A smart home does not have to be a house where you talk to every appliance.

For many homeowners, the best technology is actually the technology they barely notice.

The lights work the way they want them to. The thermostat adjusts easily. Wi-Fi reaches the rooms where it is needed. Cameras and doorbells have power in the right places. Music can play throughout the house. Motorized shades do not require cords running down freshly finished walls. And when a new piece of technology comes along a few years later, the house is prepared for it.