Smart home, beautiful household

More and more people today are beginning to discover the advantages of the so-called smart home, which allows its users to connect various technologies into one harmonious and functional whole. The perfect synergy of the Control4 control system and Ekinex design smart switches represents a step toward a living space tailored to your ideas and needs.

Smart home offers investors greater comfort and increased security, while architects have the opportunity to design both aesthetically pleasing and functional interiors. Thanks to the professional Control4 solution, your home can be fully automated – from heating, shading, cooling, recuperation, lighting, and garden irrigation to the integration of security systems, video intercoms, and the control of motorized locks. You can also include breathtaking sound systems and video distribution in your smart home – whether you want to enjoy stereo music throughout the house or long for a home cinema with Dolby Atmos sound quality. With the option of hidden and omnidirectional speakers, even spaces like indoor pools or wellness areas can be easily equipped with sound.

Easy Control

The smart home can be controlled in several ways. One option is the Ekinex smart KNX switch, while another may take the form of a glass touchscreen panel mounted on the wall, which is always fully available. A more comfortable variant is portable Control4 touchscreen panels, the control menu on the TV, or directly from your mobile phone. The control app is the same for all the mentioned devices and, alongside Czech and Slovak, it is available in many other languages. Automated scenarios, timers, and presence sensor functions can also be utilized. Additionally, all keypads designated for controlling various devices or security systems can be hidden in a technical room, leaving only smart switches, thermostats, or touchscreen panels on the walls.

Designer Switches and Outlets

The aforementioned Ekinex switches, which carry the legacy of the Italian design school, can be designed in various colors and styles, so everyone can choose "their own." Investors, designers, or architects can select the type, material/color, and the number of buttons for the switch in the Ekinex Planner after logging in. These can also be printed or engraved by the manufacturer with selected text or icons. Engraved switches are additionally equipped with backlighting and a proximity sensor, which activates the backlighting only when you approach the switch – otherwise, it won’t disturb you.

“Architects, designers, and investors need not worry about the technical solution for intelligent control. It is enough to choose the right materials, colors, and functions of the switches to perfectly complement the interior. We will take care of everything else,” says Monika Wokounová from YATUN, the exclusive distributor of Control4 and Ekinex brands for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and adds in one breath: “We are able to provide everything from designing smart electrical installations to recommending a reliable installation company. We train and certify electrical installation companies and provide them with technical support.”

Outlets and thermostats can also be color and style-coordinated with the switches, which no longer need to be just a tolerated part of the home from the perspective of users or architects, but can become an ornament in every interior. They can be made from brushed metal, plastic, or the nanotech material Fenix NTM®, which is antibacterial, colorfast, and has a super matte, velvety smooth surface that does not retain fingerprints.

Sleep, Wake Up, Leave

“It’s also worth mentioning the ‘departure button,’ which with one press puts the house or apartment into the ‘I’m away’ state – the music and television turn off, the lights go out, the blinds can be lowered to different levels, and a countdown for alarm activation starts on the glass touchscreen panel,” Monika Wokounová lists the advantages of smart technologies and notes that thanks to controlling the household from anywhere, it is also possible to remotely unlock the door for children who forgot their keys at home. That it is a proven smart home system is evidenced by the number of installations, which exceeds 600,000 worldwide.

A Hotel Under Surveillance

Smart technology can also be used to automate hotels, restaurants, or cafes, for which Ekinex has designed a special range of products and specialized software that was developed with the comfort of guests and energy savings in mind, potentially saving operators significant costs. In addition to stylish card holders or card readers, there are, for example, switches from the 20venti series with eight buttons and backlit text or symbols that facilitate the control of all devices in the room for guests. The sockets are supplemented with two charging USB connectors. A large variety of designs and materials is available, and selected products can even be made in colors that are not part of the regular offering, which architects frequently utilize in larger projects.

Showcase Home

You can also try out how such a smart house or apartment works in practice – at the Control4 showroom in Prague's Strašnice, where Monika Wokounová invited us to demonstrate smart technology "live." After selecting one of the automated scenes named Cinema on the touchscreen panel, the lights dim, the outdoor roller blinds and curtains are drawn, the TV slowly emerges from built-in furniture, a movie trailer starts playing, and premium sound in Dolby Atmos quality begins to resonate from invisible speakers… Come and enjoy it for yourself!

Text: YATUN
Photo: company archive

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