When you stop in the kitchen with a towel draped across your shoulder, waiting for a second noise: a knock, the departure of a delivery truck, the voice of a neighbour…that small window of time is typically when home security begins. But rather than with fear, it’s with a basic desire to be able to identify who has arrived, what they might need, and whether you will choose to open the door.
Incorporate Security Into Your Home
Because the front door is typically the first visual representation of your home, whatever you decide to install should ultimately enhance the way you already live.
For example, better lighting along the path to your front door, a clearer view from within your home through a larger glass panel or possibly a door entry system which allows you to observe the visitor before answering the door. It’s not about creating a control centre in your hall. Ultimately, it’s about removing the awkwardness associated with having to guess what an unexpected arrival wants.
You can still have a soft, inviting home. For instance, you could include flowers on either side of your entranceway, a fresh doormat, paint on the exterior of your front door, and a functional means of controlling who enters your home.
Look At Your Home Before Making Any Decisions
Before making any decisions regarding security features, take a closer look at how your home operates on a daily basis. Are packages delivered while you are working upstairs? Do children regularly return to your home after school? Does an elderly relative visit and need a convenient way to call you once she reaches the door? Or do you occasionally work from home and prefer fewer distractions?
Elegant security is designed to follow these patterns. It should make routine events smoother, not more difficult. A camera provides value only if it offers a clear view. A lock is beneficial only if each member of the household can operate it effectively. Outdoor lights provide greater benefit when they illuminate the path that people tend to travel.
Even modest improvements may offer substantial benefits. Prune overgrown vegetation adjacent to doors and gates. Close side-gates. Ensure that house numbers are clearly readable and visible to actual visitors walking up to the correct door. Although these details are subtle, they do produce results.
Don’t Pick Features That Attract Too Much Attention
A homeowner doesn’t have to promote their safety measures; in reality, many of the best options can be almost undetectable. A clean line on a correctly fitted part. A hidden camera. Properly placed exterior lighting. An aesthetically pleasing lock that is very much like the rest of the door hardware. All these are examples of ways your house may look as beautiful as ever, but afford you increased control over it.
Safety is meant to give you a sense of peace each time you answer the doorbell, at whatever hour of the night you get back from being late, and especially before leaving your home for an extended period. It isn’t to think ahead of the worst case. This will give you just enough information.
Image: Via Unsplash
