HOUSE OF DREAMS

By Anita Hamilton

You arrive home after an elegant evening at the theater. As you pull into the driveway, outdoor lanterns snap on to help you steer clear of the rosebushes. Inside the house it's a toasty 72[degrees]F, with just a few lights on. The electric fireplace has just started up, and soft music emanates from the stereo. In the kitchen, freshly baked apple pie is waiting in the oven.

Too good to be true? Not necessarily. An intelligent, fully wired house like this still costs a bundle (anywhere from $15,000 and up), but the spectacular array of offerings, including low-cost devices for convenience on a smaller scale, is making home automation a more appealing choice for millions of Americans.

"Two years ago, home automation was either for the very technical or the elite homeowner," says Lisa Montgomery, editor of Electronic House. "Now manufacturers are making it a lot more practical." In fact, 25% of American homes today have some kind of automated system, according to the research firm Parks Associates in Dallas, Texas.

Temperature control is one of the smartest and most popular options, shaving up to 20% off a homeowner's energy bill. Truly spectacular systems that automate everything from the alarm system to the jets on the Jacuzzi are still a luxury, however. A lighting system that allows homeowners to choose from a selection of preprogrammed "scenarios," for example, runs about $10,000. At that rate, a $60 motion-detecting lamp will do just fine, thank you.

The simplest home-automation systems involve plugging light fixtures, coffeepots or curling irons into small modules that link to regular power outlets. Wired homeowners then use key-chain controls or universal remotes (typically used for TVs and stereos) to turn the appliances on and off from anywhere in the house.

Even a home computer can serve as the brains of an automated system by storing detailed schedules for controlling lights, fans and coffeemakers. The computer sends on/off signals to various appliances along standard AC wiring in the home, a great alternative to the high-cost controllers that require special wiring and professional installation.

But automation isn't just about the bottom line. As the market has ripened into a $7 billion-a-year industry, manufacturers are having more fun with their wares--from self-warming toilet seats to a "barking dog" device to scare prowlers. Now if only there were a gizmo that would serve breakfast in bed.

--By Anita Hamilton