A home is a place where practicality must coexist with aesthetic preferences, and home security shouldn’t be an exception. When you think of security, bulky cameras and barbed wire may come to mind. But rather than seeing security as an add-on feature, think of it as a built-in, holistic element of home design. It can be integrated seamlessly into your interior design without subtracting from its beauty. Here are five ways style and security can coincide.

1. Curtains

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Stylish curtains can enrich the interior of a home with alluring colors and elegant textures. They can also protect expensive possessions from the eyes of potential burglars scoping out homes to plan a robbery. Burglars are less likely to pick a house when its windows are covered with curtains because they can’t get information about valuables and entry-exit routes inside.

2. Lighting

Lights also deter burglars by making it look like someone’s home. Statistics show that about 72 percent of burglaries happen when the house is empty, reports Alarms.org. Since burglars like to wait until their certain nobody’s home, leaving lights on can help keep them at bay. When choosing the lighting arrangements for a home, look for lamps and ceiling lights that add aesthetic value for the inhabitants but an element of fear for criminals. With smart home technology, lighting can even be monitored and activated from afar.

3. Hidden Security System

Security cameras outside homes do help deter burglars, and the ones available today are more discreet than ever. Hiding cameras and motion sensors out of sight not only enhances the beauty of a home’s environment but also protects these devices from being tampered with. Top-of-the-line home security camera systems can be concealed in almost anything. With cutting-edge features like 4x zoom, built-in microphones, and color night vision, today’s security technology isn’t just sleek, but also better at collecting evidence.

4. Obstruct With Beautiful Landscaping

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In an attempt to limit their time spent on a robbery, burglars like to avoid homes with elaborate landscaping. In designing the yard or pool area, consider planting thorny shrubs like holly, rose bushes, or blackthorn. Trees can also provide coverage for windows and doors to prevent burglars from scoping out valuables and planning an entry. Around the perimeter of the landscaping, lay down areas of pebbles, gravel, or stones that make noise and slow down intruders.

5. Blast-resistant Windows

According to Alarms.org, 95 percent of home invasions involve entry by force, and breaking windows is one of the most common strategies burglars use to get inside. Large glass panes and windows brighten up a home and bring in the beauty of its natural surroundings. In the event of a burglary or a natural disaster, however, the size of glass only adds to the risk. Blast-resistant windows are burglar-resistant and reduce the hazard zone during a tornado, hurricane, or other natural disasters.

Technology That Brings Style and Safety Together

Smart interior design adds not just beauty but also security to a home, enabling it to live up to the purpose it serves. The best security technology on the market today is making bulky, unsightly equipment a thing of the past. With the right technology, you can go more subtle than ever while getting advanced security features that keep a home safe.