LUXAVO & CONTROL4
LUXAVO specialise in designing, programming and installing Control4 technology into residential and commercial buildings both small to large with systems that deliver power and performance. LUXAVO and Control4 coordinates the technology in your house into complete, brilliant experiences—interactions that fit your lifestyle and are easy for your family to enjoy. With one touch, dim the lights, stream high-resolution music, turn up the heat, lock the doors and arm the security system. Check in on cameras or see who’s ringing the doorbell all from wherever you are.
This week we take a look at a renovation project on a leafy avenue bordering Lincoln Park on the shores of Lake Michigan, an elegant brick-and-limestone house which can be counted among Chicago’s most historically significant residences. Modelled on the townhouses of Georgian London, 2704 North Lakeview Avenue is the star of a small row built more than 100 years ago by celebrated architect David Adler.
Despite its modest sidewalk footprint, the grand double front door with its neoclassical columns and fan-motif transom gives a strong hint of the splendour within. This becomes apparent as soon as you step into the marble-clad entrance hall.
A grand oval staircase winds over three floors as the house stretches back to reveal six bedrooms, four full and three half bathrooms, several living and dining rooms, two kitchens, a theatre, gym, study, breakfast room, walk-in closet, laundry room, garage, and terrace. The pièce de résistance is the breath-taking central gallery. Natural light streams in through Adler’s soaring frosted glass ceiling, illuminating the panelled walls.
High-spec black-and-white fittings and finishes exude an elegance and sophistication that is simultaneously contemporary and classic. And while retaining many original features, the house now brims with state-of-the-art technology, including smart heating, lighting, security, and entertainment.
Less than two years ago, it was a different story. This home had been left idol for almost 20 years and it was only sold in 2016 to an enterprising Chicago real estate developer, Steve Bouwman, on the lookout for his firm ReduHome’s next big project—one that has proved to be Steve’s biggest and boldest renovation to date.
Having stood unoccupied and untouched for so long the house was looking decidedly dated. Yet although the house was creepy and creaky in parts, it clearly had immense potential—an unrivalled location, architectural excellence, original features, and craftsman-like construction.
Steve diligently set about restoring it to its former glory. He knew he wanted the house to be fully automated, so he chose a Control4 system. While there are many smart products available today, it isn't until these devices work together in orchestration, that you experience the magic of a Control4 smart home.
It was obvious that the extent of the work that was needed was going to make this project an especially tough challenge. All the plumbing, air conditioning, heating, and electrical needed to be re-done and Steve wanted the whole place wired up for maximum automation. At the same time, he wanted to keep many of the original features, like the moulded plasterwork, while making the technology as unobtrusive as possible. Because the house was constructed so solidly—brick, stone, and concrete with steel mesh supporting the plaster in the ceilings—wiring the place up was going to be extremely tricky.
A little over a year later and the smart transformation was complete. ReduHome had completed the external and internal restoration and decoration—including extending the floor space from 9,000 to 10,000 square feet, installing high-spec character windows, new copper plumbing, and a mix of top-spec flooring with underfloor heating. At the same time the Control4 team ensured all the technology was installed in a way that it was either invisible or subtly integrated into the design. In fact, were it not for the odd screen on the wall and a few convenient but unobtrusive control panels, you could easily feel you were back in the last century. Spend any time in the house, however, and you’d soon be dispossessed of that delusion.
As far as smart automation goes, this place is truly state of the art. Using either the wall-mounted touch screens, handheld remote controls, or an app on their smartphone or tablet, residents can use Control4 automation to schedule and manipulate everything from their audio-visual entertainment, to lighting scenes, heating and cooling, security cameras, and door locks—whether they’re at home or away. And, of course, there’s high-speed Wi-Fi accessible throughout the house. One particularly innovative feature is the stealth acoustics. There are invisible speakers behind the walls in both the main entrance hall and the gallery, so there’s nothing unsightly to spoil the elegance of these showpiece rooms. But there are speakers and screens placed unobtrusively all over the house. In total there are 12 zones of audio set up, all of which can be automatically controlled. There are also a number of screens, including a Samsung screen in the kitchen and Sony TV in the theatre, where there’s also a surround sound system. It has also been pre-wired for surround sound in the master bedroom and one of the family rooms, in case a future owner wants to add even more smart capabilities. Old meets new in a seamless and discreet manner – all that’s left is to sit back now and enjoy this dream home!
If you have a new build or renovation project that you wish to discuss then contact the LUXAVO team Tel: +353 (0)1 9081202 Email: info@luxavo.ie
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It’s a smarter living experience that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. With LUXAVO and Control4 your smart home can be changed into an intelligent home including...
Lighting control
Motorised shades inc. blinds and curtains
Whole-home audio
Home theatre and video distribution
Touch screens and remotes
Mobile control
Thermostats and sensors
Security
And much more