| EQUIPMENT INSTALLED
Clipsal Lighting Control
12x 4x2Amp dimmer modules
3x 8x1Amp dimmer modules
3x 12x10Amp relay
20x 6 button Clipsal Saturn switch
1x Clipsal Saturn DLT switch
1x black & white touchscreen
1x PIR sensor
www.clipsal.co.uk
Entertainment
3x Speakercraft MZC66 whole house entertainment systems
www.speakercraft.com
Marantz DH9500 hard disk music server
2x Sky+ boxes
Autopatch Precis 8x8 component video switcher
Rotel RB-03 amplifier
NEC 42" plasma
NEC 50" plasma
Panasonic 42" plasma
Panasonic 22" LCD Screen
Hitachi 32" LCD Screen
B&W in-ceiling speakers throughout
www.bwspeakers.co.uk
Cinema
Beamax projection screen
Infocus Screenplay 5700 projector
Yamaha RX-V4600 cinema receiver
Marantz DV7600 DVD player
Monitor Audio Bronze B6 x2, centre, surrounds x2, sub-woofer
Control System
Crestron CP2E processor
Crestron TPMC-10 Wireless Touchpanel
Crestron TPS-3000L In-wall Touchpanel
www.crestron.com
5x Universal Remote inc MX-850 IR/RF remote
Universal Remote RF base stations
Data
2x D-Link des1024r 24port 10/100 Ethernet switch
Belkin ADSL router
4x Belkin wireless access points
4x incoming phone lines onto patch panel
CCTV
2-door door entry system
10 CCTV cameras inc 1 at each door
16ch CCTV Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
Gate entry system.
Andrew Searchfield
www.andrewsearchfield.com
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The client Andrew Searchfield is a professional developer who specialises in building substantial modern country homes with an exceptionally high specification.
As part of the project Andrew was keen to incorporate the kind of luxury entertainment and lighting systems that the more discerning international client now expects as standard.
The Client Brief
Andrew was aware that the property needed a high standard of entertainment, data and control. Due to the construction of the house it would also be difficult to add additional cables at a later date so it was important that it was as flexible and ‘future-friendly’ as possible. Rather than pre-wire for a future owner he felt that it was important that everything was in and working so that the purchaser could appreciate the full potential of the systems.
Lighting Control
To make the most of the architectural features in the house and the high quality of materials, the lighting control needed to be easy to use and make the most of the space. The frame of the building is constructed out of new oak with high level exposed beams in the main rooms. The entrance hall is an impressive double height gallery with a spectacular modern chandelier specially commissioned by Andrew.
Beyond the Invisible selected the Clipsal C-Bus lighting control system from Group Schneider. C-Bus is easy to use, has a stylish range of glass key switches and has very tight integration with the Crestron control system. Lighting throughout the house can either be controlled from a key switch, the in-wall Crestron panels or from the wireless Creston TPMC-10 panels. The house has been built to last so it is important that the lighting control system is similarly robust. Andrew was reassured by the fact that underneath the contemporary key switches Clipsal C-Bus is an industrial grade system used in factories, sports stadiums and airports throughout the world.
From the key switch by the front door Andrew can turn off all the lights in his house, turn on selected outside lights that highlight the trees around the grounds or illuminate his driveway. By his bed he can set the house into ‘night mode’ which turns off any lights left on and sets lights in the hallways and stairways to a low level. In the main reception rooms complex scenes of light can be recalled from a single key. Andrew can change light levels of scenes in any room and store them in the key switches without any programming or engineer support.
While key switches are a simple and unobtrusive solution in a room it can be difficult to remember which switch does what. Clipsal has an elegant solution that uses LCD labels by each key. Unlike engraving the labels can be changed if the function of the key is changed.
Whole house Entertainment System
To add to the luxurious feel of the property 18 zones of entertainment were installed. All the source equipment is centrally installed in the basement plant room.
All Andrew’s music is stored on a Marantz DH9500 music server that is capable of storing up to 2500 albums and has up to four simultaneous outputs. Two Sky+ boxes and a DVD player are located in the rack as well. The audio and video switching is handled by 3 Speakercraft MZC-66 units with additional component video switched using a AutoPatch Precis high-definition component switch.
There is a discreet keypad in each room that is used to select entertainment that is played out through B&W in-ceiling speakers. In the kitchen, living room, family room, drawing room and master bedroom selecting any of the 3 music sources or either Sky+ box or DVD will automatically turn on the plasma or LCD screen in the room. Music can be chosen by scrolling through the library displayed on the screen using a remote or by using the 10.4” wireless Crestron panels.
Outside
Thurlestone House is set in mature grounds with a wide terrace, perfect for al fresco entertaining. Andrew wanted outdoor speakers that provided good sound but didn’t detract from the outside of the building. Speakercraft Weathercraft outdoor speakers were discreetly mounted on the outside of the building. Any concerns that Andrew may have had about them being loud enough were resolved when the neighbours complained, even though the nearest house is half an acre away!
Home Cinema
There is a large basement under the house that Andrew wanted to use as a place to hang out with his friends. As well as a full size pool table there is a home cinema incorporating an Infocus ceiling mounted projector and a Beamax 2.4m wide fixed screen. The surround sound speakers are from the Monitor Audio bronze cinema range. The cinema receiver is a Yamaha RX-V4600 paired with a Yamaha DVD-S2500 which allows an HDMI connection to be maintained all the way to the projector.
CCTV
As the property is set in spacious grounds well away from main roads or any street lighting it was important that both Andrew and his family felt secure in their home. Cameras around the property and at the entrances can be viewed on any of the TV screens in the house as well as on the Crestron touch panel in the entrance hallway. During the day the cameras are colour, at night they produce black and white images via infra-red. When woken up by a noise in the middle of the night it is very reassuring to be able to flick on the TV to see whether it is a badger or a burglar. If it is an intruder, all the lights in the grounds can be switched on from the bedside.
Control Systems
Sophisticated lighting systems and comprehensive home entertainment need to be easy to use for them to be fully enjoyed by the whole family. Beyond the Invisible specified a Crestron CP2E to provide the central control with a 6.5” colour touch panel installed in the entrance hall and wireless 10.4” TP-MC10 touch panels for use anywhere in the house. The Crestron touch screens can be used to recall scenes of light, adjust individual circuits of lighting, select entertainment throughout the property and to control the entire music library. In addition the Crestron panel in the entrance hall can be used to view the gate camera or any of the cameras around the property. The gate itself can be opened from the touchpanels. Beyond the Invisible spent a lot of time making sure that the design and layout of the touch panels was easy to use and matched the rest of the house. A number of different graphical designs were considered before settling on the final choice.
In rooms with TV screens Universal Remotes MX850 remotes are used to select sources and control Sky+ and DVD. The remote is easy to use, pressing DVD changes to the button labels to show functions such as chapter search and skip. Pressing Sky+ changes the labels to specific Sky controls such as the red, green, yellow and blue buttons and shows the favorite channels.
Data Network
As Andrew sometimes works from home a professional grade data and telephony network was required. There are data/telephony points in every room and more in his study.
Due to the exceptionally solid construction of the house, wireless signals and even DECT signals don’t travel through the walls. Beyond the Invisible had planned for the worst case already, and by adding wireless access points in critical locations reliable coverage has been achieved throughout the building.
Summary
Underneath the traditional exterior Thurlestone House is a very modern house in a traditional setting. As well as the highest quality materials and fittings the home is equipped with the latest entertainment and control systems that will enhance the lives of the inhabitants for many years to come.
This property is for sale.
Photographs by Tim
Imrie
© 2006 Beyond the Invisible Ltd, no part of the page can be reproduced
in any form without our prior permission.
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