Tips From The Top

As professional home automation integrators, we at Jackson Hole A/V make it our business to know the best products to meet the individual needs of our clients. We love bringing our expertise about smart home tech to our clients to make their lives more comfortable, convenient, and secure.

Naturally, we bring that same knowledge and expertise to our own families and homes. What does a professional smart home integrator have in their own home? We asked Josh Stephens, our lead programmer and network engineer, for a few of his favorite smart home tech items that make life for his family even better.

“My family and I love the battery powered shades,” Josh says. “They provide privacy at night and allow us to raise all of them in unison with a single button press, or use a simple voice command when it’s time to let in the sunlight.”

We work with our clients to find the right shading systems for their homes, including battery-powered shades by Lutron. These ultra-quiet Serena shades install wirelessly and can be operated from anywhere in the home with a remote. The shades come in two design styles – roller or insulating honeycomb – with a wide array of fabric textures and colors. They’re very low-maintenance and are controlled with the Smart Bridge and free Lutron app.

Another very practical and necessary tool ensures his family’s security and privacy. As a father with kids at home, Josh values the ability to restrict his children from being able to use the Internet after bedtime, as well as the ability to monitor their Internet usage. He is able to monitor and control their Internet access with an app on his phone that controls his home’s Internet router. 

His family also frequently uses voice control to turn on or off the lights in their home without even leaving their couch. They also use voice control to play their favorite Pandora station on their Sonos speakers. “It’s especially useful when you need to skip that not-so family friendly song,” says Josh. “Just say ...‘skip this song’.”

Sonos is one of our favorite sound companies to work with. This software-driven audio company is committed to creating high-quality tech to give clients outstanding listening experiences throughout their homes. They are constantly developing new technology and customer relations to enhance their clients’ experiences. Last fall, for instance, they introduced a new hardware upgrade program, where customers can trade up their current Sonos products to next generation of Sonos products.

To learn more about how smart home technology can make your family’s life more comfortable and secure, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.