Tag Archives: smart technology

Live Smarter with SmartHauz!

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Courtesy of SmartHauz

Courtesy of SmartHauz

We are thrilled to now showcase the first Apple HomeKit “smart” model home in Texas! We recently partnered with Austin-based company, SmartHauz.me, to install smart features, something more and more of our customers are requesting. In fact, we are now offering core smart features for our clients with options to upgrade, depending on how smart you really want to be.

We interviewed Founder and CEO, Sunny Sneckner, to get some more insight into what he does. Sunny worked for Apple on the Austin campus for 6 years, which is where he first saw the opportunity to provide service for people who wanted the convenience of on-site support. SmartHauz was formed in January of 2017.

“I wanted to work with builders to integrate the cost of smart technology installation into their new homes. People can roll the cost into their mortgages, so that they’re paying just a few extra dollars a month,” explained Sunny. “This is the true state of luxury. There’s nothing luxurious about walking around your house and turning off all the lights.”

Our Stone Creek Custom Homes’ model home, located at 1225 Vintage Way in New Braunfels, is equipped with the basic necessities, including lights, locks, environmental controls and doorbell.

“The majority of the house is now controlled with smart switches and smart dimmers on the lights, two smart thermostats, which can save you about 20% on cooling/heating costs and a smart lock equipped with a video doorbell that allows you to use your phone instead of a key to let people in and out, say to drop off packages or for maintenance.

If anyone comes up to the doorstep, you’re alerted before they even press the button, and you can communicate with them over video remotely,” he said. “These features are what make a smart home really functional. They save time and energy and offer you peace of mind. If you’re laying in bed at night watching TV, you don’t have to get out of bed to lock the door and turn off the lights.”

Sunny also loves to use his smart technology to automatically turn the ceiling fan on and off while he’s sleeping, to help control the temperature in the room, and keep him cool. Customers also dig the smart garage door, leaving you never to wonder again if you remembered to close it. Now you can use your phone to find out and close it from wherever you are in the world. They also offer smart sprinklers, which can reduce water consumption by a whopping 50 percent. Smart technology isn’t just about convenience, it’s about sustainability and cost efficiency in the long run.

New home buyers can rejoice that we are now offering a variety of smart home packages, as part of your build. There’s also the option to have a design consultation with Sunny and his team to custom tailor your smart features. “Just like picking out marble for your counter or wood for the floors,” said Sunny.

It’s all surprisingly easy to use, and Sunny makes sure he or a team member personally walks you through set-up on your iPhone, iPad, or whichever technology you prefer to use. For more information on Smart Hauz, visit https://smarthauz.me/.

If you’d like more information or to set up a consultation or tour, give us a call at 210-494-5400.

 

Fall Inspirations for Your Home

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As the seasons change, so do we cycle through trends and what’s “in fashion,” – more quickly, it seems, than ever before. When it comes to home design, from wall colors to appliances, it’s not as easy or financially realistic as changing out your ties and shoes. Still, there’s something to be said about these fall inspirations… see if any of them stick. Most importantly, however, is that you love it, whether it’s trendy or not!

Create a Tech-Free Zone

Have an unused room or corner space? You can easily create a haven from all the digital madness by creating a cozy nook. All you need is a comfy chair or hammock, some pretty pillows and lacey curtains hung from a faux wooden beam. Add a small bookcase filled with those vintage items (yes, books!), a cool lamp and piece of artwork, and you have yourself a little getaway. Leave your phones at the door.

White is Out; Color is In

Although white will always be a great accent color, all-white, or gray, interiors are fading into the background. This fall, expect to see rich browns, greens, blush and even black. Dark green (we used to call it Hunter Green), is being noted as a popular color choice by trendsetters. When accented with natural wood, leather or brass, it makes for a striking look. Jewel tones, used as accent colors in things like pillows, are also hot right now.

Past & Present

It’s fair to say the future of home décor is eclectic. With so many different eras to choose from, the desire to furnish a home in the same period is considered aesthetically unimaginative, and just isn’t done anymore, according to housebeautiful.com. Instead, people are filling their homes with a mix of old and new – vintage, retro, and modern. The sky’s the limit! They suggest starting with a favorite period of your choice and then working from there. Find yourself a gorgeous vintage armoire, for example, and pair it with a custom-made bed. You can find a handful of very talented woodworkers and metal artists in Texas. Here’s a local metal artist that stands out:  http://www.schroederart.com.

Smart Furniture

While we’re looking for ways to disengage from technology, designers are finding new ways to incorporate it. Keep an eye out for even more clever charging docks – ones that are actually built into the furniture, so you don’t have to have those clunky eyesores in every room. Check out IKEA’s SELJE nightstand, as one “smart” example.

At Stone Creek Custom Homes, our passion is helping our customers define and build their dream homes from the ground, up. Give us a call at 210-494-5400 for a free consultation. You can also fill out our online form to request more information.

 

Five Things You Never Imagined You Could Do To Your Custom Home

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At Stone Creek Custom Homes, we’re always on the lookout for cutting-edge technology to make our customer’s homes more efficient, beautiful and sometimes just plain cool. Here are some things we’ve got our eye on.

  1. LaCantina Engineered Doors. LaCantina folding door systems are a fantastic and modern element to add to your new custom home. These folding/sliding doors can open up your home, creating an indoor/outdoor environment, adding value and cache. Check them out here for yourself.
  2. Bathroom Bliss. Gone are the days of traditional shower heads, and even bathtubs for that matter. Now, you can truly experience a rain shower in the comfort of your own home. Rain ceilings, not just shower heads, allow you to relax in watery bliss. Check out this ceiling mounted rain shower head, and start dreaming!
  3. Indoor / Outdoor Bathrooms. Why not step it up even more and create an indoor / outdoor bathroom environment, or indoor/outdoor shower. Texas is the perfect locale to take advantage of this luxurious attribute. This is particularly convenient for those who have a pool. You can rinse off outside before hoping right into the interior shower. The design options are endless. Click here for some amazing inspiration!
  4. Kitchen Class. Our lives pretty much run on smart technology, so why not bring that tech into your kitchen? Smart refrigerators aren’t cheap, but they might just be worth it. No more going to the grocery store after work and forgetting that you’re out of milk or some other important staple. Now, you can simply get on your app remotely to see whatever it is you need. You can watch TV, maintain a digital grocery list… welcome to the future! We’re just one step away from the Jetsons. Here’s a great example.
  5. Recycled Insulation. Who needs that itchy, pink, fluffy insulation anymore? For those that love and appreciate living sustainably, you can now use recycled blue jean material to create optimal insulation in living spaces that need a little more privacy – perfect for bathrooms located in public spaces.

Give us a call at 210-494-5400 or fill out this online form for a free consultation and to find out more about these hi-tech features for your new custom home.

 

 

 

 

Our Favorite San Antonio Home Technology Designer

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We have worked closely with home technology designer Tommy Moeller of At Home Concepts for years, and we think he’s one of the best in the business! Tommy, who has been doing this since ’06, provides a service that is becoming more and more valuable to our clients.

Tommy:  What we do primarily is work with home owners to integrate all the latest technology into their homes:  audio, video and/or networking. I’ve been working with Stone Creek since probably ’07 or ’08 and they’re a pleasure to work with. They’re very thorough, the communication is very good and they do a great job!

[Thank you, Tommy! We feel the same.]

According to Tommy, the best time to bring him on board is before the house is even built, and we agree on that point too.

Tommy: I find that the homes I’m involved in early on are more successful than the ones I get involved in at a later date because, by that point, the budgets are set. The earlier the better, so people have a clear picture of what they want to do in their home.

When working with us, Tommy meets with us and our clients at the contract stage to best integrate the design and determine the necessary budget. As a custom installer, Tommy has to tailor the integration and technology to the client’s needs.

Tommy: My job is to figure out what they like and what they want to do. At the initial meeting, we look at the floor plan, and I find out what they do in their current home. What do you do like? Do you listen to music a lot? Do you entertain?

Tommy is discovering that an increasing number of home owners are in tune with the modern technology available to them. Most projects are whole automation system setups that include smart technology that allows you to control your TV, HVAC, and security system via your iPad or iPhone. In this new age, there’s no need to watch TV with a remote in your hands anymore, but what about ease of use?

Tommy:  I get asked that question all time. If you can operate an app on an iPhone, you can operate the system – it’s as basic as you can get.

If you’re on the lookout for the latest and greatest technology, Tommy’s always in the know. The hot new item coming down the pipe is an ultra hi-definition 4k TV – that’s the same quality as what you see at the movie theaters. Tommy tells us they’re still working out the kinks on these TVs. One of the problems is that most homes don’t have the capability for it. No doubt they will soon!

If you want to bend Tommy’s ear about technology design, you can contact him through his website  or simply give us a call at 210-494-5400, and we’ll work together to bring your vision to life.

If you’d like to be added to our private email list to receive the newsletter, you can sign up here.

 

High-Tech Gadgets for Your Home

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We may not be living in the car-flying, gadget-crazy world of that beloved cartoon The Jetsons yet, but there’s no denying that technology is leading us towards a more Utopian lifestyle. The modern home can be equipped with all sorts of gadgets, from the useful to the ridiculous. Here are just a few you might want to consider for your new or existing home.

- For a shockingly low price ($49.99), you can outfit your home with a Smart Home System from Wink Smart Home Hub. Wink Hub accommodates nearly every smart home wireless connection standard but doesn’t require additional hubs for operation. You can find it at Home Depot.

- If you like smart systems, you might also appreciate Amazon Echo’s smart speaker. Using Bluetooth technology, it has multiple voice-activated features that work in tandem with other smart home gadgets and hubs. Without lifting a finger, you can listen to audio books, check the weather and purchase more “smart” things online!

- You can enjoy hands-free entertainment in your very own kitchen with Samsung’s amazing new four-door fridge. This Wi-Fi enabled icebox comes with a screen that you can load with photos, a calendar, news, a notepad and recipes.

- Lucy is a solar-powered and “intelligent” light that uses mirror technology to light your house by following the sun and reflecting its natural rays. It looks like a modern piece of art but will save on your electricity bill and impress your tech savvy friends at the same time.

- What’s the point of having a perfectly-built bedroom, if you can’t get comfortable? Thanks to NASA, you can now purchase temperature-controlled sheets for your bed called Outlast sheets. Using high-tech developed by NASA scientists, these sheets contain tiny capsules that absorb heat when you get hot and release it when you’re cold. How cool is that?!

- We know the time and effort that goes into decorating your home to create just the right ambiance, so why ruin it with a bulky flat screen TV when you can have an invisible TV?! Well, maybe not invisible, but it is transparent. The transparent TV designed by Michael Friebe is a fantastic piece of tech – a conventional LCD combined with the latest TOLED display technology.

Now all you need is a gorgeous new home for all those savvy gadgets. Give us a call at 210-494-5400 to get started. To be added to our private email list to receive the newsletter, please sign up here.