Indoor/outdoor living: what it really looks like in Ireland
According to MET Éirann, Ireland gets between 1,100 and 1,600 hours of sunshine a year. That compares to up to 225 days of rain…
So is technology in a garden really a priority for Irish homeowners?
Perhaps not if you’re only considering how technology enhances your outdoor space on summer days. But there’s so much more you can do to make your garden an extension of your home rather than a space that’s tagged on from April to September.
As a principle, we consider the three to five metre space outside a home as an extension of the living space. That doesn’t necessarily mean that that area always has seating in it; it means that the transition from one place to answer flows rather than jolts.
If you’ve got large windows (which many contemporary builds do), a bit of considered lighting outside (rather than glaring motion-sensored floodlights - read more on that here) adds an extra touch of elegance to a build.
Lighting for peace of mind
One of our clients has LED strip lighting built into the paving area up to her front door. The light shines up onto a stone feature wall and both illuminates the path to the front door and makes the house shine with welcome.
Around the parking area at the house, this client also has wayfinding lights that highlight the grounds. These details mean that from the moment you turn into the driveway the garden and home feel like one well-considered space.
With teenage sons that’ll soon be learning to drive, this client also has peace of mind that when they arrive home from late nights out with friends in the future, the house will gently light their way back inside.
And what’s even better for the client is that the control of their outdoor lighting is on the same system as the one that controls their smart home. That means there’s flow physically at the home, and flow mentally as they transition from one space to another through connected technical systems.
Once everyone’s back inside and the family’s off to sleep, three taps of any switch in the home turns every light (inside and outside) off, closes the gate to the property, and sets the alarm.
These moments of flow are what transform a good home into a great one. Our goal with our technology installations is to simplify lives, not make them more flashy or complicated.
Functionality and fun
A good technology plan for an outdoor space also takes into consideration that it won’t always be in use as a space to lounge, and sometimes it’ll be in use under cloudy skies and drizzle. Thinking about all these use cases is what’s important for creating both functional and fun homes.
We’re currently working on the installation of garden technology for a couple with a home on the shores of Belfast Lough. We completed the smart system inside their home a number of months ago (with the addition of a media wall along the way), and have moved outside now to help them create their dream garden. The project is due to be completed this summer.
The main priority of this couple was the creation of a play area for their children. Another contractor installed this early on in the project. When that was completed, the couple turned their attention to how they as adults wanted to use the space, with our design-led thinking as a guide for how they slotted technology into those plans.
A pergola built to fit a hot tub (for shading in the summer and shelter in the winter) is a primary feature of the garden. We’ve ensured that their technology plan means that the tub is well lit all year round.
The couple also wanted to be able to watch TV from the hot tub, so we also specced a resilient, salt-water proof TV that’ll also be mounted to the pergola. This couple also has TV on their balcony, giving them ample choice of how to live an indoor/outdoor lifestyle.
Early on in the project, we provided a full ducting plan for the trades carrying out groundworks on the site. Custom light fixtures by Hudson Lighting are now on the way for installation, along with iNSTYLE LED lighting and speakers by Klipsch.
With our guidance, John and Sasha are creating a garden that complements the life they lead inside their home. They’ve considered how each zone of the garden will be used and we’ve helped them create a technology plan that allows them to enjoy each zone, find their way to them in the dark, and control the whole space through one simple source.
Collaboration is key
As with our smart home projects, we worked collaboratively with other tradespeople employed on John and Sasha’s build to make their garden tech dreams a reality. Just like we work with electricians ahead of their first fix at a property, we did the same with the landscaper by providing a full ducting plan for the people carrying out groundworks on site.
We stuck closely to the electrician after that so they knew exactly where our cables should be run to. Soon we’ll be back on site for the installation of the technology that completes the space.
Because the couple’s hot tub is covered by a pergola, they’ll be able to use it all year round. And because they’ve got their lighting right, they’ll be able to catch glimpses of the sea a few feet from their back door even on the stormiest of nights.
And the best bit? The technology in their outdoor space connects to the smart system that controls the rest of their home. That means there's only one system to get to know to work every piece of tech in the build.
Throughout our years in business, we’ve seen gentle technology touches added to a property outside that make a huge difference to how the home looks and feels. Likewise we’ve also seen clients go all in with their outdoor technology to create gardens that are party-ready at the touch of a button.
The worst thing you can do, particularly if you’re building, is forget how impactful the outdoor space around your home is. We can help you imagine what it could become at info@epitomeliving.com.
