North Carolina homeowners lean on Audio Advice for a bevy of best-in-class smart home systems and features in their forever home.
There are options galore when it comes to outfitting a new home with technology. There’s the basic plan that involves the addition of a few key components, the room-to-grow approach that starts small but gradually expands, then there’s the all-out, no-holds-barred method. The owners of this custom home chose the latter.
“Above all, they wanted high-performance from the systems on their newly built dream home,” said Scott Newnam, CEO of Audio Advice, the integration firm hired to take technology to the next level in this custom 14,000-square-foot residence. “They had experienced home electronics in their previous homes at moderate levels, and now they wanted something better, something that afforded even greater ease of use and exceeded their expectations on every level.”
RTT Podcast #26: Scott Newnam on Audio Advice’s Free, Online Home Theater Design Tool
Challenge accepted! With more than 40 years of home-tech experience under their belts, the integration team at Audio Advice knew just what to do. They would integrate a wide variety of time-tested technologies into the residence and tie them all to an advanced control processor from Control4. Able to manage, monitor and automate every light, thermostat, AV component, security camera, and much, much more, Control4 would deliver everything the owners dreamed of — simplicity, fun, and a clean, modern aesthetic.
Bridging Control Gaps
In a home as large as this, it would be challenging to operate one system, let alone several, without the help of a professionally commissioned control platform. What may be a simple task of turning off the lights and closing the window shades in a modest-size home becomes an overwhelming chore in a large estate property. The owners recognized this and welcomed the addition of a Control4 system to not only manage a combination of high-performance DMF and LED linear lights and Lutron motorized shades, but also a wide assortment of AV equipment, thermostats, and a high-end security system along with numerous surveillance cameras.
“Most of the subsystems managed by the Control4 system are part of the Snap One family so they work seamlessly together,” Newnam said. This helped streamline the installation, and with the addition of an Araknis Wi-Fi network, assures the family the utmost reliability and performance of their home-tech investment.
To further simplify control, Audio Advice provided the family a Control4 smartphone app, handheld remotes, and wireless keypads from which a single command instructs multiple devices. Even the security system helps out. For example, when the family arms the security system and exits the home, anything that’s been left on turns off and the lights intelligently switch on and off to make the empty house look occupied. Systems also adjust according to the time of day and other prescribed conditions.
The owners don’t even need to be home to manage the household — the addition of an OvrC remote monitoring system makes sure of that. It integrates with the home’s Control4 system, enabling the same level of control that the owners enjoy while at home from anywhere in the world.
Encore Performances Bring Family and Friends Together
Single commands kick-start all the fun parts of the home, too, and there are endless options. Music by the swimming pool. Check. Movies in the master bedroom. Check. Audio Advice outfitted every area with in-ceiling speakers.
Samsung TVs accompany the audio in many rooms. Great features, certainly, but this family wanted even more. The dedicated home theater, home gym, and golf simulator woven into the Control4 platform deliver a new dimension of excitement and fun to their lifestyle. “We designed these areas to rival the best in the world,” Newnam said.
Measuring an impressive 21-by-19 feet and accommodating three rows of seating, the theater features some of the finest components on the planet. A 165-inch Stewart Filmscreen screen paired with a high-performance 10,000 lumen Sony projector and JBL Synthesis sound system and Anthem processors deliver an immersive experience, synchronized to activate on command from a Control4 remote or touch panel. The lights get in on the action, too, dimming to the ideal intensity levels based on whether the family is watching a movie, sporting event, or gaming.
Adjacent to the home theater is a Full Swing golf simulator matched with another high lumen projector and a commercial-grade home gym featuring an 85-inch Samsung TV mounted flush with the mirrored walls and in-ceiling Bowers & Wilkins speakers. Like the rest of the house, the Control4 system provides easy operation of all the technology.
“The home was designed during the COVID pandemic, which inspired the family to include amenities that would make staying at home as comfortable and enjoyable as possible,” Newnam said. “We succeeded on every level with this amazing entertainment mecca.”
Discreet Tech Reflects Minimalist Home Design
Despite the abundant technology, much of it goes undetected. Speakers disappear into the walls and ceilings, the master bedroom TV descends magically from the ceiling, and although visible, the Control4 wall keypads underscore the home’s minimalist design.
“When one keypad can do the job of several individual light switches, it drastically reduces wall clutter,” Newnam explained. “It turns what could have been a visual distraction into a beautiful process.”
The sleek, custom-engraved keypads contribute to the overall aesthetic, but Newnam acknowledges the master bedroom as the epitome of form and function coming together to create a one-of-a-kind smart home experience. Floor-to-ceiling windows across an entire wall add beauty to the space and called for a creative approach to the design and integration of technology. While aesthetically pleasing, the windows would require a significant amount of shading to darken the room for bedtime and movie watching.
The owners have a choice of sheers and blackout shades, each motorized to roll down individually from a hiding spot in the windows on command from a Control4 touch panel or keypad. The sheers let the owners enjoy the outdoor scenery while maintaining their privacy; the blackout shades completely block out the sunlight and automatically descend when the owners activate the 65-inch Samsung TV. Like the motorized cassettes that house the shades and the Bowers & Wilkins speakers, it too is tucked in the ceiling.
“The large expanse of glass limited wall space available to mount a TV, so we worked with the architect to create a cavity above the ceiling to place the TV there on a motorized lift that lowers it into the room,” Newnam explained.
The Complete Package
By applying integration ingenuity and putting Control4 in charge, Audio Advice achieved all objectives — remarkable performance, discreet design, and simple home management. The owners now have the home of their dreams — a place where they can relish the finer things in life…one simple button press at a time.
Check out Audio Advice CEO Scott Newnam give an video tour of this amazing smart home project:
