Lutterworth Smart Home

A homeowner wanted to rebuild his property to create the perfect smart home for his family. He turned to Cyberhomes to find out what was possible. Our client was replacing a bungalow with a new, two-storey house spanning three sides of a courtyard. He was looking for home automation for the property, and contacted Cyberhomes to explore the possibilities at the initial stage of design. We set about creating a state-of-the-art smart home—complete with an impressive home cinema—fully automated by a Control4 system.

Key elements

• Control4 control and automation system
• Bespoke lighting with Lutron lighting control of 76 lighting circuits
• Multi-room music system with in-ceiling speakers in every room
• Audio and Video distribution to seven TVs
• Dedicated Home Cinema
• Video intercom and RFID access control
• CCTV and intruder alarm

Entertainment

One of the owner’s main objectives was for his family to be able to enjoy video and music all around the home. The entertainment system features seven TVs, including an eye-catching 80-inch Samsung model set into a stone wall in the family room, and a 65-inch curved-screen Samsung in the master bedroom. A video matrix distributes content to the TVs—except for those in the children’s bedrooms, which have restricted-channel Sky boxes.

Lighting

What really sets this property apart from many of our other projects in the stunning lighting (designed by lighting expert Richard Voller, who we introduced to the client). The property’s 76 lighting circuits add a stunning visual dimension to the family’s new home—inside and out. An intelligent Lutron control system operates the circuits, and integrates with the home’s automation technology. Through the Control4 app, the family can choose from a number of pre-set lighting scenes throughout their home, using either a smart device or the engraved wallplates. Or if they prefer, they can set the mood themselves by controlling each circuit individually. Gentle, inset floor-level lighting comes on at night-time in the first floor gallery. The bathrooms and corridors have motion sensors, which automatically trigger the lights at night when needed. What’s more, the many contemporary artworks around the home and garden are illuminated with their own specially designed lighting.

“We started working with Cyberhomes right at the very beginning of the project, so were able to fully optimise the automation system.

“The installation went really smoothly, and now we have a smart home that really works for us. It makes the management of the house so much easier, no matter whether we are at home or in Barbados—and that’s good for our busy lives.

“Cyberhomes were great and spent a lot of time explaining how everything works—they were especially good with the children. The system is so easy to use that both sets of grandparents, who are in their 70s, can even work it.”