On the island, local architecture guidelines require that buildings blend into the landscape. This meant the builders would need to keep the structure lower to the ground and would not be able to build up for multiple stories. As a result, this sprawling villa is comprised of 11 individual houses that are all connected to one another. The vast scope of the property becomes a bit more manageable with all home automation elements brought together in one central system. The homeowners are only on the property for a limited time each year, so delivering peace of mind with a system that could run automatically and offer remote controls was particularly important.

Through the Crestron control system, they are able to control the lighting and HVAC as well as view the property via 12 security cameras. This provides a sense of comfort and automates certain aspects of the property care to simplify the day-to-day work of the household staff. For example, a timer mode activated on the outdoor fountains allows them to be switched on and operated during a set daily timeslot, before automatically deactivating at night.

This villa includes a number of features that work seamlessly to keep guests at ease and comfortable during their stay. Rich textures and fine design details create a welcoming environment that encourages relaxation and makes visitors feel right at home. Control elements include fans in the rooms, heating and misting systems for landscaping, and pumps in the fountains and pools. Whether lounging poolside or taking advantage of the ultimate home gym, visitors can take in the breathtaking beauty of the property which is partially maintained by the control system itself. The ambiance can be further elevated with the control of the pool lights or setting the temperature in the steam room. Motion and brightness detectors in the bathrooms trigger illumination at night and raise the light level slightly to remain below a predefined critical threshold.

The sheer size of this property called for a lot of careful planning during the installation phase, which included leveraging multiple control systems, two of which handle lighting alone. The functionality of the technology was important to enhance the experience of the villa, but the design elements remained at the forefront and the interfaces were carefully selected to blend in. Crestron touch screens were flush mounted directly into the carpenter’s decorative wood panels to give the illusion of disappearing into the wall. iPad® tablets are also available throughout the property, providing another familiar interface for users.