You’re working from home, the weather is gorgeous, and you’d really like to work on the dock, boathouse, or deck. But the WI-FI signal is constantly rising and dropping and the Zoom meeting you’re leading is dangling on the precipice of disaster.
You have an outdoor party in the works and you’re thinking a little background music would be nice. Sound quality is as important outdoors as it is inside. A small, wireless speaker wouldn’t destroy the aesthetic you were going for, but the sound quality is going to be limited at best.
Your kid’s friends are coming over for a socially distanced movie on the deck. Dragging your big screen smart TV outside really isn’t an option, is it?
We are all using our outdoor spaces in different ways these days, and we need smart solutions to help keep everything running smoothly.
A lot of those solutions can be found at Muskoka Smart Homes’ new outdoor showroom in Port Carling.
“We had this huge, underutilized space outside our showroom and thought we’d put it to good use,” says Lisa Venus, co-owner of Muskoka Smart Homes. “It’s a great way to see what is possible in outdoor entertainment!”
On display are outdoor speakers that come in all sizes, shapes and colours. They can be aimed in any direction you want and can be controlled from your smart phone. “We can even hook you up with quality speakers that look exactly like rocks, so they blend into the foliage,” Lisa said.
Weather-proof speakers can be installed in the dining area, the firepit, the boathouse or practically anywhere else you want. “I leave mine out for the whole winter by the hot tub,” Lisa says.
Playdates for the kids are far less challenging when they are outside, and an outdoor movie is easily managed with a projector or an outdoor TV screen. “We used to set these up for folks who didn’t want to miss their sports – like the Masters or the summer Olympics – but we’re seeing a shift toward whole families wanting to make use of the outdoor TV screens. Some clients are even doing fitness via apps like Peloton and 1:1 with their trainer these days versus going out to the gym.”
To see what’s possible, check-out Muskoka Smart Homes’ new Port Carling showroom and be prepared to dream a little bigger and brighter. “We can all use a little bit of happy right now.”
TEXT KARI KLASSEN | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
