A beautiful new build property in Essex, UK, has been integrated with home automation and technology to create a stylish but functional modern home. Home to a husband-and-wife couple, the house had to suit all their needs, as well as be easy to use for when their children or other guests came to visit and stay.

The main theme for this new build property was to feature a modern, contemporary design that would result in the clients having a space reflective of their wish to build a home without compromise. Turning to Clarke Infinity on the builder’s recommendations, they wanted a fully integrated smart home with an outstanding audio and visual experience which flowed throughout the inside of the property and out into the garden.

Almost a two-year project, the work started in 2019 and finished at the start of 2021 alongside Granite Build & Design, who recommended Clarke Infinity, having worked together before, to the homeowners to complete the AV and home automation side of the project. Both the builders and the clients had previous experience with home automation systems and technology which made the process slightly easier and enabled them to work well together.

“The homeowners had a vision of what they wanted from their house which was a good scope to work to, but this obviously had to be developed into a tangible design,” says Mike Dorling, lead designer at Clarke Infinity. “From there, they really looked to us to suggest products and develop their vision.”

Working together with the builders and homeowners, they came up with a product brief based on the needs of the homeowners and chose products to suit that. The homeowner took on the role of the interior design with a clear concept of how she wanted the house to look and feel with the technology.

Interior design went hand in hand with this project and it was important that they created a luxurious, clutter-free home in every aspect, from feature lighting through to optimum temperature control that delivers excellent performance but is easy and simple to use. Key aspirations of the client included wanting the property to maintain their privacy, be secure, be energy efficient, and look visually striking. This meant that the Clarke Infinity team had to design and implement solutions with performance, discreet appearance, and great functionality in mind.

“In order to deliver the simple to use, high-tech system that the client was looking for, we installed a number of solutions, connecting them all through simple user interfaces with keypads and touchscreen capabilities,” explains Dorling.

Control4 was chosen as the heart of the system to connect the technology throughout the house and ensure it works together seamlessly. Various Control4 T3 Series 10” Touchscreens were installed throughout the house and used in combination with Control4 Neeo Handheld Touchscreen Remotes and smartphone control.

“The lighting system can be put into holiday mode which turns lights on and off in different rooms to simulate a person being home.”

Dorling adds: “The heating control is done completely using Aprilaire Control4 Thermostats which is quite unusual as these are generally used in the US and not so much over here in the UK. We would normally use solutions from Heatmiser or Sensible Heat but in this instance, we chose to keep as much native to Control4 as possible.”

Working with the Control4 system, Lutron lighting was the other big part of this project. “The lighting design includes statement and ambient lighting to reflect the owners’ lifestyle from room to room,” explains Dorling. “Working closely with the client, we ensured the programme sequences met with the functions of each room, with master override buttons to raise and lower all lights. Automated (mainly LED) lighting and heating also makes the home more energy efficient.”

Each room also featured custom engraved faceplates for easy control of the Lutron lighting system with many modes and scenes pre-programmed to make it simple and fast to change the mood of a room. And although the couple do not have guests staying at the house often, on the odd occasion they do, the engraved keypads make the system more intuitive for someone who isn’t used to it.

The lighting has also been programmed to help with home security, as Dorling explains: “The lighting system can be put into holiday mode which turns lights on and off in different rooms to simulate a person being home.”

In keeping with the modern aesthetic of the house, much of the technology was discreet or hidden completely. “The client has great taste in interior design and designed much of the interior of the house herself,” admits Dorling. “In the main living area, we installed Sonance Silhouette Speakers behind a stretched fabric wall and hung a large format TV in front. Sonance Invisible Speakers were also used in the bedrooms throughout to give discreet, good quality audio.

“The Sonance Invisible speakers were a big plus for the homeowner as she didn’t want to see large speakers all over the place but still wanted good quality audio.”

Adding to this, the integrators used lighting and shading to create a modern aesthetic that matched the architecture of the house in the main living areas.

“The centrepiece of the house is a large, open-plan kitchen, dining and living space which benefits from stunning lighting detail and automated window treatments to complement the aesthetic of the polished concrete walls and floors,” says Dorling. “The beautiful blackout smart glass maintains privacy and the purity of the design, with options to alternate the appearance of the glass from transparent to grey, and to blackout.”

“The Sonance Invisible speakers were a big plus for the homeowner as she didn’t want to see large speakers all over the place but still wanted good quality audio.”

The Lutron Palladiom shading system also works with the heating to automate climate control. Dorling explains: “The Clina surface heating and cooling system hidden in the ceilings works silently with smart blinds to deliver energy-efficient performance and every room in the property has automated blinds to maximise energy efficiency.”

Security was also an important part of this project and the homeowners wanted to feel completely safe in their home. “Security was a key priority throughout the design phase, and the project features automated bollards, blackout smart glass, alarm system, CCTV and security lighting, including perimeter beams, all with fully integrated control and remote access,” says Dorling.

Various Hikvision CCTV cameras are used around the property which the homeowners can access remotely on their phones. There are also Control4 DS2 video intercoms at the gates and front door so that the clients can keep track of any visitors or deliveries.

As well as CCTV and door entry video intercoms, the garden and summer house also featured integrated speakers and lighting for a seamless experience throughout the property.

As already mentioned, good quality AV was important to the homeowners. A video distribution system was installed using coaxial cabling and RF modulation to put the different video sources on the terrestrial channels on each TV. “This freed up a lot of the budget for the important items, such as TVs, speakers, amplifiers and the like,” says Dorling.

Dorling admits that there were challenges throughout the process but nothing major and nothing that you wouldn’t expect in a project like this. However, one challenge involved a unique lighting feature. “The LED strip being built into the bottom of the wall reveal in the hallways was a challenge as it was a decision later in the project,” he explains. “Most of the lighting is triggered by motion sensors and pressure pads so getting this right is always a challenge but we worked it out and the end result looks really good.”

Utilising Snap One’s OvrC Remote Monitoring and Management system allows Clarke Infinity to manage the system remotely. “We are able to perform regular health checks on the technology and run updates when needed,” says Dorling. It also means they can quickly fix any issues that arise, often before the homeowner even knows something is wrong. As part of their service contract, they also visit the property in person for other technical maintenance and support.

“The architecture and technology work in synergy to make the home a joy to live in.”

The end result has given the client everything they wanted and more. Dorling says: “The homeowner is very pleased with the system, and it is one of our most simplistic and intuitive systems to date.” He adds: “The owner was the interior designer and I have to say, having worked on some incredibly high-end projects in London and across Europe, this is one of the most beautiful.”

Simon Clarke, owner of Clarke Infinity says: “The couple are delighted with the bespoke solutions that we tailored to their needs and the end result is magnificent.”

With nothing else lined up in terms of additions to the current integration, the clients are enjoying their new home. Mrs Q, the homeowner and interior designer, comments: “We had a vision for our new house, and it is wonderful to see it come to fruition. Simon and the Clarke team were a pleasure to work with and understood what we wanted to achieve. The architecture and technology work in synergy to make the home a joy to live in – exactly what we wanted.”

The entire project, including whole home AV, lighting and heating control came to just over £100,000.

Clina Heating & Cooling System

Control4 C4-EA3-V2 Controller

Control4 Neeo Handheld Touchscreen Remotes

Control4 T3 Series 10” Touchscreen

Lutron HomeWorks QS International Keypads

Lutron HomeWorks QS Lighting System

OvrC Remote Management & Monitoring System

Ruckus ZoneFlex R510 Smart Wi-Fi Access Point

Triax Coaxial Modulator Video Distribution System