Spring is in the air. Full days of sunshine are finally upon us as the weather continues to warm up. It’s the perfect season to have some well-deserved fun with your friends. As Robin Williams would say, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” And we completely agree: it’s time to party!
The date is set and your guests have all been invited. After spending countless hours searching Pinterest, you’ve finally found the perfect hors d’oeuvres. Desert? Eh, piece of cake. And thanks to the creative geniuses of Pinterest, your mind is swirling with decoration ideas. Unfortunately, time isn’t on your side. You’ve got less than a day to figure out how to make your home party-ready.
Time may not be on your side, but technology certainly is.
Technology has become a part of almost every aspect of our daily lives, especially under your own roof. With the emergence of home automation, your home is smarter than ever. There’s no better time to get creative and use this technology to plan your spring soiree. They don’t call it the “Internet of Everything” for nothing. (Although we agree that the “Internet of Partying” is much catchier.)
Rely on Staples Connect to bring your home into the 21st century. Staples Connect lets throw a party you’ll actually have time to enjoy. Control endless scenarios in your home that you never thought possible until now. It’s a more convenient way to prepare for an unforgettable affair.
There are countless ways Staples Connect is the hostess with the mostest.
Before your party even begins, set the perfect opening scene by configuring a few simple Activities with Staples Connect. Make your guests feel initially welcomed by creating a “Party’s Starting” Activity.
Your party starts at 6:00 p.m., so this Automatic Activity will begin promptly at 5:45 p.m. – not too late, not too soon. Your “Party’s Starting” Activity activates your GE Outdoor module turning on your outside lights next to your front door and festive party lights wrapped around your railing to full brightness. Now your guests will know which house the party’s at.
This Activity will also dim the Philips Hue downlight bulbs heading up your stairs to a bright shade of red and activate your Ecolink motion sensors in your upstairs hallway to send you a notification if they’re triggered, ensuring that you don’t have any unwanted visitors in your bedroom. Finally, it will turn down your Nest thermostat a few degrees and turn on your Philips Hue Bloom located in your front foyer to a vibrant shade of turquoise at 75% brightness and full saturation. The scene is set and your night is ready to begin. It’s time for your guests to arrive.
You hear the doorbell ring as you put the final touches on your assortment of refreshments. It must be your first guest. You excitedly look through the peephole to see which one of your friends it is. Of course! It’s Larry and Sue. Your long-time friends are always the first to arrive and last to leave. As you begin to open your door, you trigger your “Guests Are Here!” Activity.
By the time the door is fully opened, upbeat music starts softly playing in the background from your Bose speakers. Before you can properly greet Sue and Larry, they’re already gushing about your colorful entryway. “Larry, colorful lights likes these would be perfect around the bar in our basement!” Sue proudly states. Grinning ear-to-ear, you lead them inside knowing more excitement awaits. As you proudly say, “Watch this!” and press a button on your Lutron Pico remote, the Philips Hue Lux bulbs in your living room begin glowing a soft yellow, the GE Link bulbs in your dining room dim and the music playing from your Bose speakers gets louder much louder. Sue and Larry can’t contain their amazement as they beg you to show them what’s making all this happened. But before you can explain Staples Connect to your dear friends, your doorbell rings again. More guests have arrived!
Your living room quickly fills up with people. Your old friends are catching up with one another and your new friends are beginning to mingle. Everything’s off to a great start. Some of your friends are raving about your colorful lights. Some are even using the crisp sound blasting from your Bose speakers as a way to break the ice and initiate conversation. Your second Activity has done it’s job!
Now that all your guests have met one another, it’s time for some entertainment. And what better way to have some fun than to sing some karaoke? Before you gather all your guests, you trigger your third Activity, “Connected Karaoke.”
This Manual Activity locks your front door and turns out your front lights to ensure you don’t have any party-crashers during a potentially embarrassing moment. But that’s not all. It also turns on the Philips Hue lightstrips under your fireplace stoop and your Philips Hue bulbs in your living room light fixtures. Your light strips illuminate a bright green making the step in front of your fireplace the perfect stage for your karaoke performances. Your multiple Hue bulbs radiate all different colors, from hot pink to dark blue making your living room’s atmosphere more fun than your favorite disco club.
Larry, the outgoing gentleman that he is, offers to sing first. He kicks off the karaoke contest by belting out a classic: Wild Cherry’s “Play that Funky Music.” Everyone cheers as the combination of this classic hit blaring and the colorful lights beaming makes all your guests reminisce about all those wild times they had in 1976. Now everyone wants a turn on the microphone.
Your guests begin belting all their favorite classic songs. Everyone is on their feet dancing and singing along to the oldies music blaring from your Bose speakers. Between the colorful beams of light, your friends’ fearless dance moves, and upbeat music blasting, your living room’s transformed into a disco club. Karaoke was a hit!
All the boogying must’ve worked up an appetite. Your guests quickly devour all the snacks you prepared beforehand. Thank goodness for Pinterest! After the last slice of cake is eaten, the time has come for your party to wind down. Knowing that Sue and Larry tend to overstay their welcome, you’ve got just the plan to subtly let your friends know the nights over.
You’re exhausted. You begin to yawn as Sue and Larry continue dancing. You don’t want to be rude, but you need some rest. And although almost all of your guests have said their goodbyes by now, Sue and Larry are still in full-party mode.
Luckily, your “Party’s Over” Activity has got your back.
When 10:45 p.m. strikes, your “Party’s Over” Activity begins. The Philips Hue bulbs in your living room adjust to a creamy-white at full-brightness, the Philips Hue downlight bulbs above your stairwell change to a bright yellow hue, and the Philips Hue Bloom in your front foyer turns from bright turquoise to off. Not only does your “Party’s Over” Activity adjust your indoor lights, but it also turns off the music playing from your Bose speaker and turns back on the outdoor lights by your front door.
The couple stops dancing and grabs their jackets. Larry and Sue can’t wipe the smiles off their faces as they proclaim what a wonderful evening they had. Even better, they thank you for having them and scurry out the front door. Your “Party’s Over” Activity did the trick!
As you change into your pajamas and get in bed, you receive a text message from Sue who enthusiastically asks when your next soiree will be. Smiling, you put your home in Sleep mode. Your front door locks, all your lights turn off, and your Nest thermostat turns back up a few degrees as your head hits the pillow. Your eyes close as you reflect on what a fabulous evening it turned out to be. Thanks to Staples Connect, your party was a huge success! And to Sue’s delight, you fall asleep dreaming of all the other parties Staples Connect could help you throw.