The Coolest Home Upgrades

Hidden, Wall-mounted TV

Photo: Electronichouse.com

It's go big or go home with televisions these days - but when you bring one of these drive-in movie-sized screens home, it can often wreck the design of the room. When a guest walks in, they won't say, "Wow, what a nice house," but rather, "Wow, what a big TV you have!"
Well now, you can have it all - a big screen and big style. Designers are increasingly choosing to hide gigantic televisions in the wall and cover them with a mirror or artwork so when they're not in use, you don't even know they're there! When it's above the fireplace, it can be a framed mirror or piece of art. In the photo at left, this Samsung 37-inch LCD is mounted in the closet behind the mirror, hidden by a removable panel in the closet.
You probably want a pro to do this - TVs require proper ventilation.

Master Control for Energy Consumption

Photo: Control4.com

You know you can control your entire house now from a laptop, iPhone or iPad. Everything from the lights and thermostat to the stereo - and even the pool. Here's taking it to the next level - a master control for energy consumption.
"This is very, very new - people are just experimenting with it," said Ron Rimawi, who co-owns Digital Interiors in Atlanta. "It helps make you more aware and more conscious of your energy usage, so you don't waste energy."
Basically, they're small digital panels that connect with the utilities and track various appliances and systems in your home. They can tell you everything from your usage to the temperature and how much it's all costing you! "We have long held the belief that the promise of the Smart Grid can only be realized if the consumer is front-and-center in the design of demand-response systems," said Control4, which makes the master control for energy consumption pictured at left.

 

Pop-up Ventilation for the Kitchen

Photo: Dacor.com

No one wants the lingering smell of smoke and cooking fumes in the kitchen - particularly with how hot the open-concept kitchen-living area is right now. But hoods, no matter what high-end materials you use, can be clunky, not to mention they get greasy and dirty. Enter the pop-up hood vent - You can sink it into an island or other countertop (of course, with an underground vent to the outside) and then at the press of a button, it comes up, sucks all the smoke and fumes out and then press the button again and - poof! - it vanishes again. This is not only great for kitchen design, but also to lure other members of the family into the kitchen to help. Make it high-tech - and they will come!

 

Cooling Drawer

Photo: Electronichouse.com

Let's face it - kitchens are getting cool. From sleek granite to smart appliances, this isn't your grandma's kitchen. One of the places where the most innovation is taking place is in the refrigerator. Maybe they have double French doors or are hidden by paneling that makes them blend in with the cabinets. One of the coolest things - literally - is a cooling drawer, like the one shown left from Fisher Paykel. These are drawers with several different temperature settings, so you can store soda, wine, snacks for the kids - even ice cream. They're individual drawers, so you can have any number of them scattered around the house.
 MADONE