Scenes: What They Are and Why You Need Them
Let’s play a very quick game of Associations.
I’ll mention a term, and you shout out what first comes to mind. If you’re in public, feel free to whisper or say it purely in your head. Here we go.
Scenes.
Did you think of movies? Or perhaps Broadway, with its ability to turn a plain stage into a story habitat? You could’ve also mentioned home automation or Balaklava.
Creating Scenes is integral to the world of theatre and storytelling. It’s also an indispensable part of smart buildings.
What are they?
Scenes are automated commands that connect multiple devices to do a myriad of actions simultaneously. Think of your car in winter: you press the remote start, and it not only revs the engine but warms the seats, defrosts the windshield, and turns on head lights. Only it’s your home.
They can be triggered using voice, motion, time, or a physical button on a wall, remote, or phone. In non-techie speak, you say “movie,” and blackout curtains close, the surround sound kicks in, and your chair reclines.
How do Scenes simplify life?
Imagine: you slide out of the sheets and sweep your calves over the side of the bed. You catch the last bright pinks of the sunrise, shake off dreams, and step toward your ensuite. Resting palms on the vanity quartz, you sigh hello to the dog. In a choose-your-own-adventure, which of the following plot twists would you pick?
1) You stumble to the light switch, hoping to hit the dimmer rather than one that will violently accost your eyes with its brightness. You remind yourself it’s the third from the left, and yet you still smack the wrong one.
You’re just starting to disrobe when you realize the window covering is wide open and that the birds, bees, and your nosy neighbour are all ogling you. You cross the room to lower it, then wonder why you didn’t first press the shower fan on.
Fueled by groans and the coffee you’re fantasizing about, you trek back across the room to start the fan. You desperately want your rise and shine playlist, but you left your phone in the bedroom.
OR
2) Your bare toes pad across prewarmed tiles, and you press one button. Suddenly, the mirror is gently backlit, your fav wakey wakey music fills the room, the shades lower, and the fan above the shower silently hums to life. You can already smell wafts of Colombian brewing in the kitchen. Simple.
Scenes are about you and what you want. There are endless configurations but here are some examples of what can be designed for you. You can give them any name you choose.
Welcome Home
Your arms are full of groceries. Your purse dangles from your elbow, playing ‘punch buggy’ with your thigh. With one touch of a button or one simple verbal directive, the hall light flicks on, the kitchen comes to life, and the door locks behind you. It’s almost like mom is there readying the house for you. Minus the hug.
Good Night
Snoozefests are made easy with this scene. You won’t wake up at midnight to the sound of music blaring in the den or the kitchen, looking like an airport runway with all the lights left on. Good night = all off. Except for what you want left on.
Goodbye
When it’s time to head out, there’s no need to sprint around the house turning off lights and the coffeemaker, opening blinds for plants, lowering the thermostat, and locking all the doors. One simple button or voice command can do all that - and even start your Roomba, Dustin Bieber, on its rounds.
Relax Mode
You want to chill out, read, or scroll random Youtube shorts, but every fixture is in pierce-your-retinas mode. A relax scene might be programmed to dim the row of pot lights above the sofa, lower the shades halfway, and use only indirect lighting to avoid glare. Or to whatever looks like relaxation to you.
Hostess with the mostess
Hosting a dinner party requires a much different ambience than an evening of snuggling with your grandkids in front of the TV. As the entertainer, you’ve got many things on your mind. Scenes mean you don’t have to worry that Great Aunt Pearl is shivering or that the music is so deafening that no one can hold a conversation.
When Balaklava sets up scenes, it means your home
- Can be automated to meet your specific needs
- Quickly and instantly comes to life in the ways you want
- avoids wall clutter, and
- You save time.
You don’t have to waste your time fiddling with systems or switches.
Let’s try that game of Associations again. Ready?
Scenes.
Ah, yes. We heard you loudly declare Balaklava.
