Rural Idyll Middlesborough
This renovated and restored farmhouse required a practically invisible audio installation, a living room that could double as a cinema and lighting that was sympathetic to the rural surroundings. The owners also required the ability to monitor their property from anywhere in the world.
Clearly Automated approached this brief with the word ‘stealth’ very much at the forefront of the thought process.
Using an open plan living room as a cinema provided several challenges, first and foremost where to place the projector screen and projector? The elegant solution was to recess both into the ceiling, which, together with invisible speakers, also mounted in the ceiling, meant the room would appear as a perfectly unadulterated and very stylish living room during the day. At night, one touch on the iPad based control system automatically brings the screen and projector down from the ceiling so the family can enjoy the big screen movie experience.
Throughout the house, discreet speakers provide music from a system that allows access to over nine million tracks. Music can be played in all the main rooms, individually or across the whole house in perfect sync. Again, all at the touch of a button on the iPad.
Lighting such a property required the skills of Clearly Automated’s favourite specialist lighting designer, Dominic Triggs. Dominic produced a design which permits layers of light to flood the house with a variety of moods and effects. The intelligent system used saves lighting scenes for instant recall and change of ambiance as required.
Fulfilling the client’s security brief required the installation of state-of-the-art cameras and a centrally mounted server to store all the captured images. Access to the cameras and recordings is possible via any web browser anywhere in the world, so a close eye can be kept on the property when the clients are away on holiday.
Frequently to be found relaxing on an evening the living room cinema, the clients have expressed their delight with the simplicity of use and flexibility of the system, which has greatly enhanced this beautiful renovation.