Fall ideal for technical improvements

As summer fades into fall, people will be spending more time indoors, updating and remodeling their homes. And, with end-of-season sales, the kickoff to football season and the impending switch to all-digital TV broadcasting, now is a great time for people upgrade the technology in their home.

As the LG techorator, I know how important it is for your technology to integrate seamlessly into the home and with your lifestyle. With a few easy techorating tips, you can make sure your new technology works with the look and feel of your home, rather than overwhelming the space.

End of summer sales

The end of summer not only brings back-to-school, but also the chance to take advantage of incredible retail sales. If you’ve been contemplating an update to the look and feel of your room, now is the time to buy. With furniture, accessories and electronics available at reduced prices, now is a great time to maximize your redecorating budget.

When purchasing new items for your home, it is important to keep in mind the size of the room you are updating. If you are working with a larger living space, remember not to go overboard with one particular theme, pattern or technology. Pick one focal point and work from there.

Although lower prices may entice you to purchase new electronics, remember other key elements in the room, as well. For example, when updating a room, consider available lighting. Adding lights near the sunlight source can provide a natural look and feel to lighting the room.

Gearing up for football season

Are you already thinking about hosting the party for your favorite team’s big game, but worried your guests won’t fit in the living room? Tabletop or simple wall mounting for a flat-screen TV can add space to your room and streamline the look and feel of the room. Or, you can try a super-slim HDTV, such as LG’s LGX series. At only 1.8 inches thick, it leaves extra space in the room for hosting the big game.

If you decide to mount your flat screen on the wall, make sure it fits within your space and design. Don’t let your flat screen be the only thing on the wall. Fill out the space using symmetrical design and equal proportions that still let the eye focus on the TV. For instance, hang complementary pictures with high-gloss frames on either side of the screen, to mimic the television to achieve balance and symmetry.

Transition to digital TV

As many of you may know, on Feb. 17, 2009, television broadcasters nationwide will make the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, as mandated by federal law. When the DTV transition is complete, over-the-air broadcasting of free programming from full-power TV stations will move to exclusively digital channels and traditional analog channels will be switched off.

Consumers who receive free, over-the-air broadcasting on analog TV sets using an antenna will have three options for continuing their television service:

* Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that will convert the digital signal into analog for their existing analog television set (By the way, I’m recommending the Zenith converter, model DTT900, www.zenith.com/dtv.); or

* Purchase a new television set, such as an LG flat-panel HDTV, with a built-in digital tuner; or

* Subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company video service provider.

For design-conscious consumers, the best approach to the digital TV transition will be to upgrade to a new flat-panel HDTV. If you choose to purchase a new television, be sure to consider the space — remember, the size of your room is important. The technology in your room should be in proportion to the room for the best aesthetic and functional fit. Look for the best integration, not the biggest television.

By following these simple techorating tips, you can easily integrate any new technology into your home, without losing the look and feel of your interior design.

For more techorating tips during fall redecorating season, visit www.lgusa.com/techorator.

Celebrity designer Doug Wilson, best known for TLC’s “Moving Up” and “Trading Spaces” programs and author of “Doug’s Rooms,” is the LG techorator, an expert on integrating style and technology into today’s lifestyles.