Have you recently acquired or built your dream vacation home in Miramar Beach? When you’re not there enjoying the Florida sunshine and the Gulf breezes, there’s no need to worry about the state of your abode. Whether you rent it out for income or you want to monitor your property for safety and security, smart home automation technologies can keep you abreast of what’s happening.

Based in Rosemary Beach, GHT Group is your local home automation services company that can help you set up your vacation home for easy management while you’re there or away. Learn about five smart automation ideas below!

Have we gone off the deep end? We are now claiming that home automation can improve wellness? Bear with us; it's not as wild as it seems. First, home automation is a great convenience – and luxury – and if that alone reduces stress, that's an improvement in your wellness.

Think about it. If your home automation system can inform you that you left the garage door open because it knows you're not at home, you can close it with a tap on a screen or have it do so automatically after a few minutes. If you're on vacation and you have a video doorbell and smart security cameras, you can check in on your house at any time and be notified of any unusual activity. Peace of mind and reduced anxiety is a boon for wellness too.

But even beyond the convenience and security aspects, comprehensive smart home systems like Control4 can create a better atmosphere for wellness too. As a Control4 installer in Cumming and Metro Atlanta, we have seen (and helped create) many ways clients have used their smart home features to improve fitness, mood, and relaxation for a healthier atmosphere. Keep reading for some of the best ideas!

One thing in a home that sometimes doesn't get as much attention as it should is the lighting. Lighting can make a huge difference in the look and feel of a home. Sometimes it’s subtle; an interior may just feel right, and you might think it’s the finishes, layout, or furnishings. But lighting can affect the way you see and notice all those things.

Anyone can choose fixtures, lamps, and lighting styles for a home’s interior. But how do you make sure you have enough lighting, not too much lighting, and the right type of lighting – both for task and ambiance – in each space? That’s where a professional can help. As one of metro Atlanta’s premier interior lighting design companies, GHT Group can be your full-service lighting partner for your Georgia home.

Keep reading to see how a professional lighting company can assist with your home lighting design.

In this day and age of Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and many home automation devices, Crestron is a name you may not know. Yet before the internet or even high technology was a common term, Crestron was pioneering automation in both businesses and homes. Crestron was (and still is) a top choice in orchestrating automation in the largest residences and the most complex boardrooms across the country and the world.

Sometimes, with great power and flexibility comes a higher level of complexity. Crestron systems could do almost anything, but they required a high skill level to configure, program, and install. Crestron took the power inherent in the system and added a simplified layer that made it easier for integrators to deploy, and more importantly, far easier for homeowners to use and personalize. The result is Crestron Home, a powerful home automation system that offers sophisticated control with supreme usability for your Santa Rosa Beach, FL home. Read on below to discover more about Crestron Home.

By all accounts, the market for home automation and smart technology is growing at a rapid clip. The research firm IDC projects growth at 16.9% annually over the next few years, which means that prospective homeowners will be prioritizing smart automation features.

As trade professionals, you already know that you need to plan early for home infrastructure. But smart home technology is more than just including a basic pre-wire low-voltage cabling package. Keep reading to see how it pays to bring in a home automation company early in your process to make your Duluth, GA projects smart from the start.

Crestron is a company with a long history in home and commercial automation and is universally recognized as a pioneer and innovator in the space. But today, a myriad of options exist in smart home technology, from DIY solutions to other professionally installed systems.

Using its expertise in both residential and commercial settings, Crestron has continued to innovate in smart home systems. In particular, three highly sought-after features in today's homes – home offices, video conferencing, and whole-home media systems – play perfectly with Crestron's expertise in all these areas in the commercial space.

As a leading Crestron dealer in Kennesaw and the Metro Atlanta area, GHT Group recommends Crestron solutions for sophisticated homes that demand solutions with commercial-quality performance. Let’s take a closer look at three popular areas where Crestron solutions excel.

Smart lighting control is one of the first things homeowners look for with home automation. The reasons make sense – lighting control is convenient and can save energy effortlessly. However, some might think that lighting control might be good for just one area – like a central living area or outside lighting.

Just as in smart home automation, we think when you make all your lighting smart, the benefits of the whole are greater than the sum of the parts. Let’s take a closer look at a few things you might not have realized about whole-home lighting control systems. Please keep reading below!

Unlike other state monikers that might leave you puzzled, the Sunshine State aptly fits Florida. The Rosemary Beach and Panhandle area average over 220 sunny days a year, and that doesn’t even count those days when it rains in the afternoon. All that sun makes for a wonderful climate and outdoor lifestyle, but it can also be hard on your home’s interior.

Most homes in the area employ some type of custom window treatments for all the usual reasons – privacy, light control, and more. But did you know that adding power to your window treatments can let you easily control the Florida sun inside your home? Discover four reasons how custom motorized shades protect and enhance your Rosemary Beach home.

Spring is in the air, and it’s time to get outdoors. While Georgia’s weather is mild in the spring, the Kennesaw area will soon experience the southern summer’s warmer, more humid season. And with spring and summer comes rain, and oh, the bugs. Does that sometimes keep you from enjoying your patio?

You can control the environment outside, too (within limits, of course). Did you know that motorized outdoor shades can let you enjoy your patios even more? Today’s solutions are more integrated and sleeker than ever. Keep reading below to see how outdoor shading helps you make the most of your outside areas.

Are you in need of new window treatments? Whether you are building, remodeling, or just a bit tired of your existing window coverings in Alpharetta, allow us to humbly suggest that you consider motorized, custom window treatments.

We can already hear practical Georgians saying, why would we need to motorize them? To which we respond, do you still have crank windows in your car? In all seriousness, motorized window treatments are a luxury, but one that you quickly discover pays many dividends in practicality. And on the subject of dividends, they can even save you money. How? Please read on!

Everyone has their preferences in the way they do things. At the grocery store, you may see some people checking off their list on a smartphone or smartwatch, while others trust the timeworn paper list. Some like old-fashioned alarm clocks and others let their smartphones or smart speaker wake them. 

User experience is important, and everyone should have options for how they interact with their everyday technology. When it comes to smart home automation, you also should have a choice in how you interact, based on your whim, the function, and the design of your home. For all the options for smart home control in your Destin, FL home, the Control4 system is hard to beat. It has you covered whether you like interacting via buttons, touchscreens, or barking commands at Alexa. Keep reading below to see all the ways you can control your smart home.  

Let’s face it, anyone can have some level of home automation and smart control these days. Hundreds of smart devices are available at the click of an Amazon Buy button, at Home Depot, or Best Buy. You can be your own integrator, programmer, and head debugger and install a surprisingly extensive smart home system yourself. 

Perhaps you're not interested in integrating your own system or trying to figure out why your outside lights didn't turn on at sunset. If you’re a busy professional, your time away from work is likely far more valuable than debugging your smart home devices. We're not going to tell you hiring a professional for your smart home installation will be less expensive – when is it ever? But we can tell you what you will get with a professionally installed smart home system like Control4, and how a Control4 installer like GHT Group, Atlanta's leading home technology integrator, can ensure you don't spend your free time as your home's IT person. Keep reading for more. 

SEE ALSO: Introducing Control4's Newest Home Automation Platform: OS 3

We are all familiar with things that require routine maintenance. Cars may be the first to come to mind. Oil changes, lube, tune-ups, tire rotations, and other items are standard services that all vehicles need. OK, so electric cars don't need oil changes, filters, or spark plugs, but they require other maintenance too. Closer to home, HVAC systems and other functions need routine maintenance for optimal performance.

Home automation is an increasingly popular upgrade to today’s homes. Homeowners enjoy the many benefits of lighting control, motorized shading, HVAC control, unified AV systems, and integrating all of these through smart home automation systems.

Do home automation systems need maintenance? Should you seek out companies in Marietta, GA (like us) that specialize in home automation services to "tune-up" your system? What services could possibly be needed with some electronics and software? The answers below might surprise you.

Smart home technology is high on the list for homeowners building or remodeling a home or even redoing a living area or an outdoor patio and pool. Control of lights, audio-video systems, shading, and more bring not just convenience but energy efficiency and security benefits as well.  

While some simple smart home features can be addressed with DIY consumer solutions, a truly integrated smart home installation is best left to professionals. They can determine not just what system is best for you now and into the future, but they are also experts in essential infrastructure like cabling, wiring, and networking that will enable your smart home to work fluidly and reliably. 

How do you go about choosing a smart home company for your project in Destin, FL? Keep reading for three critical things to look for in making your decision. 

Smart home control is all about seamless and comprehensive integration. It’s not enough to have one remote that controls the AV system in your home theater. If you really want to live in a smart home, everything should be connected to one robust home automation system. By tapping an icon on a smart touchpad, you should be able to control the lights, surveillance cameras, home audio and video, and every other smart home technology.

Control4 is a leading provider of advanced home automation systems. They help homeowners enjoy one-touch command of every connected technology in their homes. In this blog, we’ll focus on three of the most impressive ways you can enjoy a Control4 home in Atlanta, GA. Keep reading for all the details.