While for industrial purposes, automation has been used for quite a while, for home, it was available in some cases only. It was mostly due to high prices of automated devices. For example, a TV lift used to cost around 1,000 USD which was not affordable for the majority of families. A lift desk was not cheaper, too.
Now, automated devices dropped in price, salaries grew, and many people learned to automate many things on their own which reduced the automation costs even more. So, this article is for those who believe that home automation increases the comfort and are ready to invest some funds in it.
Of course, if you can afford it, you can buy ready items or even order custom-made ones. But what if the price of a standing desk is approximately the same or even higher than your monthly income? Then, actuators, some skills, and creativity come to help. You can automate some things in your home on your own.
A TV Lift
A TV lift is an item that is most associated with automation. And indeed, you might not have enough space to install a TV set of the size you want to. But if you use a TV riser in Canada or some actuators to hide the TV set in a cabinet or behind a furniture piece, you might be pretty surprised with the results.
To hide your TV in a cabinet, you need a lift column, a cabinet, and a TV set, of course. So, install the TV lift in the cabinet. In the cabinet top, make an opening. It shall be big enough to let the device pass.
Check whether the lift and the opening are aligned. Fix the TV set on the lift. Test it again before tightening the screws. Finally, if everything works as expected, tighten the screws, and the lift is ready to use.
Don`t forget about such an important detail as cable management. If your cables are just hanging around, sooner or later, you or somebody else will get tangled in them. It might lead to the damages of equipment, danger to health and even life. So, get some clips (there are some to arrange cables) or a cable management system if you believe that one might be needed.
A Height-Adjustable Desk
One more item that can not just boost the quality of your life but increase the work efficiency significantly is a height-adjustable desk. Buying one is a pretty good investment that`s why many people still prefer using traditional desks. But what about building one?
To make your desk, you need a lift system and a desktop. You can use the desktop from your old desk if you like it.
That`s it, you can move on with the project. Fix the desktop on the lift system. Now, adjust the desk for using it conveniently in both a sitting and a standing position. After that, you might want to choose some accessories and enjoy using the desk.
What about the Kitchen?
Your kitchen is a room where constantly something is needed. New devices would facilitate many tasks but in most cases, you don`t have where to store all the things that are needed. There is a solution though.
What if you install a lifting column in one of the kitchen cabinets? On the column, you can fix a platform to accommodate a device that isn`t in constant use but is still needed. For example, such an installation could be the right place for a food processor, an electric kettle, a coffee machine or any other device.
If you like the idea, follow the instructions:
- Buy a lifting column.
- In the cabinet top where you are going to make the installation, cut out an opening to let the device pass.
- Now, install the column on the bottom inside of the cabinet.
- On the column, fix a platform.
- Finally, install the device on the platform and secure it properly.
- You can prepare a cap to close the opening when the device isn`t in use.
Now, you can continue installing the columns, you can fix as many of them as you need.
Another useful thing is a rack for kitchen utensils, spices, or other smaller items. You can fix a rack to an actuator and install it in a wall-mounted kitchen cabinet or behind such a cabinet directly on the wall. The actuator will move the rack down when you need to store there something, and up to hide it in the cabinet or behind it.
Bottom Line
There are a lot of useful and easy automation projects that can help you to turn your home into an incredible place. Get some skills by starting with the easiest of them. Then, you can move to more complex projects. And finally, you will be able to automate everything in your home.