It’s always good to get a repeat call from one of your favourite architects, out of the blue. They had a client who they were planning an extensive refurbishment, who “had a few techy questions…can you help?!

​A few days later, we walked round the rather dark basement apartment with both clients and architects to talk technology and what they needed and wanted.

Working from home was important and one bedroom was about to become the home office for two hard working IT professionals.

With the main lounge & kitchen space central to the overall refurbishment, opening out into a rare Central London lightwell courtyard, a media room was one order of the day.

The clients wanted to “treat” themselves to a new lighting scheme throughout the apartment, to make the most of natural and artificial light throughout.

Recessed in the signature brick slip wall, the 85in Samsung TV sits on a “smooth as silk” Future Automation bracket to be visible from both the lounge and the courtyard too.

The Artison Studio soundbar  moves with the TV to keep the audio experience directed to the listener.

With a Denon AVR in the driving seat for HD audio and video switching from Apple TV content, there are 7 speakers in total integrated in the system. The Velodyne subwoofer was described by the architect as “small, but mighty” in our demonstration!

The AV specification expanded to address lighting control (via Lutron Homeworks lighting with SeeTouch keypads) .

Control went on to include the blinds / curtain rails along the full width lounge tri-folding doors.

Offering both privacy and adjustable natural light from the lightwell. And capacity for full integration to dim the lights & close the blinds to the courtyard for movie time.

Space is a premium in the cabinetry, and corridors of the apartment. Making sure equipment is ventilated, accessible and neatly arranged in the various joinery locations was a challenge, but a little co-ordination and co-operation made it all work.

By splitting the hubs for the Lutron, the main network and the AV into three hubs with CAT6 links between, the network can be spread across different locations whilst being reliable and easy to access and maintain.

The “fresh wired” home IT network took a new high speed incoming broadband, with hard wired points in the office.

With high speed reliable Wi-Fi throughout, this gave the clients the option to use their phones to control the media room.

As well as simplifying audio streaming to the kitchen & master bedroom, and a connection to the door entry system, via Comelit.