InnerSpace Electronics, in the integrated control systems business 29 years, was tasked by this Westport, Conn. resident, for whom the firm had done several projects, to recreate and even surpass the worry-free Savant integrated control system the owner had enjoyed in a beachfront location on Long Island Sound for years. Then came 2012’s Superstorm Sandy, which somehow had wreaked damage on surrounding homes but left this homeowner’s property relatively unscathed. Nevertheless, that episode spurred the homeowner to make a prudent move to higher ground – and to a stone house built in the early 1900s undergoing a smart home renovation.

Smart Home

Because the homeowner’s control goals surpassed the capacity of the pre-wiring that had already been done in this high-end spec house, InnerSpace had to make revisions, cooperating in close proximity with the builder to devise clever workarounds. “The owner wanted to do a significant motorized window treatment with [Lutron] Savoia shades,” explained Barry Reiner, InnerSpace president and CEO, “but there were no discreet ways to mount the rollers. We had to figure out how to come up with attractive enclosures that would match the house aesthetic and allow the shades to live at the windows but not have them appear as a feature in the house.” The solution was to work with the builder to create a shade enclosure with custom crown moldings that went around the windows to achieve the proper look.

Smart Home

One special project highlight is the wine cellar, where the temperature is monitored, and an alert is dispatched to the owners’ smartphones if the reading drops below 49 degrees or above 52 degrees Fahrenheit. “We do our own version of text alerts; that’s pretty standard stuff for us,” Reiner said.

The home also includes a special ‘bunk room’ featuring an inconspicuous bullet camera for when the client’s grandchildren visit, affording them both independence and safety. The dedicated theater is outfitted with a JVC projector and a fixed Stewart 135-inch diagonal screen, with Bowers + Wilkins speakers installed throughout the room and two subwoofers housed in front cabinets. It’s clear that this move to higher ground left absolutely nothing behind in cutting-edge technology.