This is a genuine point of frustration with renovations and ‘upgrades’. Everyone has a different acceptance level and you better be tuned in with your partner before ordering that ‘thingy’ for your smart home. I am sure you have heard some of these PAF comments before:
- That looks ‘ugly’ e.g. a large wall mounted control panel or large dimming controller
- That is not going to sit behind my head when I am sitting on the lounge, e.g. surround sound speakers
- Why do I need to go to the other side of the room to turn that on?
As highlighted previously quite possibly the logical world is turning against you as well as the physical world. In the new world of Apps you can logically control or monitor just about everything but that also gets you into trouble:
- I have too many Apps to drive x, y and z
- Ahhhhh!, it won’t let me change the settings!
- The smart controller is locked and I can’t change x, y and z
You have to hone in on the ‘little details’? Review with your partner through the concept, design and integration stages what is required and what it will do. The physical and logical internal needs are as important as the exterior aesthetic. Often an internal light switch, in the wrong place, is moved because the angst it causes from its high daily use.
It is not all bad news with smart solution aesthetics. Often there is a solution or location to reduce the ’PAF’ comments. Ask your electrician or system integrator what is going where and what does it look like long before it is installed. You should have a good idea of this before signing the contract. If the system integrator can’t assist then you should resist!
Stay safe. Be Smart!