Tag Archives: lighting

There is still strong demand in the UK from people who want to build their own home with new research showing that 27% aspire to do so and many want the very latest technology. The most common reason for people building their own home is to have the freedom to design it how they want with 79% giving this reason, according to the research by price comparison website Confused. Some 33% would be fulfilling a life-long dream by building their own home and 33% want a property that is unique. But just 7% have actually fulfilled their dream. The research also shows that 34% say they would like to have more modern technologies in their home with 34% wanting to control appliance by smartphone, 21% wanting self flushing toilets and 20% voice activated lighting. Nearly half, 49%, say they would like to have a home security system, 46% would like to have underfloor heating and 40% would like to have a home cinema or entertainment system. Although many people want their homes to be more technologically advanced in the future, it’s clear that technology already plays an important part in today’s modern home. A third believe that modern technologies make running a home easier and 9% already control some household appliances with their phone. Of those who opt for mobile phone control, the majority, 62% use it to control their TV, 29% control their lighting and 13% use their phone to control their curtains. Some 25% say they prefer a more traditional home, 23% think modern technologies in the home encourages laziness and 17% think modern technologies in the home cause complications. Looking forward 10 years to 2025, it would seem that people expect innovative technologies designed to make our lives easier even more prevalent in the home. Some 44% say they think voice activated lighting will be commonplace in the home, with a further 43% predicting security systems with facial recognition will become a standard feature. Some 23% believe that in a decade homes will have remote controlled fridges, 22% foresee steam washing machines and 20% voice activated cookers. Other technological advances that people believe will be rolled out in homes across the country in years to come include sinks with built in dishwashers, smart kitchen surfaces that will identify what’s on them and have the ability to keep food at the right temperature and fridges which creates recipes for the food you have stored inside them. ‘We’re all individuals and it’s understandable that we’d want to reflect this within our homes. Building your own home is the ultimate step towards that goal whether you prefer a more traditional home or one with every gadget on the market,’ said Gareth Lane, head of home insurance at Confused. Continue reading →