There’s always a collision between function and form, and it’s only when we can satisfy the demands of both that we can make things work.
This is very true in the home. When a place has functional needs, such as cooking, sleeping, and doing laundry, there are certain ramifications for the design of the home. But at the same time, aesthetic demands must be met as well.
One area where this is particularly true is in home security. The very best in protection from theft and fire can prove unsightly sometimes. Alarm panels, smoke detectors, surveillance cameras, and all the other necessities of home security are typically rather ugly, or at least don’t add anything to the look, and it’s this lack of visual appeal that keeps many people from taking the best possible steps to protect their families and homes.
Fortunately, there are some things we can do to keep our home safety measures from making the house look fortified or unwelcoming. All of these options can be seamlessly integrated into the home to provide protection without generating eyesores.
Double-Duty Decor
We typically choose certain lights and curtains in our homes for the specific purpose of managing the light and dark inside the living space. But these components can also serve important security purposes.
Curtains will keep the home cool and beautiful, but they will also shield your belongings from the prying eyes of would-be thieves. Burglars try to “case out” a home–that is, they want to get an idea of where the most valuable items are located. Their reasoning is that they want to minimize the amount of time they spend inside. When windows are covered with curtains, they can’t do this preliminary check and will go elsewhere.
Lights can also create the illusion that someone is present in the home. Burglars prefer empty homes, so the activation of lights inside should make them just a little more reluctant to attempt entry. Many mobile apps now permit total control of lights and appliances in the home while you are elsewhere, giving even more believability to the notion that someone is home.
Hidden Devices
Sure, security cameras are great, but they’re unsightly. A little device with a wire running out of it can really ruin the look of a room or outdoor area.
Fortunately, some of the most beautiful upgrades to homes also provide lots of opportunities for hidden security upgrades. Cameras can be hidden in almost anything, from a large wreath indoors to a birdhouse outdoors. They can be concealed in artificial plants, deep inside glass-doored cabinets, or even mixed in among DVR’s, DVD players, and cable boxes.
Motion sensors can be hidden as well. Many window alarms can be positioned to be better hidden by valances, windowsill decorations, or blinds. This keeps would-be thieves from noticing the alarm system before attempting to enter. Alarm sirens can also be tucked away inside shrubs or flower pots.
Landscape Obstructions
We’ve already mentioned the importance of reducing the visibility of your valuables with lighting and curtains. But we can also use the landscape to our advantage in this situation.
Properly placed trees can keep your most exposed windows from being quite so visible to passing traffic, making it harder for cruising thieves to get an idea of what’s inside. And of course, the most remote windows on your house should be decorated with large, thorny shrubs that make it difficult for thieves to make quick entry and exit.
Many of these tips don’t sound like they’d stop a determined thief. But time is the enemy of a burglar. They want to minimize their time inside, and if it’s too time-consuming to get through your locks or to climb over your beautiful tea roses, they will not do it, even if they know they could eventually break through.
As is always the case in the function vs. form debate, the solution is often up to the effort and creativity of the people involved. If you are willing to experiment and come up with solutions, you can easily address both the beauty and the security of your home, adding value all the way around.
Sources: Images 1 to 4: Interiors by Kim Scodro via DuChateau Floors. 5 & 6: David Michael Miller Associates.
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