Retrofitting Control into a Family Residence
Every home evolves, but integrating modern comfort into an established interior requires a gentle touch. When we were invited to look at this London property, the brief was straightforward: bring the home’s heating, shading, and lighting into a single, effortless interface, without opening walls or disturbing decorative finishes.
Tailored Integration & Bespoke Craftsmanship
The house originally relied on traditional Meljac keypads to operate simple lighting circuits. While visually distinct, they provided no control over the home’s broader environment. To expand functionality without embarking on extensive building work, we engineered a custom retrofit solution.
We designed double-height adapter plates tailored to fit the existing Meljac wall apertures, allowing us to house the Tyba Turn 2 controller seamlessly. Across the property, over twenty Turn 2 devices, in both wall-mounted and tabletop finishes, were installed. From a single, tactile dial, the family can now adjust lighting scenes, set the HVAC, adjust window shading, and control the gas fireplaces.
Where cabling wasn't accessible, such as within custom joinery in the dressing rooms and inside the primary bathrooms, discreet wireless Lutron Pico controls were selected to ensure key functions, like privacy shades, remain within easy reach.
Non-Invasive Shading
Delivering automated shading across an existing property often presents a structural challenge. Here, the windows lacked pre-existing power cables and offered no space for recessed blind pockets.
The Lutron Palladiom Wire-Free system provided the ideal answer. In primary living spaces, dual-layer roller blinds offer tailored light filtering and blackout privacy, while key secondary rooms feature single-layer blinds. Finished with clean, architectural hardware and operated natively through the Tyba keypads, the shading blends quietly into the architecture of each room.
A Unified Platform
Rather than replacing existing infrastructure, we brought the entire home under one cohesive Lutron system. The house featured centralised lighting driver hubs, which allowed us to introduce DALI modules and inline dimming across conventional lighting zones on the upper floors.
The result is a unified lighting architecture across every level of the house, offering simple scene setting that can be adjusted effortlessly as the day unfolds.
Unobtrusive Security & Access
To complete the system, perimeter access and security were brought up to modern standards with typical visual restraint:
Video Entry: A multi-point 2N intercom system was installed, featuring five internal touchscreens, one for each floor and a main gate panel equipped with Bluetooth and key-fob access. Full mobile integration allows the family or house manager to speak with visitors and release gates from anywhere.
Perimeter Surveillance: An integrated Axis camera setup replaced individual standalone units. To maintain the home's exterior character, rear cameras were custom colour-matched to the brickwork, keeping the hardware as discreet as possible.
Built Around the Way You Live
Every home presents its own challenges, but there’s always a solution. The right technology should always feel considered, not compromised. If you're looking to modernise an existing property without disrupting its character, our team can design a tailored control solution that integrates seamlessly with your home and your way of living.
Get in touch to discuss your project.