It’s no secret that acclimating to fully remote work can be challenging, as the relatively distraction-free environment of an office is replaced by simply being at home and making do with a small home office or repurposing a bedroom. Thankfully, integrators and smart home manufacturers are able to help those working from home by providing technology that can both minimize distractions and improve the quality of life for remote workers.
In scenic Rhode Island, tech PR firm Caster Communications shifted to remote work in the spring to keep employees safe. President and founder Kimberly Lancaster converted her living room with a water view into her home office space. It had everything right: It was bright, quiet, and spacious enough for a large desk and sitting area. But, as she started working from her new home office, Lancaster faced the same challenges as many: screen glare and bad lighting for video calls.
Among the soft blue décor, artwork, and beachy features of her home, Lancaster prioritized smarts, with a Control4 automation system for lighting, temperature, and even audio control.
After the first few days dealing with home office lighting challenges, Lancaster sought a solution that would beautifully filter the light and complement the interior design. Naturally, she also wanted a smart solution, so she reached out to window treatment manufacturer Hunter Douglas to help solve the problem.
Hunter Douglas’ PowerView Automation integrates with Control4, making the shades an ideal solution for the transitional space. With just four weeks from the measuring to the installation, the positive impact would be felt long before stay-at-home orders would be lifted.
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Transforming A Living Room into a Proper Office
For her sunroom-turned-office, Lancaster selected the Silhouette Window Shadings. With S-Shaped vanes that tilt, her home’s exterior view and the incoming sunlight would be elegantly balanced, transforming the room into the perfect workspace and automating easily to be open, filtering or blocking light as part of the entire family’s routine.
PowerView Automation is seamlessly integrated into the home’s Control4 system, allowing Lancaster to easily lower and tilt the shades as the sunlight pans across the room, protecting the furniture and carpet, as well as shading.
When she heads downstairs each morning, the shades are set to let in the light, filtered to prevent glare. Throughout the day, they tilt and raise automatically, so Lancaster doesn’t have to leave her desk to move each shade, and she can work and take video calls uninterrupted.
If for any reason she needs to make an adjustment, the shades can be controlled from the PowerView App, Control4 App, or using a nearby Alexa-enabled device.
The Silhouette Window Shadings were chosen to complement the décor, while the soft white fabric is concealed when closed into the soffit for an unobstructed view to the outside. The combination of beauty and intelligence of the automated shades completes the transformation to Lancaster’s new remote work style.
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