In this paper we propose an ecological view in which a smart home is seen as an interconnected collection of smart objects that work together to provide services to inhabitants. We review home technologies in a historical context in which the home is a personal habitat that provides services to inhabitants, and draw lessons from the profusion of new services that were made possible by the introduction of electricity in the home during the 20th century. We examine possible metaphors for smart homes, including the smart home as an inside-out autonomous robot, and the smart home as an ecosystem of smart objects providing services. We propose a taxonomy for smart home services and discuss examples for each class of service. We conclude with a discussion of required system qualities and potential show-stoppers.