I love sunshine. In any season, I rejoice the moment it rises, and living in the Northeast, I look forward to the warmth and promise of spring and summer every year. What I don’t enjoy is being hot, either indoors or outdoors. My outdoor summer activities usually revolve around water play, cold drinks and plenty of shade, while my indoor activities are cool, calm and comfortable, all at the touch of a button.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stay cool at home during a heat wave with the abundance of smart products — like smart thermostats and cooling fans — on the market right now. As an interior designer, I love sharing the unexpected and innovative ways we can live well and helping people find ways to save time, money and their sanity by making great investments.
With that in mind, let’s dive into some of my top picks for staying cool at home this summer.
Some indoor plants can act as natural coolants by providing shade and cooling through evaporation and transpiration, according to the EPA. This can help reduce reliance on air conditioners. I love a smart self-watering system to keep plants cool and hydrated!
Setting a timer for your interior lights can actually help keep the temperature low. I recommend setting your interior lights to lower by the early evening hours, or whenever ample sunlight is streaming inside. Get a tech-savvy friend or family member to help you set it up and enjoy the simplicity and comfort of a cool home.
In order to set your lights to dim on a smart schedule, you have to have them on dimmers. I recommend that every light be on a dimmer whenever possible. In summer or winter, it helps to calm your eyes and mind to lower the lights in the evening and night hours. In summer, it keeps things cool throughout the day and night.
This is my favorite find of the bunch! Super cool for houses that have hot and cool zones, these smart air vents regulate each space to your preference and comfort level. Especially for homes that have a single thermostat, it’s a game changer to be able to ensure a comfortable temperature in individual rooms. I’m buying them for every bedroom ASAP.
A fan that looks cool, feels cool and plays quietly? Yes please. The innovative technology and ultimate performance of Dyson products are well publicized. The brand earned a spot on our best cooling fans rankings for a reason.
An often neglected area during the summer months is the attic. Creating airflow at the top of your home keeps things cool down below. As we know, heat rises. I like that this unit is solar powered, sleek and powerful.
This product will save you from night sweats and possibly a bitter breakup. When two people require different temperatures to keep comfortable at night, it can be a major challenge. This smart system solves the problem, keeping each side of the bed at your optimal temperature.
If you’re a hot sleeper, bamboo sheets have a natural cooling effect. Soft, silky, light and comfy, these sheets regulate temperature, so you stay in a comfortable neutral zone. It’s remarkable, and worth the investment. Find them here for a fraction of the cost from other suppliers.
The Nest Thermostat — our budget pick for best smart thermostat — is sleek and streamlined, and easy to install and set up. It allows for smart synchronization with your phone making it easy to adjust from your bed at night if needed. Set up a schedule for different temperatures at specific times of day to optimize comfort around the clock. You can monitor temperature issues or system failures even while you’re on the road.
Not only can you control this ceiling fan via remote but it syncs to your smartphone. It looks lovely, provides LED light and is easy to use and optimize.
These drapery control systems sync with several smart home systems. We underestimate the heat that bright light produces, and these systems help reduce that heat with ease. It’s a valuable investment and a useful upgrade if you enjoy pretty drapery panels and don’t want to run all over the house setting them for optimal light filtering.
Simple and affordable, this filter is smart for unique reasons. It doesn’t require challenging synchronizations or processes. It’s the bare working bones of a great air-filtration system, designed for optimal performance.
I’m an ice snob. I drink iced coffee and ice water all year round, and I prefer it crushed. This countertop ice maker is an ice enthusiast’s dream. It makes soft, easy-to-crunch cubes that create that perfectly slushy slurp. I’m making my own mouth water.
Getting enough water makes a big difference in your health and comfort. In the summer, it can be the difference between feeling cool and comfortable or dehydrated and cranky. This awesome bottle has a smart cap that syncs with your phone to document and notify you of your water intake, and remind you to stay hydrated! Keep it in the fridge to grab and go.
This find was too funky not to share. OK … it doesn’t quite vibe with my aesthetic eye, but I can see a scenario where this is a fun game changer. The opportunity to grab a cold beverage is laid at your feet with this fridge that doubles as a coffee table. So grab a cold one, then sit back and chill. Oh, and it charges your phone too! You just have to find a place to run the cord.
I have a mug warmer, but I need a cup chiller! This version is sleek and serves double duty as a phone charger as it keeps your drink cold or hot.
For backyard barbecues or long conversations around the dining table or in the lounge, this awesome device keeps your bubbly or white wine chilled to perfection. It will uplevel any party, and look good doing it. Either pop in a full bottle or pour the good stuff inside and top with an optional pitcher lid. Cheers!
Low tech, high function. Top down, bottom up shades allow you to control privacy, light and your view easily. You can get high-tech automated versions, but they’re custom and will cost thousands of dollars. These simple versions are a smart addition to a summer home and easy enough on the wallet to install on all your windows.
Being able to set the water temperature in your shower is a delight. Thermostatic controls allow for that, though they’re an expense and a process to update or install. If you are renovating or building a bathroom, don’t miss the opportunity to upgrade to this kind of valve to ensure you get the perfect shower temp every time.
I love that this organizing station is a fresh cool white color and utilizes vertical space. Not only does it look clean and streamlined but it has three USB ports to charge multiple devices at once, allowing you to control our smart cooling systems from one command station.
Cool your lap and your laptop when you’re working from home. Not only does a laptop fan and stand elongate the life and efficiency of your computer but it keeps you cool and comfortable. I love the look and simplicity of the Targus Chill Mat, the stability of the various options to angle it and the comfortable base.
