Six tips for a smarter home

The epitome of a luxury home is a smart luxury home. In fact, discerning buyers consider the integration of modern technology a non-negotiable factor when considering a home purchase.

“Anyone buying a high-end home expects smart features to either be present or easily integrated,” says Ewelina Cimring, luxury sales specialist with Provenance Properties.

Malcolm Eden, managing director of The Audiophile Group — the authorised retailers of Bang & Olufsen by Audiophile in Camana Bay — agrees, and he offered six tips to consider when purchasing or building a smart home.

INVEST
Anyone building a new home should integrate technology during the design stage, Eden says. This will ensure conduits are in place throughout the home, both indoors and outdoors, to enable seamless addition of technology. If square footage allows, a small control room should be included in the design.

RETROFIT
In cases where the home structure already exists, retrofitting can be done with wireless technology. Regular light switches can easily be switched out for smart ones, Eden says.

“You don’t have to tear down walls,” he says. “A homeowner can retrofit many smart features using a system such as Caseta or RadioRA by Lutron, which allows the addition of wireless systems to control lighting, thermostats or window treatments. Having a central control system is key. And if there’s no space for a control room, there are special AV cabinets designed to house equipment and hide cables.”

UPGRADE
For luxury homeowners, the days of juggling multiple remote controls or yelling at Alexa from the other room are long gone.

Today, a single system controls a luxury smart home, Eden says. The most sophisticated homes typically use an automation system such as Savant, which allows users to control everything from music and television to indoor and outdoor lighting, irrigation, climate controls, surveillance and more from a single app.

EXTEND
A fast and reliable wireless network is the foundation of any smart home, Eden says. While many devices can operate via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi with a speed of a 5-GHz network is crucial. The installation of multiple Wi-Fi access points or Wi-Fi repeaters allows for a longer reach and uninterrupted signals.

“Homes in Cayman are built to withstand hurricanes,” says Eden. “This means a Wi-Fi signal weakens when communicating through solid concrete walls. Adding a Wi-Fi repeater outside can extend the signal, especially on larger properties with outdoor entertaining spaces.”

AUTOMATE
Smart home features that allow homeowners to control indoor temperature, lighting, appliances and window treatments are designed with efficiency in mind. Eden says motion and light detection sensors can be installed in every room to sense and respond to things such as occupancy, temperature and natural light.

SECURE
Protecting one’s family and assets is at the heart of any smart home and monitoring its safety can be effortless with surveillance cameras, night vision and secure entry points. All of this can be controlled remotely, Eden says.

This article was originally published in the December 2021 print edition of Camana Bay Times.

About the author

Andrea Lumsden has worked with Dart since 2013 and has been writing professionally since 2003. Graduating from university with a BA in Communication, Andrea has worked with clients across a range of industries, including financial services, hospitality and real estate. Raised in the Cayman Islands, she’s a bookworm at heart who enjoys cooking and travelling with her husband and three children.