Last year on the home front we saw white kitchens, subway tiles, quartz countertops and a host of gadgets that made our homes “smarter” than ever.

But that was then, this is now. So what’s ahead for 2018?

According to Realtor Magazine, we can expect everything from robots and “smart” windows to old-fashioned gardens that offer a respite from all the high-tech innovation.

Here are several trends Realtor sees coming our way:

Smart glass: Just when you thought your home couldn’t get much smarter, enter Halio, a technology that allows homeowners to change the tint on windows to varying degrees electronically. Hot day? “You’ll be able to tell Alexa to tint your windows, which will also provide privacy,” a spokesman for the maker of Halio, Kinestral Technologies, told Realtor. Tinting, notes Realtor, can save as much as 40% on energy costs.

Robots: Harness your inner Jetsons; home robots are on the march. Realtor reports that new robots can mop and vacuum floors and take short videos, including those of your pet while you’re away. They even come looking like furry dogs and cats, which “can provide companionship for the elderly with dementia,” according to Lisa Cini, author of The Future is Here: Senior Living Reimagined.

Black: After years of grays and earth-tones, designers are touting the benefits of black. You’ll see black used in appliances, plumbing fixtures, lighting, metal finishes and more.

Air locks: This refers to the use of two airtight doors separated by a small buffer zone in an entryway to prevent outside air from coming in and vice versa, saving on energy costs.

Side yards: As lot sizes decrease, home designers are taking a second look at the yard on the side of the house, aiming to create beautifully landscaped spots that can also serve as a restful sitting area.

Spiritual gardens: It’s probably no coincidence that in this time of massive high-tech innovation, homeowners are rediscovering the beauty and calming influence of a carefully designed garden. Realtor predicts more people will be installing spiritual gardens, which often incorporate plants mentioned in the Bible or other ancient religious texts to provide “a physical tie to spirituality.”

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