthetic spider silk, and vegan leather Piñatex.
Cut down on dairy
Going completely meat or dairy free is seen by many as a hurdle in the path toward living more sustainably. However, cutting down on meat is widely considered one of the most important and time-sensitive changes to make. With the abundance of meat and dairy alternatives on the market it’s no longer quite so difficult.
Brands such as Vivera, Like Meat and Beyond Meat have created convincing alternatives for those who can’t quite ditch the steak. Similarly, with oak, soy, coconut and rice alternatives to milk, making the jump to veganism is lots easier.
Make considered design choices
Try to find the most sustainable course of action when designing your interiors.
When it comes to buying furniture, consider your future design needs rather than purchasing for the present. For example, if you know you’ll want to completely overhaul your home in the near future then buy furniture that will work then as well as now. Invest in pieces you know will suit you and your taste for years and don’t be afraid to buy vintage.
If you’re redecorating from top to toe then you’re in prime position to make sustainable finish choices. From carpeting made using natural, renewable resources to using non-toxic paints, there are many ways to make your renovation eco-friendly.
Sustainably sourced energy
The choices we make as consumers speak volumes, especially as there are now many green alternatives available. This is even the case with energy companies.
Many large electricity companies now offer green tariffs, but finding a company that also offers green gas is more challenging. As green gas is more challenging to generate, companies that advertise it often offer carbon-offset gas. This means that they’ll invest money into forest regrowth to help minimise the carbon emissions of your gas usage.
Of course, everyone has different priorities and budgets. This is why we suggest doing your research to find the right green energy provider for you. We recommend starting with this informative article from T3 which outlines the UK’s top green energy suppliers.
Go paperless - bills, bank statements etc.
Aiming towards zero waste is essential to living sustainably. This can start somewhere as small as switching all your bills, bank statements and general paperwork to online. Most mainstream banks offer paperless banking as an option to help you cut down on waste paper.
Similarly, shops often offer an e-receipt. Going paperless means all your paperwork is organised in one place and easily searchable. It’s better for the environment and will also make your life easier.
If the majority of your post is from mailing lists and shopping magazines then it might be time to start unsubscribing. This will clear up your letterbox as well as the recycling bin.
Start recycling right
Reducing your overall waste is key to bringing a halt to our environmental impact. Opting for food with recyclable packaging is a good step towards eventually living sustainably with zero waste.
There are many misconceptions about recycling because each local council accepts different items. It is important to check as putting the wrong rubbish in your recycling bin can render the whole batch useless.
Check out what your local council accepts as recycling here.
Switch out your light bulbs
With the dawn of new lighting technology comes even more energy-efficient LEDs. Typical LEDs can last up to 20 years, reducing the waste that comes from regularly replacing standard bulbs. Plus, not only do these cutting-edge bulbs last longer, but they also use far less energy. In fact, LEDs consume just one fifth of the energy of a halogen bulb.
Recent EU law changes mean the restocking and consequential sale of halogen bulbs is now banned. If this law is followed across Europe then we could cut up to 15 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year.
Considering a light with integrated LEDs? Head over to the Heal’s Blog to find out more.
Cut down on travel
Whilst exotic holidays can be brilliant for relaxation and exploring new cultures, regular long-haul flights will leave a huge impact on the planet. Similarly, driving a car instead of using public transport will hamper your efforts to live more sustainably.
If you only need to use a car occasionally, car-sharing services like Zipcar may be a good option. If you’re uncertain about where you stand in terms of your carbon usage, why not try WWF's useful footprint calculator?
Shop organic
Surprisingly, healthy soil stores more carbon than the atmosphere and forests. Non-organic farming relies on synthetic or petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers that can lead to soil erosion and chemicals entering the water system.
In fact, if the UK farming industry switched to organic then soil would absorb at least 1.3 million tonnes of carbon. To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of taking nearly one million cars off the road.
Plus, organic production also allows wildlife to thrive whilst reducing soil and water contamination from pesticides.
Of course, we are a long way off a complete switch to organic farming. But again, using our power as consumers we can encourage this change.
Want to find out more? Visit the Soil Association for more information.
A lack of space is something that many homes have in one room or another. From cosy cottages to compact city-centre flats, we’ve got clever storage ideas for every corner of your home.
Keeping control of clutter is just the start of small space storage solutions. Select a combination of designs that will showcase your prized possessions and others that will store them out of sight.
Up the wall
Wall-mounted shelves and configurable shelving units create the perfect storage for your small space. When floor space is scarce, often the best choice is to opt for taller units that make use of vertical space.
The customisable Tower Shelving Unit is a go-to for sophisticated storage. Shelves can also be places over doors and within alcoves to make the most of awkward spaces.
Exposed bathroom storage
Exposed storage in a bathroom will prevent it from feeling cramped and dark. If you’re worried about the room looking cluttered, invest in a collection of baskets to store toiletries. We recommend combining a collection of open-storage options to create a decorative, yet practical, display. These can range from wallhooks to open shelving, such as the Brunel Lean-To Shelves.
Wall-mounted lights
Table lamps and desk lights can take up a lot of space in much needed storage areas. By placing carefully chosen wall lights next to your bed, sofa or workspace, you free up additional room for storage.
Compartmentalise a small space
With space a hot commodity these days, many homes feature open-plan living areas with kitchens and living rooms in close quarters. Storage can be used to create broken-plan living and separate your rooms a little. Select from dedicated room dividers or get creative with sideboards and freestanding islands.
Embrace Natural light
Nothing makes a small space feel larger and less cramped than natural light. When selecting your furniture, opt for open pieces that won’t obstruct the sunlight. Similarly, light curtains and reflective surfaces go a long way to making sure your room feels more open.
"People think you're limited when a space is small, but I think the key is seeing everything as somewhat in flux, never standing still, always shifting, realigning." Mario Nievera
Under-bed storage
Having guests to stay is always a pleasure, but finding room to store bedding can be a nightmare in a small space. If you’re looking to invest, choose a divan bed with fitted storage for a clean aesthetic. If you’re happy with your current bed, the Brunel Rolling Under-Bed Drawers are a versatile alternative. Combined with vacuum-packed bags, you’re onto a winner.
Get creative
If cupboard or drawer space is lacking, you have the opportunity to get creative with your storage. Hang dust pans, brooms and dusters in full display and make a wall feature out of your cleaning kit. Clever designs such as the Vitra Uten.Silo create ready-made displays. To personalise it, pack it full with craft supplies, toiletries or kitchen utensils.
Use baskets to tidy away
Baskets and storage boxes provide ideal functional storage when time is not on your side. Children’s bedrooms, bathrooms and crafting areas benefit from having baskets on hand to tidy up in an instant. Even better, they can be stacked together when not in use.
Small space desks
Looking to create the perfect home office for working from home but low on space? A compact deskcan provide the perfect amount of storage and work surface to get the job done. A folding chair completes the scene and also provides additional seating for guests. Alcoves, under-stair recesses and hard-to-use spaces are the ideal spot to create your workspace.
Storage underfoot
Like storage beds, a living room can also provide additional storage in a small space. A storage ottoman is ideal for keeping cushions and additional throws. When placed in the hallway, a blanket box also creates practical shoe storage.
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What does dinnertime look like in your house? Do you all sit around the table and chat about your day, or are you all on the sofa, plates perched on your laps, as you eat?
If the second scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. More of us are living busier lives, largely thanks to smartphones increasing connectivity and many of us working longer hours. We believe the dining table is an important feature of any household.
As well as providing a space for homework and crafts, families can also sit together and enjoy a meal or discussion around them. With so many of us distracted by technology these days, we believe meal times at the dining table are a good opportunity for the family to bond and share stories from the day.
With many finding it difficult to come together as a family for dinner, Heal’s wanted to look at what’s happening at mealtimes and explore the significance of the dining table in the modern home. Does having a table make a difference to relationships? Can something so simple bring a family together? Here’s what we found.
All Together Now
It seems many of us think it’s important to share mealtimes together yet it is still a contentious topic within families. In fact, one-third of families are getting into disagreements about not sitting at the dining table each night.
Women would prefer more time together with their partner at dinnertime, with 38% feeling unhappy if their partners opt to sit elsewhere, and those in the 35-to-44 age bracket are especially frustrated.
The Blake Dining Table with Marble Top Attitudes to sharing mealtimes vary from city to city, too, with Mancunians being the most likely to be around the table for dinner. Manchester is one of the strictest cities when it comes to sitting down together, with over half of residents (51%) choosing to do so.
Interestingly, London was second on the list (44%). As the busy capital where everything is fast-paced, it’s heartening to see so many families taking the time to share a meal.
Well Connected
While many of us are trying to get everyone to sit together at mealtimes, there’s one major factor that seems to be building barriers to helping families do this: the mobile phone. We seem to be a nation of phone addicts, with almost one-third of us (32%) using them at the table and over a quarter (28%) admitting to not switching off their mobile at mealtimes.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s younger people that find it the hardest to switch off during dinnertime, with 46% of 25 to 34-year-olds being the worst for using their phones at the table, closely followed by the 18 to 24-year-olds (44%). This drops significantly to 29% for the 35 to 44-year-olds, however, this is the age group who struggle the most with being away from their phone during dinner. Of those asked, more women than men find it harder to leave their mobile.
Over half (54%) think it’s difficult to keep it away from the dining table. In addition, if you happen to be in Manchester and you can’t resist bringing your phone with you to the table, you’re not alone. This was the worst city (44%) for keeping the mobile next to the dinner plate at mealtimes.
The Lisbon Dining Table, part of Heal's Bespoke Dining range
It’s not all black and white
As well as lots of us struggling to keep our mobiles away while we eat, there’s some deceptive behaviour among parents when it comes to who’s allowed their phones at the table. Of those asked, 11% admitted to checking their phones mid-bite, even though their children aren’t allowed to.
Fathers are the biggest culprits, with 13% banning mobiles at mealtime but hanging on to their own anyway. Parents in the 25 to 34 age group are the most likely to do this, while those in the 55-to-64 age bracket are the strictest, imposing a blanket ban on phones at the dining table.
Overall, however, almost a quarter (24%) allow children to keep their mobile with them. Should you be a child or young adult in Bristol, you’re least likely to be able to combine sending to your WhatsApp group with dinner as 72% of parents don’t allow it. And if you’re in Belfast, your parents are the biggest culprits. A quarter use their own phones while not allowing the kids to do the same.
Get Together
As more of our time is taken up by our phones, it seems we’re less likely to sit down together and enjoy a meal as a family. Perhaps it’s time to turn off our devices, enjoy each other’s company, and bring back the dinner table.
Colour can be transformative, both in terms of how it makes a home look but also how it makes you feel. It’s a way to express your personal style and change the entire mood of a room. Because it is so transformative, many struggle to make a decision and will often play it safe and stick to neutral tones.
We sat down with Annie Sloan, one of the world’s most respected colour and paint experts, to discuss her own experience with decorating her workspace. Annie has never been afraid of colour and often errs of the side of adventure when it comes to choosing a hue.
We’ve also teamed up with Annie as part of our SPACES exhibition, a celebration of London’s most pioneering women and the spaces in which they create. Annie is recreating her studio in the windows of our Tottenham Court Road which you can explore from 11th- 22nd September.
How to choose paint for your walls
Annie’s new workspace gave her the opportunity to have her writing area and studio in the same building, allowing her ideas to flow from one to the other for the first time. The space was large and uncluttered but with varying levels of light throughout, presenting a challenge when it came to choosing colour.
Her writing area was unusual, as it had no outside windows – just one large window that looked into the studio making for quite a dark room with little natural light. “Painting the walls light and bright could have been an answer, but this is a contemplative space, somewhere I can concentrate.
I wanted somewhere that would really be a place to be ‘me’. Somewhere quiet, calm and tranquil. So I chose to paint all the walls Napoleonic Blue and even I was a little nervous, as we were half way through. The room started to look a bit too dark but I persevered, as I knew it would be good in the end, especially with the right lighting.”
Annie Sloan's Napoleonic Blue
The rich, deep blue created the perfect work environment for Annie to write. They key was to pick a warm-hued blue that had red undertones in it rather than green to keep things cosy rather than cold.
“The atmosphere is beautifully tranquil. The deep blue walls have no horizon and seem to go on forever. Yet the room is cosy and comfortable.”
Annie’s also in favour of creating your own colour if you know exactly what you’re after. Her advice? “Start out by mixing different paints together with your fingers on paper or making small quantities in a paint tray. Use teaspoons and half teaspoons of the different paints to create the desired colour – is it a lot of white with a little bit of colour or equal amounts? Once you have determined the ratio of colours, you can then go on to make larger quantities, using this as a guideline.”
How to choose paint for furniture
A fresh lick of paint on an old piece of furniture can breathe new life into it. When it came to furnishing her new office space, Annie wanted to be a bit more adventurous. The first thing to consider was her desk – the place where she would be spending the most time.
“An obvious choice would have been to do the piece in just plain Old White or Pure, but I wanted something less contrasting and I also wanted to be a little more adventurous. My personal style is quite bohemian, as I like to have some positive colour and also to push the boundaries a bit.”
Instead she chose to mix her own. Having made a drawing of her desk, she started to colour it in with dabs of colours that she thought would go well together.
“I love blue and green together, particularly Antibes and Napoleonic Blue, so I started with this adding some Duck Egg and Provence. Then I thought a tiny bit of some bright hot colour could be added. A little red and orange goes a long way too.”
Annie settled on Duck Egg Blue lightened with a little Pure for the desk top, leaving her with a clean canvas that wasn’t too dark against the wall, but not so light that it contrasted. She then added splashes of other colours, ensuring she struck the right balance between the different shades.
“I tried Antibes lightened and darkened, I tried Graphite, I tried some Burgundy, even but nothing really made me feel comfortable. It was all too busy and colourful, so I decided on few colours and made more of Olive. It’s a wonderful neutral type of colour and it has a quietness with the Duck Egg. I was happy with the small hot spots of Barcelona and lightened Burgundy. It just needed the right balance.”
It’s always best to paint in the daylight and make up the colours in the room that you are planning to use them in. The quality of the light can make a huge difference to how the paint will appear, and you may need to adjust your colour mix to make it lighter, brighter, or darker.
And finally...
Annie’s final words of wisdom - “When working with colour, I have always erred on the side of adventure and, as a result, I have made a lot of mistakes! However, that is the way we all learn, and the great advantage with paint is that it can be reapplied so easily.” So if you find yourself hankering after bold hues, give it a try. Just be sure to test the colours in your room first, taking changes in light throughout the day into account.
Annie’s recreated workshop will be available to explore at our Tottenham Court Road store from the 11th-22nd September as part of our SPACES campaign.
While design trends wax and wane over time, there’s been one change in the 20th century that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere: technology. From microwaves and the internet to baby monitors and washing machines, technology has consistently changed the way we use our homes.
Each new piece of technology brings murmurs of revolution. Washing machines and dishwashers have made time-consuming household tasks easier, and microwaves mean ready meals and leftovers can be heated to perfection in mere minutes.
In the last few years, impossibly smart new additions have entered the market. Tablets, smart home assistants and e-readers have seen a huge a rise in popularity. While previous technological advances have made household tasks easier, these new pieces of technology are fundamentally changing the way we use our homes.
We consider how four pieces of newer technology are impacting the way we live in this new digital age and whether certain pieces of furniture are set for extinction.
Home Office – The iPad and Laptop
The home office is more important now than ever. With so many people working from home, freelancing, starting their own businesses and participating in the gig economy, a workspace at home is essential. Internet-enabled, portable devices, like iPads and laptops, allow our work to move with us – even within our homes.
A bed, a sofa, a comfy chair, a rug spread out on a balcony – today’s home office can be anywhere. The classic study room with a traditional desk and chair is no longer the only vision. These devices afford us a flexibility that was impossible with desktop computers and difficult with pen and paper.
The Orson Desk by Matthew Hilton
But desks aren’t going extinct. From Jane Austen’s tiny 12-sided walnut table where she wrote her famous novels to the trendy standing desks of entrepreneurs today, so much of the world’s great work has happened – and will continue to happen – at desks.
Whether it’s an iconic design like the colourful, curvy Vitra desk or Matthew Hilton’s minimalist modern oak desk, a beautiful, functional desk will always have a place in the home. Designating a room in the house as an office may be a thing of the past, as the home office is interpreted much more broadly nowadays.
However, whether using your mobile device from a comfy armchair or working with a laptop on an elegant desk, there will always be a need for a productive workspace.
Home Library – The Kindle
When the Kindle debuted in 2007, it heralded the end of physical books. E-books were the future and libraries faced extinction: why have a library at home when you could carry one in your pocket?
People predicted that books would become relics of another era, nostalgic reminders of the pre-digital age. Fast-forward more than a decade and physical books are still going strong. Rather than continue their decline, book sales have plateaued in recent years. Roughly one in three books nowadays is a digital one, leaving lots of physical copies to go around.
So what does this mean for the home library? Or even the humble bookshelf? While some people have done away with their book collections entirely, others still exalt their physical copies. For some people, the sheer tactile pleasure of reading a physical book will never be replaced, no matter how many new Kindle editions come out.
Seeing ink on paper, turning dog-eared pages, that new book smell – those things matter. Those people will always want a collection of physical books in their home – favourites they’ve read, sentimental ones, ones gifted from friends, or ones on their to-read list. A bookshelf will always be a key element in their home.
The Stacked Storage System by Muuto
Even for those who have adopted the Kindle, bookshelves remain important – to be filled with a few display-worthy books and decorative objects. Framed photos, scented candles, holiday souvenirs and pieces of art have always had a place on our shelves, and that isn’t likely to change.
Living Room – Netflix
TV once anchored the living room – from the boxy TV sets of the 1960s to the big flat screen TVs of the 1990s. People gathered around it to watch morning cartoons, nightly news, and the latest episodes of their favourite shows at a set time each week. If you missed a moment, you had to wait for a re-run; if you wanted a snack, you had to wait for a commercial break. Enter Netflix.
With the launch of its streaming service in 2007, television and movies became available online and on demand. And as more streaming services entered the market and more devices became available to stream on, TVs faded in prominence. Watching a show together on the living room sofa was replaced with watching alone on your laptop or mobile phone.
Despite this change, TV is still a central element of the home for a growing number of people. Many people still have TVs in their living rooms, where they watch live sports events, play video games and stream shows and movies.
In 2017, more than a third of UK homes had a smart TV set, which can connect to a Netflix or other streaming service account. That number has been on the rise, which might indicate that the TV is once again becoming the centre of the home, as streaming on demand becomes more common and the available hardware adapts to that demand.
Room designed by Bhavin Taylor Design
With or without TVs, the living room retains its importance. For young flatmates and families with children, the living room is still the place to be social, spend time together and host gatherings. People still curl up on the sofa for a nap or have friends over for drinks around their coffee table.
If anything, Netflix has changed bedrooms more than living rooms. People can spend hours binge-watching alone or with their partners in bed - a time they may have previously spent in other rooms of the house. Whether Netflix is watched from the sofa or the bed, the living room is still a place where people gather to relax and unwind, even if they have their mobiles in hand.
Kitchen and Living Room – Smart Home Assistants
One of the most recent pieces of technology to enter the home is the smart home assistant. Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Home and a host of other devices have made their way into our living rooms and kitchens. It’s made these rooms more interactive and multi-tasking friendly, freeing up hands, time and mental energy.
Most people who own smart home assistants use them as part of their daily routine. They check commute times and the weather, they set alarms and reminders, and they play music on command. They’re changing the way we go about our daily lives, allowing us to get information quickly and become more efficient.
Google has also reported that “people are engaging with their voice-activated speakers as if they were human and using it feels like talking to a friend, or at least another person.” Words like ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ are used when commanding smart home assistants.
It could almost seem as if these devices are making our homes more human. In that way, they are changing how we interact with and relate to the physical space in our home. Perhaps they’ve also made us ask more of our homes; to be increasingly convenient, as well as comfortable and beautiful and reflecting our personalities.
We want the heating to be on to the perfect temperature as soon as we walk in the door, we want shopping lists to be made for us, we want devices that respond to us. As they become more pervasive, their impact will become more and more apparent. Technology presses ever forward, and our homes evolve with it.
Some things change drastically, some change slightly and others stay the same. No matter what, one thing about the home remains constant – it’s still a place to make your own, to rest and relax in, to fill with objects you love, and to spend time in with friends and family.
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