Set in the Southern Irish countryside, a stunning new home is creating a bold statement with its modern architectural design and distinctive décor. The vast windows flood the home with natural light which is complemented by a dynamic lighting scheme designed by VL Tech Pro and managed by a sophisticated Rako Control system. The automated lighting scheme takes the home from day to night seamlessly.
Lighting, audiovisual, and home automation solution provider VL Tech pro, was asked to transform the modern home into a fully automated living experience, with the latest innovations curating a seamless and luxurious smart home. In line with this, VL Tech Pro knew they had to create a highly sophisticated lighting system, which not only provided flawless functionality for the family’s daily activities but also made an impressive statement to unify the lighting design with the bold black and gold interior design.
“To achieve our ultimate vision, we knew we needed a Rako system, which could provide us with full flexibility for programming and design. It was key that we could really personalise the system to reflect the actual aesthetics and daily lives of the family. With the Rako system we were able to achieve some really specific scene setting. For example, with a young baby in the household, we set the master bedroom with a ‘nighttime feed’ scene which set the lighting at 10%. This allows for enough visibility without harsh bright light abruptly waking up both the parents and the baby and disturbing the sleep cycle,” comments Dr Gordon Petrie, Design Director at VL Tech Pro.
The house had extensive scene settings programmed throughout, with each section of the house adapted for its individual purpose. The hallways had similar nighttime settings which gave low light to not disturb sleep whilst still allowing activity. The living room was given specialised scenes such as ‘parties’ which could be used when entertaining guests. Additionally, to provide a bespoke viewing experience when using the projector, the room had specific film, sports, and more scenes for the ultimate ‘watch party’. The gym room was programmed to reflect human-centric lighting to complement the body’s natural circadian rhythm for a holistic wellness experience.
“With a project of this nature, where the client wants the ultimate smart home experience, we found that, once we started the project it kept on expanding with different areas being considered and new capabilities being required. In this sense, Rako was the only system that could be used to turn this vision into reality. We started off with a wired system as we were able to easily lay wires into walls with the renovation of the house. However, as the interior was finished and the project grew, we could easily combine it with a wireless system. The flexibility that Rako offers allows both wired and wireless products to seamlessly communicate. This not only helps with the successful completion of the project so far, but it keeps the possibilities open for further additions to the home in the future,” adds Gordon Petrie.
Throughout the home, the interior décor has been complemented with the sleek, tactile EOS keypads. With the wide range of different finishes and designs offered by Rako, VL Tech Pro selected the matt black option to blend the controls seamlessly into the colour scheme of the home. The choice of keypads tied in with the other metal hardware throughout the home like the matt black Crittall-style doors, creating a unified style in every aspect of the home. Additionally, the homeowners were keen to access the remote monitoring and control options offered by the Rako App. With the home being only one of several residences, the family needed the peace of mind of being able to ensure their lights could be turned on and off even when they are away.
Gordon Petrie, concludes, “taking on a project like this, it is amazing to push the limits of what home automation can achieve to enhance their lives within the home. Rako is such a great system to use, it demonstrates the potential of lighting design and makes it an integral part of the design of a home automation system. Working with the Rako team is always great, if I ever run into any issues, they are always on hand to help, which is vital on a project of this size. Overall, this project has been a great success.”
For more information on Rako’s lighting control solutions, click here
For more information on VL Tech Pro, click here
