Custom Residential
Smart Home Technology at Laurelhurst Storybook Residence
You've heard about smart home technology, but what does it actually look like in action? Kim Olsson from Beemer Smart Home took us on a tour through the Laurelhurst Storybook Residence, which utilizes a number of smart home technologies to elevate key spaces and improve day-to-day life in the home.
November 2, 2023
Smart home technology has the power to simplify and enhance our daily life in ways you may not have considered. But how does it look in practice?
Kim Olsson, from our collaborator Beemer Smart Home, sat down with us to walk us through a real-life project that uses extensive smart home technology: our very own Laurelhurst Storybook Residence.
This project was a full-scale remodel of a Tudor estate that features integrations of various smart home technologies. Beemer Smart Home helped guide the homeowners through each technology, and how it could help accommodate the demands of their home and lifestyle.
We’ll explore each feature, its purpose, and how it’s changing the way these homeowners live and interacts with their space.
Stealth acoustics and whole-home audio.
One of the first features that excited the homeowners was stealth acoustics. Plaster walls are one of the crowning features of this Tudor home, and protecting them from any damage or wear and tear was a top priority. But at the same time, a great sound system was desired for gatherings and general entertainment.
Thirty-four stealth acoustics speakers are featured throughout the home — including in outdoor spaces like the patio. The homeowners get a seamless listening experience that still prioritized their aesthetic vision for the project.
Music Wherever You Are
Do you see any speakers? That’s the point! Whether you’re indoors, or out — stealth acoustics keep your music going no matter where you hang out, without missing a beat.
Kim says the embedded speakers and sound system was a one-time investment that drastically changed the appearance of the home. It allows the plaster walls to take center stage, uninterrupted by bulky accessories. No unnecessary chords, wall mounts, or other distracting features can be detected.
Intelligent lighting.
Another technology of particular interest to the homeowners was intelligent lighting. Intelligent lighting can be programmed to meet individual’s specific lighting needs.
From characteristics like hue, brightness, and color temperature, to schedules, Kim says there are endless ways to customize intelligent lighting features. The Lutron HomeWorks lighting system programmed throughout this project uses 138 various zones of lights. That’s a lot of customization!
Mood Lighting
Smart home technology makes illuminating your home customizable and easier than ever.
As a forever home, intelligent lighting offers several benefits at the Laurelhurst Storybook Residence. According to Kim, customized lighting settings can improve safety in day-to-day activities.
Getting out of bed at night for a glass of water, for example. Instead of fumbling around for a light switch, Kim tells us intelligent lighting like that at Laurelhurst Storybook Residence can automatically switch on, room to room, until you reach your destination.
The color and brightness of each light fixture in the home can also be individually addressed. That means spaces can be illuminated to suit the time of day and task at home. This can be helpful for those with aging eyes, says Kim.
Control panels and keypads.
Because interior design was a top priority throughout the project, the homeowners didn’t want any technologies to detract from the beauty of the spaces.
The experts at Beemer Smart Home recommended the Alisse Keypads from Lutron. These keypads are sleek, minimalist, and come in a number of different finishes and configurations to match individual needs. This control panel allows these homeowners to easily operate and control their centralized Lutron lighting systems.
At Your Fingertips
Sleek control panels, like the one on the far wall in this sitting room, make controlling your smart technology integrations quick and simple without sacrificing aesthetics.
Kim also mentioned the addition of a Control4 home automation system, which further simplifies the management of this home’s smart home technology features.
Control4 collects Laurelhurst Storybook’s smart home technologies – including entertainment and security – into one convenient operating system. Kim says built-in touchscreens throughout the home enable one-tap, easy-to-use control all under a single, user-friendly platform. This also extends to the homeowners’ smart phones where technologies can be controlled via app, whether at home or out and about.
These technologies shape the look, feel, and functionality of the Laurelhurst Storybook Residence in ways you may not be able to see — and that’s exactly the point! But the difference they make in everyday life is noticeable.
All homes deserve tools and technologies like those found in this fairytale-style Tudor. They support what the design was always intended to do: wow people! Smart home technology elevated the aesthetics of this home, amped up entertainment features, and most importantly, made it safe, comfortable, and efficient for the homeowners.
