What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? What about the best gift you’ve ever given? Exotic vacations, high-end appliances, and new cars are just a few gifts that come to mind.  And we acknowledge it’s a little odd to be talking winter holidays in April, but we couldn’t resist telling you about one of the greatest gift-giving projects that we’ve been a part of. A husband approached us expressing his desire to surprise his wife and two kids with a home theater system in time for Christmas. Pretty exciting, right? We thought so too. In this blog we’ll tell you one of our favorite gift-giving stories so that whether you’re in Sugar Land or Memorial, TX you can start imagining what you’ll give during the holidays and throughout the year.

A number of research firms have predicted varying growth rates for the smart home automation industry. But regardless of the exact figures, the experts agree it’s growing, and rapidly. So what are the key features of home automation, beyond convenience? Here we’ll cover five features of smart home automation for your Memorial, Texas home.

1. Manage your home from near or far

How often do your plans change with little to no notice? With home automation, you have the ability to adjust settings quickly and easily from nearly anywhere using your smart device. Not going to be home in time to take the dog for a walk? You can unlock the door for a neighbor or friend who can take your four-legged friend out for you. Once they leave, easily lock the door arm the alarm, and turn off lights from your office PC or tablet. With remote access, you can monitor your home’s environment both inside and out and turn lights on or off, adjust the thermostat, close the garage door and so much more.

2. Control your home with sleek and stylish options

You and your family are unique and the way in which you interact and control your home can be tailored to meet your individual needs. Press a button on a portable touchscreen, use a handheld remote or a wall-mounted keypad to adjust the music, thermostat or turn on the hot tub.

Do you have a difficult time getting motivated in the morning? Do your children incessantly hit snooze on the bedside alarm? Are you tired of tip-toeing across a cold bathroom tile floor each morning? Do you blindly search for the light switches in the bedroom and constantly wake your partner? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’ll want to read on because Relative Home Systems has a solution for your Memorial, Texas home.

Home Automation: The Total Package

With a Creston home automation system, you can easily control everything in your home using sleek touch screens, remotes, or your favorite mobile device. Start with one room or outfit your entire home. Crestron has been setting the standard in automation for over four decades, is customizable and will blend in with you lifestyle. One of our favorite Creston features is the ability to create scenes.

Awake Like Sleeping Beauty

No need to set the alarm on your smart phone; not when you have a Crestron system. As your day begins, the bedroom lights slowly turn on to the right level so that when you awake the room is illuminated and you can move about the room with ease. As you make your way to the bathroom, the lights are already on, the mirror TV is tuned to your favorite morning show, and you feel the warmth of the bathroom tiles on your feet.

Want a real theater in your home? In order to experience epic entertainment with family and friends, you’ll want to consider these three important factors.

Epic sound

If you want the most realistic, authentic movie theater sound experience possible, then you’ll want custom-made speakers from Bowers & Wilkins. These loudspeakers are designed with one aim in mind, to lift you out of your seat and throw you into the heart of the action. The CT 800 and CT 700 ranges deliver movie theater sound like you’ve never heard before. The design of the CT 800 allows each speaker to be custom-fitted into your home theater, and once installed they are virtually invisible. In fact, the only thing you’ll notice is the sound that makes you feel like you’re a character in the movie.

To create a genuine cinematic experience in your home when space and budget are limited, choose the CT 700 Series. Its compact design is adaptable to many different home theater environments, but still delivers powerful and immersive sound at a great price point.

Enhanced vision

Landscape lighting adds beauty, increases safety, and the value of your Austin, TX home. As the warmer months of the year quickly approach, now is the time when many homeowners consider making outdoor updates to their property. You might be considering a fire pit, patio seating or an outdoor kitchen, which are all great additions to your backyard. But have you thought about the benefits of lighting up the night? Read on to learn more about how outdoor lighting can enhance your property.

Add Beauty and Fun

A well-planned lighting installation can add charm to your garden or highlight various architectural features of your home. Use accent lighting to show off a water feature or a piece of lawn art. Regardless of the style of your home, wall lanterns and post lights add a customized finish. Task lighting in your outdoor kitchen makes preparing food easier and might just encourage others to assist you. Extend the hours you spend hosting guests and hanging out with family on the patio or by the pool when you install landscape lighting.

Improve Safety and Security

One of the primary reasons to install landscape lighting is for safety’s sake. Lighting for pathways, steps, decks, patios, and front doors help guide family and guests throughout the backyard and reduce the number of trips, slips, and falls. Swim more safely at night with specialized lighting for your pool and deck area. Shedding light in dim areas and around the perimeter of your home will discourage loitering or other unwanted activity.

Does your home have a digital hub that allows you to control the various subsystems throughout your home? Welcome to the Savant home where you decide how your home should react to you and your family. With a Savant system, you get the convenience of an automated home. Plus when you work with the professionals at Relative Home Systems you’ll transform your Austin, Texas home into a space that reacts the way you want it to.

A Tailored Home Just for You

The Savant home automation system is compatible with thousands of products and gadgets that help control climate and lighting and software for security and entertainment. Savant recently introduced its new software and affordable smart controllers, putting it within reach of a much wider audience at a much lower cost. Dim lights throughout your home, stream audio and video to any room in your home, and view security cameras at a glance all at the press of a button. Remotely access and monitor your home from nearly anywhere in the world and adjust room temperatures, turn off lights, and lock doors.

Alliance with Apple®

Savant’s strong relationship with Apple has helped to propel the brand and its technology forward, making it one of the fastest growing companies in the luxury smart home market. Savant uses the Apple Mac Mini to run the software and smart phone and tablets to control the various subsystems throughout the home. In addition, Savant is also compatible with Android devices, putting the power in the consumer’s hands regardless of that smart device they are holding. The Savant system is intuitive and syncs easily with a variety of control devices.

Does your home have a digital hub that allows you to control the various subsystems throughout your home? Welcome to the Savant home where you decide how your home should react to you and your family. With a Savant system, you get the convenience of an automated home. Plus when you work with the professionals at Relative Home Systems you’ll transform your Austin, Texas home into a space that reacts the way you want it to.

A Tailored Home Just for You

The Savant home automation system is compatible with thousands of products and gadgets that help control climate and lighting and software for security and entertainment. Savant recently introduced its new software and affordable smart controllers, putting it within reach of a much wider audience at a much lower cost. Dim lights throughout your home, stream audio and video to any room in your home, and view security cameras at a glance all at the press of a button. Remotely access and monitor your home from nearly anywhere in the world and adjust room temperatures, turn off lights, and lock doors.

Alliance with Apple®

Savant’s strong relationship with Apple has helped to propel the brand and its technology forward, making it one of the fastest growing companies in the luxury smart home market. Savant uses the Apple Mac Mini to run the software and smart phone and tablets to control the various subsystems throughout the home. In addition, Savant is also compatible with Android devices, putting the power in the consumer’s hands regardless of that smart device they are holding. The Savant system is intuitive and syncs easily with a variety of control devices.

Lighting controls offer a variety of benefits from convenience and flexibility to safety and security. A personalized lighting system designed to complement your lifestyle will not only support your daily activities, but also set your home apart. Here we highlight three unique reasons to consider a lighting automation system for your Memorial, Texas home.

Schedule a Lighting Scene and Forget It

With the touch of a button, you can transform any space—from a single room to your entire home. Regardless of the activity, a homeowner can create the right light, set the mood, and save energy at the same time. Light fixtures can be programmed to turn on or off based on the time of day, angle of the sun, or who’s at home.

A lighting control system allows homeowners to set various scenes such as “Vacation Mode”, which makes your house look occupied while you’re away. Scenes let you get creative with your lighting effects and give you confidence that your house will operate according to the scheduled setting.

Install Lighting Controls with a Sustainable Design

We’re excited to announce we recently received a “Best of Houzz” award for both Design & Customer Satisfaction from Houzz—the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The team at Relative Home Systems was chosen by more than 25 million monthly users that make up the Houzz community from among more than 500,000 active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals. This notable award is an honor, but we’d prefer to let our work speak for itself. And if you’re looking for a great way to spend more time with the family or entertain guests in your home, then you’ll want to read on.

There’s nothing quite like going to the movies to experience the cinematic wonder of a Hollywood film. Now imagine hosting your friends and family in your own custom home theater. If you’re in Austin, Texas, there are several reasons to consider adding a home theater.

Reason #1: Avoid the crowds and sticky floors; host your own movie night.

After a long week of work at the office and school, the entire family can unwind and relax together watching their favorite flick or latest On Demand release. Get comfortable as you and the family recline in plush theater seats and immerse yourself in the story line unfolding on the screen. Or, create new memories with friends and family as you watch old episodes of your favorite TV sitcom or drama.

Reason #2: Watch your favorite team like you were sitting on the 50-yard line.

For quite some time, Crestron has been leading the way in advanced audio visual control, and in particular 4K distribution. This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was full of 4K Ultra High Definition screens that were brighter, thinner, and better than before. Are you considering a distributed 4K system within your home? The team at Relative Home Systems holds the Crestron DMC-E/4K certification, meaning we’ve got the knowledge, skill set, and experience to design, install, and commission your system. Whether you live in The Woodlands, River Oaks, or Austin, we can formulate a system that will allow you to view 4K in any room of your home.

Do you want the best 4K distribution system? With 4K, there are both benefits and challenges surrounding this latest advance in resolution technology. Since the team at Relative completed the demanding 3-day DigitalMedia™ course, we know how to address these challenges and ensure you get the most out of your 4K distribution system, whether it’s a new install or an upgrade to an existing system.

In addition to working with a DigitalMedia™ Certified Engineer, you need solid 4K sources and displays. But with so many brands and various components to choose from, how do you know which products to trust? Leave it to the experts at Relative Home Systems; we’re qualified to help you choose the right components so that your system operates and performs the way you envisioned it would. Our partner Crestron has engineers who are painstakingly testing products and only certifying those 4K sources and displays that meet their rigorous standards.

We recommend the Crestron DigitalMedia™ switcher, which will allow you to display the latest high-definition and 4K sources all in one platform. You’ll be able to have multiple sources going through the switcher to multiple displays throughout your home.

The digital media world seems to evolve at a rapid pace and that’s why we recommend you work with a Crestron certified engineer to help you design, install and program your system. Are you ready to make the jump to 4K? The team at Relative has the experience and skill set to bring you the best in 4K.

For quite some time, Crestron has been leading the way in advanced audio visual control, and in particular 4K distribution. This year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was full of 4K Ultra High Definition screens that were brighter, thinner, and better than before. Are you considering a distributed 4K system within your home? The team at Relative Home Systems holds the Crestron DMC-E/4K certification, meaning we’ve got the knowledge, skill set, and experience to design, install, and commission your system. Whether you live in The Woodlands, River Oaks, or Austin, we can formulate a system that will allow you to view 4K in any room of your home.

Do you want the best 4K distribution system? With 4K, there are both benefits and challenges surrounding this latest advance in resolution technology. Since the team at Relative completed the demanding 3-day DigitalMedia™ course, we know how to address these challenges and ensure you get the most out of your 4K distribution system, whether it’s a new install or an upgrade to an existing system.

In addition to working with a DigitalMedia™ Certified Engineer, you need solid 4K sources and displays. But with so many brands and various components to choose from, how do you know which products to trust? Leave it to the experts at Relative Home Systems; we’re qualified to help you choose the right components so that your system operates and performs the way you envisioned it would. Our partner Crestron has engineers who are painstakingly testing products and only certifying those 4K sources and displays that meet their rigorous standards.

We recommend the Crestron DigitalMedia™ switcher, which will allow you to display the latest high-definition and 4K sources all in one platform. You’ll be able to have multiple sources going through the switcher to multiple displays throughout your home.

The digital media world seems to evolve at a rapid pace and that’s why we recommend you work with a Crestron certified engineer to help you design, install and program your system. Are you ready to make the jump to 4K? The team at Relative has the experience and skill set to bring you the best in 4K.

Technology is many things. It keeps us connected, engaged, and allows us to access news and information via our fingertips. It advances at a rapid rate, and whether it’s a smartphone, security system or HD television, we have come to depend on it deeply. Technology is great when it works, but misery when it doesn’t, that’s why it’s important to work with a certified Crestron programmer when adding technology to your home.

Oftentimes when our devices stop working, our lives come to a halt. Ever tried troubleshooting on you own? When’s the last time you looked at your product manual? If you answered never, you are not alone. The team at Relative Home Systems is here to help you, whether you’re in The Woodlands, River Oaks, or Austin, TX.

When time and patience are limited, what are you to do? We possess the know-how to correctly install, configure, and troubleshoot your home automation systems. Our Creston programmers are well versed in A/V schematics, following wiring diagrams, and troubleshooting both hardware and software. We’ll resolve issues quickly so you can get back to enjoying the many benefits of smart home technology. We have extensive experience with home theaters, high-performance audio distribution systems, lighting control, and home networking. We know reliability is just as important as a system that is easy-to-use.

Whether you’re looking to design a new system or upgrade one that already exists, we’ve got you covered. For more than 13 years, we’ve designed, installed, and maintained Crestron home automation systems.

You and your family are unique and so too should be your home’s control system. Crestron provides nearly limitless options when it comes to what you can control in your home and how you interact with the various subsystems. The consistent element in life is change. So when your needs change, your Crestron system can evolve right along with you and your family.

Technology is all around us. Electronic devices permeate our lives and occupy much of our time throughout the day. Perhaps you need to unplug from it all and want to hide the technology within your River Oaks or Austin home. The technology integrators at Relative Home Systems are ready to help. We’ll make you aware of the available options and guide you in selecting electronic components to blend into your interior decor.

Speakers Should Be Heard, Not Seen

There’s nothing quite like the sound of classical music streaming throughout the various rooms in your home. With whole home audio, it’s important to take into account the appearance of your system. Cumbersome technology can be hidden away, out of sight, so guests are able to focus on your elegant décor instead. Relative Home Systems recommends in-wall or in-ceiling speakers that fade away into your space while still producing remarkable sound. By using acoustically transparent fabric, we can also hide speakers in a variety locations.

Cover Up Those Cables

Most technologies, no matter how sophisticated, usually require running wires and cables that can be quite unsightly. Fortunately, the professionals at Relative can make them nearly invisible. Installing wires and cords along the trim or through the walls can bring a seamless look that does not obstruct your interior design. Other options include installing wire under carpeting, through the ceiling, or along baseboards using “flat” cables.

Regardless of your budget and décor tastes, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) has a speaker system that fits your lifestyle and entices your ears. B&W offers a line of wireless audio products, a well-regarded line of headphones, and a series of different loudspeakers. The company is best known for its uncompromising approach to loudspeaker design and engineering and recently won the “Stereo Speakers of the Year” award. Whether you live in The Woodlands, River Oaks, or Tanglewood, Relative Home Systems can design and install a whole home audio system sure to impress even the most sophisticated audiophile.

A Speaker for Every Occasion

At the high-end of the speaker spectrum are B&W’s 800 Series Diamond Loudspeakers. When placed in opposite corners of the room, this floor-standing system offers crisp resonance. If you’re looking to class up nearly any room in your home, we suggest the CM8 Series 2. These loudspeakers deliver a sound that is both engaging and comfortable.

Small and Mighty HiFi to Go

If you’re looking for a portable wireless solution for your home, then you’ll want to explore B&W’s pick-up-and-play HiFi speaker. Perfectly sized for bedrooms, kitchens and even outdoor spaces, the T7 is portable and quite versatile. Its wireless connection lets you stream music from any Bluetooth-enabled PC, tablet or mobile phone without the need for a Wi-Fi network. Once charged, the speaker is good for 18 hours of solid playback. Take it with you to the park or your next BBQ.

As a Houston and The Woodlands, Texas-area integrator, we take great pride in providing the local community with the highest quality products from top national and global manufacturers. Both Dolby Atmos and Triad fit into that category, so we recommend these brands to customers rather regularly.

But what exactly are the best features of these speakers, and how can Relative Home Systems design the right placement for them in your home? In this blog, we have the answers for you and details on how to create the perfect whole house music system.

Create custom setups with Triad

Triad is an American manufacturer you can trust, with most of their speakers built-to-order in Portland, Oregon. The majority of the speakers can be painted in any color, and their veneer finishes are extremely popular as well.

With Triad, you not only get premium, high-end sound, but also a product that is versatile enough to be used in any space. For example, they have an InRoom Bronze LCR, but also offer InCeiling, OnWall, and InWall versions as well.

More and more families desire that homes integrate indoor and outdoor living spaces. Homeowners are creating a space where living areas flow seamlessly into outdoor areas like a terrace, pool deck or garden. A beautiful home by itself is not enough; it’s also about a functional layout and usable areas including the outdoors. The experts at Relative Home Systems can help you transform your backyard into an entertainment space as well as help you highlight the landscaping throughout your property.

Defying the Elements

Insecticides, acid rain, weed whackers and bugs take a toll on the typical landscape lighting systems.  Our new partnership with Coastal Source allows us to bring you “a solution that is defying the elements.” Coastal Source landscape lighting products are built with integrity and are engineered by experts with more than 50 years of hands-on industry experience. If you live on the coast, salt spray may be the most damaging weather element of all. But rest assured a lighting system from Coastal Source can stand the test of time no matter where you live or the climate. Plus Coastal Source offers a lifetime warranty on its goods against defects in material and functionality when the complete landscape lighting system is professionally installed and maintained by a certified dealer.

Landscape lighting illuminates the night

Outdoor lighting systems enhance your home’s aesthetics and highlight key landscape and architectural features. There are a variety of product options to meet all your lighting needs.

There are a few aspects of premium sound quality such as crisp, clean, bass and smooth, clear high-frequency notes that remain consistent among high-quality sound systems. Yet for the most part, the terms “high-end audio” or “high performance audio” mean many different things to many different people.

In this blog Relative Home Systems discusses the various high-end audio systems available to homeowners in the Houston and Woodlands, Texas areas.

2–Channel Listening Room

Discerning audiophiles often dedicate a space in their home to enjoy music as intended by the artist. Many fans of music typically find musical instruments coming from behind the listener as unnatural and inconsistent to a true to life experience. Thus, a listening room typically consists of a left and right speaker situated in the front of the room, facing the listener.

Whether you’re in the mood for rock, jazz, or classical, you will be able to hear the difference in a high-fidelity sound system engineered for a 2 dimensional listening experience. Beyond that, speaker preference can be highly individual depending on which sound qualities you would like your sound system to highlight. Our high fidelity-sound systems make sure that when your favorite tune gets going, all the various instruments can be heard.

Multi-Purpose Media Room

Looking to enhance your lifestyle? Do you feel as though your life looks like a coffee table lined with remotes? With home automation, tasks like controlling your thermostat, turning on and off lights, and managing a security system become integrated, personalized, and intuitive. Such systems allow you to entertain with ease, increase the efficiency of your home, and deliver peace of mind.

With Relative Home Systems, those in Houston and The Woodlands, are just one touch away from easily operating all of a home’s smart technology. Whether it’s new construction, a remodel, or a retrofit, we’ll help you determine the best solution for your space.

Integrated

Each of the electronic systems (heating/air conditioning, lighting, security, music) in your home can all be connected and managed by one central processor. With partners like Savant and Control4, Relative Home Systems, can accommodate all your automation needs. A fully programmed custom home automation system can supply information about the operational status of each device. Such an integrated system allows for meaningful reductions in energy use and utility costs.

Personalized

For over 13 years, Relative Home Systems has worked with premium names in home automation like Crestron for the best in luxury technology control. Recently Crestron introduced a game-changing update which puts the power of programming in the hands of the homeowner for a revolutionary, premium control experience. 

The new Crestron app, Pyng™ provides a quick, easy solution for setting up and controlling lighting, shades, thermostats, door locks, and security systems in a home. The new home automation app enables complete setup from an Apple® iPad® and control from iPad, iPhone®, and iPod touch® devices. In this blog entry, RHS reviews the benefits of Crestron's brand new interface and software and how Pyng can help you tailor your technology to the way you live.

Customized User Experience
The Pyng app user interface sports sleek graphics and is generated automatically. After RHS sets up your Pyng network, you can perform basic functions such as creating scenes and scheduling events without having to make a service call for updates. As a result, you can choose and name rooms, add accessories, create scenes, and schedule events with ease.

With the app, Crestron homeowners can create and "program" individual scenes instantly. Imagine you've taken the time to create the perfect ambiance for your dinner party - from the lighting to the room temperature - every detail of your environment is exactly how you pictured it. With the new Pyng app, you can immediately capture and record the scene for future use.

Simple Intuitive Interface
The Crestron Pyng SmartObject™ provides seamless integration with other Crestron systems. The Pyng app can run on Crestron TSW Series touch screens and can enable events in the AV system to trigger environmental scenes within the Pyng network. Since the cloud provides backup for settings stored in the PYNG-HUB (at MyCrestron.com), nothing is ever lost.

Ever requested quotes from similar companies for the same work, only to receive wildly different responses? It’s true of every industry, just as it’s human nature to gravitate toward the seemingly least expensive estimate. But that “savings” often proves to cost more, right? Here at Relative Home Systems, we work a bit differently. 

When it comes to crafting a dedicated home theater, we use the discussion of budget to help discover what our clients need and educate them on how to get there. We have 5 major considerations when determining potential costs for the entirety of the project. We’re using the opportunity of this blog edition to help you understand the process, but also so you know what to look for when requesting a quote for this type of home retrofit project…

1)      Design & Engineering – Without proper engineering and design, every subsequent dollar you spend is practically a gamble. While often not included in preliminary budgets, you cannot expect acceptable results, let alone something extraordinary, unless this process is accounted for. Don’t be left trying to figure how the budget suddenly expands due to needs for which you were not previously informed.

2)      Preliminary Construction – Whether you’re remodeling a particular room or building a new home from scratch, you have to determine your space requirements. Contrary to common practice, most of this cost should not be included in the “theater” budget. Framing, electrical, mechanical and other structural elements should be part of a separate construction budget. Specialty materials and additional labor are common requirements when constructing a quiet room, modifying ventilation, theater-quality lighting and other space changes.