This paper reports on an empirical study designed as a follow-up of a theoretical model intended to support reasoning about the composition of smart artifacts by end-users. We have solicited 17 families and used a combination of interviews and playful cultural probes. Results show that families are willing to couple smart objects to improve their lives, and that the theoretical questions raised by our model are sound. Categories and Subject Descriptors D.2.2 [Software Engineering]: Design Tools and Techniques