Meet George Jetson. He lives in a house of convenience, making decisions about lighting, security, even entertainment – all with the simple touch of one button.

In this home, temperatures shift to coordinate with the forecast; lamps turn on automatically when he comes home; music follows him from room to room; he can watch headline news on the bathroom mirror while he gets ready for work; his oven even starts dinner while he’s still navigating evening rush hour.

We used to envy Mr. Jetson for his home automation, but now it’s within our reach – and budget.

The “intelligent” home market in North America is expected to grow from $1.3 billion to $10 billion in just the next year and a half. Currently, that market mostly entails security, lighting, temperature (HVAC) and home entertainment systems. Years from now, however, the possibilities will seem endless.

The trend has hit Columbus head on. Art De Lorenzo, one of the owners of Genesis Audio, says most middle and high-end new builds now come with some sort of automation capability. Existing homeowners are not left out of the loop either.

“It is now a standard to have new builds be pre-wired in some way. We also have the ability to go in and do this in homes that already exist,” he says. “This goes way beyond temperature control. Anything you can imagine that is controllable in the home, essentially, can be done.”

The Basics: Security, Lighting, HVAC
Take down that “Beware of Dog” sign in your yard. Security systems have always been ahead of the technology curb, but they’re now more advanced than ever.

Homes come equipped with advanced intercom systems, glass-break and motion sensors and automatic phone dialers. Monitoring systems entail cameras positioned all over the property, displaying images on any television set. Pre-programmed lighting systems turn on at certain points in the day, deterring criminal activity while you’re away.

If you think you forgot to lock the garage door, no biggie – you can do it from afar, whether it’s upstairs or upstate. Peace of mind is now literally at your fingertips.

John Scott, a Powell resident who sells home automation products at Digital Home Designs, installed a small camera at his front door, so visitors can be seen on small wall monitors in every room. Those same monitors are also touch-screen panels that control lights, sound and temperature. The home’s atmosphere is automated so that it goes on and off or up and down at appropriate times in different zones.
In the Scott home, universal remotes allow control of all utilities or amenities. The system is so simple his children can use it, Scott says. If they leave the basement with the television running and lights on, for example, he can hit one button and turn it all off from his bedroom. He can even log onto his system remotely to make sure his fireplace is off.

“Anything that can be considered a remote-controllable device can be controlled, so it’ll make people more at ease when they go away,” De Lorenzo says.

Entertainment
The big demands in this market revolve around entertainment capabilities. Accordingly, the existence of automated home theaters has grown exponentially in just the past five to 10 years, according to Dave Robenalt, owner of Absolute Theater, in Powell.

“There has been a huge interest in dedicating an entire room in the house to being a home theater or media room because the cost has come way down and people are traveling less and spending more time at home,” he says. “What was once a luxury is now almost a necessity.”

Robenalt says most people can handle the technologically-advanced systems in one room, and for now are keeping it simple. Whereas five years from now, he predicts more people will be savvy enough to automate their entire house.

“I find that people are less intimidated if they focus on the automation features in one room – they can control everything in that one room with one remote – have a drop-down screen, dim the lights, pick out the movie, everything,” Robenalt says.

The Scotts transformed their lower level into a theater featuring a huge projection screen – John’s favorite room in the house. “All of my movies are programmed in a 400 DVD changer, so when I hit the remote, the TV and surround-sound system turns on. If my kids want to watch something in another room, they can input that onto a different screen. All of the TVs in the home are connected. It is very easy,” he says.

For measure, once the movie begins to play, your system can be programmed to close the blinds and dim the lights (or, for the romantics, start up the fireplace).

Televisions now come standard with DVR systems, allowing you to pause live programs. iPod libraries can be played anywhere you want, including in your yard.

“You can control all of your home entertainment that comes off of your network or computer. So you can have a complete playlist brought up on your remote control, which has a full search engine to program your song lists wherever you are,” De Lorenzo, who has installed covert speaker systems on his deck, in his garage, and in his garden.

“People love to be able to go home, sit down, listen to music or watch TV, and not have 14 remote controls in front of them. Now they can,” De Lorenzo says. “Even those who may be somewhat afraid of technology will be able to do this easily.”

There are also waterproof remotes to control your entertainment options from the pool or hot tub. Speaking of hot tubs, you can manage the temperature from a remote location, so it’s warmed up by the time you return home from a business trip.

Home Spas
As if that weren’t luxurious enough, home technology systems have conveniently worked their way into our bathrooms.

John and Kathy Scott’s master suit encompasses an enlarged bath off the bedroom with an elevated, two-person Whirlpool tub at one end, and a large, glass-doored shower at the other. The shower is rigged with remote controls that regulate the water flow and temperature from the eight body showerheads in the walls and two overhead.

Home automation features are full of magic tricks. Why not play some music while you shower, or switch over to a steam option? Install an illuminated “TV mirror,” which can display the news or market ticker while you get ready for work in the morning, and will disappear when you’re done.

Gourmet Kitchens
The technology trend would dare not neglect the most social room in the home, as ovens and microwaves and dishwashers (and, by extension, washers and dryers) all have the capability to turn on via remote control. No point in waiting impatiently for dinner to get done when you can start cooking it from the office.

Recipe-dependent homeowners are installing monitors into their kitchen counters or walls that can display any cooking instructions imaginable, and at any time. Why wait for the Paula Deen Show to come on?

An added bonus is these advancements save energy, thanks to temperature and water control, occupancy sensor lighting and dimmer switches.

The Future
Of course, as with everything, cost is a factor. Home automation is a big expense, but it’s also declining as the technology becomes more accessible. “The cost has come way down. I’d say 10 years ago, full home theaters cost between $40,000 and $50,000. Now most are well under $10,000, with the same quality equipment and audio systems,” Robenalt says. “This market changes so fast, I’m sure in five years it’ll be even cheaper and easier to access for most people.”

Most of us succumbed to the riveting conveniences of technology in our work and social lives. We check our e-mails first thing in the morning and feel anxious without our cell phones. It’s about time we translate such amenities into our homes. Smart living has become easy living, complete with quality entertainment, cutting-edge facilities, maximum security and valued luxury.

“We all want an easier lifestyle, and we’ve achieved that with an automated home,” De Lorenzo says. “Even for those scared to take the leap, once it’s all set up and they realize how easy everything is, fear will be replaced by joy. The ability to control virtually anything in our lives is right around the corner.”

Alicia Kelso is editor of Luxury Living Magazine.