After a long day of shopping or golf, you pull up to the private gated entrance at the front of your property. It’s a crisp fall night and dusk has turned to dark. As you approach the gate, a sensor attached to the front of your vehicle alerts the gate to open automatically.
As you proceed through the gate; sensors alert your high tech system to turn on the wonderful landscape lights you had installed earlier in the year. Low level interior lights also come alive and create a wonderful ambiance inside your home. Beautiful classical music begins to play softly throughout your home, and at the same time, an electronic device powers on and begins to emit your favorite fragrance into the air.

As you proceed down the long beautifully lit driveway, you are reminded of the wonderful oasis you call home. Wanting to just relax after you arrive, you decide a warm soak in the hot tub is just what you need. From the comfort of your car, you press a button that turns on your hot tub, backyard lights, music and a towel warmer. After
thinking for a moment, you decide that a warm beverage would be the perfect addition to your hot tub experience, so you remotely power on the beverage warmer to begin heating your drink.

As you approach your garage, the garage door opens automatically. You step out of the car into a climate controlled environment that fights off the chill of the night. Stepping into your home, you are greeted by all the features you’ve preprogrammed into your system, romantic lighting, wonderful aromas, and soft music.

As you walk through your home, the lights behind you automatically shut off and the lights before you come on, lighting your way through the house. After changing for the
hot tub, you step into your master bath, where a towel warmer holds a luxurious
perfectly warmed towel for you to take with you outside. Then on your way out, you stop at the beverage warmer and pick up the delicious drink that’s just the right temperature.

Slipping into the hot tub from the heated patio floor, you barely notice the chilly night air. After relaxing for a while, you step back onto the heated patio and head for the indoors
to watch a late night movie. Sitting down in your favorite chair, you press a button on your remote that drops down a high definition screen from the ceiling. At the same time
your remote control blinds close to block out the outside noise and lights. Once the screen is lowered and the movie begins, your surround sound system turns up to a preset
volume and your home theatre experience begins. Now that’s what I call Living Large in a high tech home!

Designer’s Eye column was written by Karen Mills of Interiors by Design, Inc. and host, Living Large.