Fully-stacked showrooms have definitely become more of a fixture in the installer’s armoury over the past few years. Despite being expensive and time consuming to put together, they can deliver huge benefits in selling the concept of home automation and high-end entertainment.
French-based technology integrator, Henri, is one of the latest to receive praise for its efforts in this area, picking up first place in the CEDIA Awards 2017 for Best Showroom after impressing the judges with its recently created facility.
The property, located on the main street of Cannes, famous for its film festival and being one of the most desirable resort location on earth, the space has been transformed into a fully automated home that allows Henri to provide customers with a smart home experience.
When Henri decided to design its showroom, the aim was to have a space that would welcome people ‘home’. The integrator wanted to be able to invite customers into a warm and comfortable place and provide them with the opportunity to meet the people who would be working in their homes.
Understanding that technology is just one part of a wider project, emphasis was also placed on the architecture and design of the showroom. At the same time, it was important to showcase the solutions and functionalities that Henri offers, so these elements had to come together into one.
So, what’s inside?
The fully functional apartment – named La Maison – consists of a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and office space, and features lighting and blind control, security, network, HVAC, and an AV system that includes in-celling, invisible, flush-mounted, bookshelf and waterproof speakers, multiple televisions, a projector, and a mirror TV in the bathroom.
Henri wanted to demonstrate the benefits and easiness of use of an integrated home. For that reason, the integrator focussed on the user interfaces. The apartment’s chosen control system is Crestron; the controls include two Crestron TSW-752 touchscreens, a Crestron TSR-302 and a Crestron MLX-3 handheld remotes, iPads, and a waterproof Crestron WPR-48 controller in the bathroom. The showroom also boasts Lutron controls, with a range of keypads to control the lighting, and Lutron Siovia controls to operates the automated blinds throughout the home.
The kitchen works as a meeting room, providing guests with a large table and Sony FWD-40W600P in-wall screen, allowing for displays of ongoing projects.
The living room benefits from a 5.1 home cinema set up that includes a motorized Screen Research projection screen and a Sony projector that is housed in a Future Automation lift. Henri hid two bookshelf speakers and two column speakers in custom-made motorised furniture, to maintain the sleek design of the room. A special focus on this room when the film festival is on, has to be a must surely.
To show visitors the different types of speakers, the showroom benefits from a multiroom audio system that features in-ceiling, invisible, flush-mount, cornice-integrated, stereo, and waterproof speakers. Henri has done the same with displays, by installing 43in, 49in and 65’in televisions, a video projector, and a Agath 18in mirror television in the bathroom.
Security is also a focus in this showroom, with an intrusion and fire alarm system that features volumetric and peripheral detection in place, as well as a CCTV system with dome, tube, and door-integrated network cameras, and an intercom solution with a Siedle outdoor station.
The end goal was for customers to be able to discover and fully experience living in an integrated home. Knowing that this can’t be accomplished in just one hour, the integrator hands customers the keys and invites them to stay in the apartment to truly enjoy this way of life and find out for themselves, nice idea.
Kit List
Agath 18in mirror television
AKG microphone and receiver
Axis cameras and decoder for CCTV
Bowers & Wilkins speakers, subwoofer, and amplifier
Crestron DigitalMedia, audio multiroom, and 3-series control system
Crestron sensors, touchscreens, and remotes
Honeywell alarm, keypad, radars, and opening contacts
Lode Audio streamer IP/AirPlay
Future Automation lifts
HDMI/Audio minijack/Bluetooth panel
Lutron blinds, shades, venetian, roman, and drapery
Lutron lighting control and keypads
Pakedge router, switches, controller, and access points with BakPak
Meljac keypads
Rotel surround sound receiver
Screen Research acoustic transparent motorised in-ceiling screen
Siedle video door station, BUS indoor phone, and access control systems
Sonance speakers, amplifier, and subwoofer
Sony projector and televisions
Vismes amplifiers, compact speakers, and compact subwoofer