BabyBoom

       Tired of living in a multi-floor house, this “baby boomer” wanted to right-size in a single story home with all the conveniences afforded by modern day devices.

Purchasing a home built in the 1950’s she planned to have the home “gutted” down to the framing members also removing walls in order to open up the home and seeking solutions for acoustic isolation of the master suite.

Rebuilding from the ground up, she wanted heated floors, raised ceiling heights, and replacement of every element of the existing plumbing, heating & air, electrical, and antiquated entertainment.

Aesthetically, her instructions were to maintain the integrity of the home’s “look” from the street view, but wanted a transformative “wow” factor when you entered the house or backyard. She designated various areas with specific elements to be the focal points.

Philanthropically, she used the house to entertain in various endeavors. To that end, she sought a certain “flow” and consistency throughout the home. Being an avid music enthusiast, she had an extensive music collection ranging from vinyl LPs to reel-to-reel tape recordings. Having experienced the conveniences of modern day technology, she wanted to incorporate her old media formats with newer versions.

Familiar with remote control features she was frustrated with multiple remotes and apps of the various systems. She was seeking control consolidation crossing multiple conventional and non-conventional platforms over her “smart” devices and Echo Dot.

Data network speed was important, so much so that she engaged multiple service providers in commercial level service agreements.

Possessing a stained-glass window from her church, she sought ideas in which to display it, triggering an expanded desire to control all lights for scenes and automated functions.

Foresight to address security concerns, she wanted basic home security, as well as outside parameter camera viewing (and recording), and keyless entry.

       The project encompassed multi-level design and consulting elements, as well as installation/programming/integration of lighting and shade systems, security & access control, distributed HDMI and audio, HVAC and heated-floor controls, data networking, and centralized and cross-system integration of various system controls over each system’s respective interface and “smart” devices and Echo Dot owned by the homeowner. Integrated control expanded as the pool, gas fireplaces, and CCTV systems were added.

Fast, reliable Internet service and network speed were the backbone on which many of the other systems would be anchored. Fiber connected the service demarcation with the head-end, and head-end with three hubs.


Music was to fill most every area, a total of twelve zones. In the great room, dining, and kitchen areas, she did not want to see any speakers. She wanted to incorporate her reel-to-reel tape deck, a means for playing her vinyl LPs, music streaming and storage, and placed an emphasis on the music quality in the great room and master bedroom.

High-definition televisions in the great room, sunroom, study, master bedroom, master bath, and pool deck were to share distributed HDMI video sources. She wanted televisions in the mudroom, garage, guest bedroom, and shed to be independent but with the ability to control centrally.

Lighting control incorporated 65 loads, primarily LED type as well as various electrical outlets. Non-traditional keypads were requested in guest areas. Motorized shades were designated for the MBR, great room, and sunroom areas along with automated functions, time and environmentally based.

Intrusion and fire monitoring were addressed by the security system, cross-utilizing various sensors with other systems. There are nine IP-based CCTV cameras connected to a 4TB NVR, the output connected to the HDMI matrix switcher. A more robust access control system was used allowing entry by fob, key-code, control system, or traditional key.

       Engagement began with meetings for months, after which a solid scope of work, supported by drawings, floor plans, riser diagrams, schematics, and other supporting documents were developed. With copies to all project team members, these documents kept the project on course – all objectives being met.

Redundant Internet service providers were configured in a primary and secondary design to maintain connectivity in the event of an outage. SFP uplinks in every switch with four configured subnets insured system wide network speeds over fiber connections.

The custom designed entertainment center housed the distributed AV and control system components discretely hidden below in base cabinets. Specific emphasis was placed on displaying with accent lighting on her reel-to-reel tape deck, new turntable, tube amplifiers, flanking an OLED television. Providing ambiance of an old stereo setup, the LR totem speakers were displayed while concealing the center channel and dual Sonance BPS8 subwoofers over the display. Beside distributing these sources, an Autonomic MM2 and AppleTV were incorporated.

Sonance IS4 and IS4-SSTs were used for distributed audio and side and rear channel surrounds in locations she designated. Rounding out her request, an Octave amplifier accepting a distributed digital audio feed fed two Phase Technology bookshelf speakers.

An Atlona 6X6 HDMI matrix switcher distributed a cable receiver, TiVOs, Blu-Ray, AppleTV, and camera DVR.

Designing a cavity to replicate daylight, her stained glass window was recessed in the wall, backlit by elumination’s light panel and programmed in intensity to change throughout the day.

A Crestron Pro3 processor provided platforms for local and remote access through which all entertainment components, security, access control, lighting control scenes and load levels, shades, HVAC and heat-floor settings, pool controls, and fireplace “OFF” functions were consolidated. Cross-integration was programmed for more robust systems such as the Vantage lighting control to perform similar system-wide control.