At the end of 2025, my wife and I purchased our first home – a historic 1907 Craftsman in Portland, Oregon. The challenge was to modernise with taste, not trample on its charm.

The smart thermostat from Ecobee proved invaluable. It offered detailed energy usage stats and helped us navigate the house’s quirks – such as low insulation and draftiness. A $10 monthly rebate made it even more appealing.

For air conditioning, Midea units were perfect. These window models are whisper-quiet and easy to install without compromising the old windows’ integrity. Their smart features included remote control and a clever sleep function that cools down during the night before warming up as the outside temperature drops.

The Philips 4200 lock was essential. It’s fingerprint-based, Wi-Fi enabled and required no hardwiring. This not only eliminated cumbersome keys but also allowed our child to come and go with ease, symbolising a seamless blend of modern convenience and traditional living.