wireless alarm systems for homes
But let’s go over what it can do today, first. The very affordable $199 starter kit includes a wireless base
station, a keypad for arming and disarming the system, one door/window sensor, one passive infrared motion sensor, and a Z Wave range extender. You can monitor the system yourself, but at the price Ring is charging for professional monitoring—just $10 per month $100 per year if paid annually with no long term contract—it would be foolish not to sign up for it. That goes double for people who already have other Ring devices, because it includes video storage in the cloud for an unlimited number of Ring cameras. Ring’s sensors operate on battery power, the keypad and base station come with AC adapters, and the Z Wave range extender plugs
directly into an AC outlet. All three of those components have battery backup, so the system will continue to operate in the event of a power outage. The base station connects to your home network via hardwired ethernet or Wi Fi. A Ring Protect subscription activates an LTE module in the base station that will keep the system connected to the internet if your broadband connection goes down. You can even run the keypad on battery power full time if you choose, since most homes don’t have AC outlets right next to doors. An LED will tell you when the battery needs to be charged. There is currently no support for controlling the system with voice commands, but it should come as no surprise that Ring is developing an Alexa skill.
The dining room fireplace my personal favorite invites your friends and family to linger around the dining table for evenings filled with great food and even better conversation. If your fireplace is centrally located within a wall and is flanked by windows or bookcases that are the same dimensions on each side, then you’re dealing with a more traditional space and personality – which speaks to a more traditional furniture placement. Pairs are important here. Flank a pair of comfortable and inviting chairs or similar in size, design and proportion on either side of the fireplace. Place your sofa directly facing the fireplace and you now have a comfortable conversation area. Situate a cocktail table, ottoman or other surface in front of the sofa. Dress the mantle with a mirror, art, and other accessory pairs. Anchor the area with a beautiful area rug and make sure to relax the formality and potential stiffness with some colorful objects and textures. In a more energetic space with the varied details, irregular nooks and crannies the fireplace that is off center can create a more challenging space to layout. It’s also a more interesting space to design. You may still be able to place the sofa directly in front of the fireplace, but if that isn’t an option, consider positioning the furniture on a rug set on a slight diagonal turn.