No gimmicks here. The high-tech home of the future has arrived, and we’ve got our finger on the pulse of the latest that connectivity has to offer.

Walk any trade show and you’ll see a phalanx of new appliances and gadgets—an overwhelming wave of technological advancements that can be a stressful reminder that the next upgrade isn’t far behind. While most clients aren’t looking for robohomes, certain high-tech features, from self-tinting windows to voice-automated fixtures, can significantly enhance quality of life. One shortcut to getting it right? Adding a technologist to the team of expert trades you call in for a project.

For Portland, Oregon–based designer Molly Switzer, partnering with her technology integrator transformed her design capabilities—and her ability to talk about tech with her clients. “They’re an integral part of creating a whole-home system, especially because clients are intimidated [by the technology],” she says. To make the home’s layers of technology useful and meaningful, it’s essential to help the client to pinpoint where apps and appliances can help. The trick is to think beyond a singular device and choose a platform that integrates a home’s connected products into a comfortable, symbiotic system, and then cater that system to your client’s wants and whims. “The technology shouldn’t be everywhere—it should be hidden,” she adds. After all, peace of mind comes from an easy-to-use home. One, two, even three gadgets—that’s nice. A fully integrated suite? That’s neat.