Homebuyers often speak about moving in romanticized terms, calling a new house their “dream home” or their “forever home.” Today, a major factor in creating a “forever home” is making the residence as usable and comfortable as possible with advanced home automation. That was exactly the case for one New Jersey family that decided it was time to join the future of home living by installing a fully-integrated ELAN Entertainment & Control System after dabbling with small-scale automation in their previous home.
“The entry-level control system in the family’s last home only managed their lighting and HVAC,” said Casey S. Johnston of Union City, New Jersey-based Serious Audio/Video. “When the family decided to move, they wanted a complete home control system that was easy enough for their kids to use, and comprehensive enough to keep the family secure. They hired us to give them a new idea of what home life can be like with a powerful, yet simple ELAN system to automate and control the home’s lighting, HVAC, security, surveillance, multi-room audio and video, and motorized window shades.”
One of the core requirements for this family’s new smart home was that the technology be easy enough for their children or guests to operate simple functions. Using only three ELAN HR200 remotes plus the ELAN app on a few iPhones and iPads, the family has full, immediate control over all of the home’s technology. With ultra-simple navigation in the ELAN app, the family can easily adjust any system in almost every room.
Johnston and his team at Serious Audio/Video installed six zones of audio with four zones of video, and integrated the ELAN system with nearly every light and window shade in the home. Now, each room is a customizable space where family members can dial in the perfect music volume or the desired amount of light. This is critically important for areas like the living room, where an OLED 4K TV and in-wall surround sound system offers a movie-theater style viewing experience.
“It may seem small,” Johnston continued, “but it is truly remarkable to have the ability to sit on the couch, then without getting up, turn on the TV and stereo, lower the blinds, turn up the heat and raise the volume, all from a mobile app. It completely changes how people interact with their home’s technology and increases the enjoyment of a room by offering maximum control and comfort.”
The centerpiece of the home’s customization is the rooftop deck. Here the family can enjoy a 65” Seura outdoor TV with a multi-room audio system, a fire pit, and a full outdoor kitchen and dining set. The system’s speakers are completely hidden in a small gap between the deck and the actual roof, creating a seamless audiovisual experience in a truly unique location.
Besides offering premier entertainment, the ELAN system is also helping the family to monitor and reduce their electricity usage with a pre-set lighting schedule and occupancy sensors that ensure that lights aren’t left on in uninhabited rooms. “It was important that, in addition to control, the homeowners could monitor their systems for efficiency,” Johnston added.
While ELAN was chosen for its ease-of-use, the homeowners didn’t want their kids having total control. So the pros at Serious Audio Video placed limits on what the kids have access to on their mobile devices, giving them control of their bedrooms and TVs, but not security, surveillance, scheduling or select TV/music content.
And to ensure everything runs smoothly and is free from prying eyes or hands, the team at Serious Audio Video housed all the equipment in a lockable rack cabinet in an out-of-the-way location. “We try to think of everything,” Johnston concluded. “Our goal with every project is to maximize the homeowners’ usability and enjoyment from their high-tech systems,” Johnston concluded. “With ELAN we know that our customers will get the most for their money and for their time, since it’s by far the easiest interface to learn among leading home control systems. We love helping create unique spaces like the roof deck in this home, and helping families spend more time together through automated home functions. Home control is the future, and we’re proud to deliver it daily.”
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