Part 1: The Celek Smart Home
Project highlights
Location
West Chester, PA
Loxone Partner
Highlights
Advanced Lighting Control:
• LED Ceiling Light RGBW Tree
• LED Strips RGBW
• LED Spots RGBW
• RGBW 24V Dimmer Tree
Simple Control:
• Touch Pure Tree
• Loxone App
• Touch & Grill
Night Mode by Presence:
•Presence Sensor Tree
In Part 1 of this case study, we’re sharing a Q&A with Loxone homeowner and retired Super Bowl champ, Brent Celek.
After a fulfilling football career, where is he now? Well, probably like most of us in 2020 – at home. But luckily for Brent, it’s not just any traditional home; it’s a Loxone Smart Home, complete with automated lighting, audio, security and even an alpaca barn. This project has been rewarding for the Celek family as they finally have a home that supports their lifestyle in every aspect in every room.
Next check out Part 2, where we go behind the installation with Loxone Partner Scott Hirst of Hirst Systems.
A smart home that supports family lifestyle & values
How do you see your family values tying into your home with Loxone?
Brent: Making all the small tasks easier around your home allows for you to spend more quality time with your family without the worry of did I turn this or that off? It happens automatically with Loxone. The longer we are living in it, we are also noticing some small changes that we want to make easily along the way. We are going to become more attached to this house because it has been so easy for us to live in. We love it.
Project highlights
Location
West Chester, PA
Loxone Partner
Hirst Systems
Builder
McComsey Builders
Favorite Features
Advanced Lighting Control:
• LED Ceiling Light RGBW Tree
• LED Strips RGBW
• LED Spots RGBW Tree
•RGBW 24V Dimmer Tree
Simple Control:
• Touch Pure Tree
• Loxone App
• Touch & Grill
Night Mode by Presence:
• Presence Sensor Tree
Brent Celek, homeowner & Scott Hirst, Loxone Partner
One of the benefits of the Loxone solution is the flexibility of the system. For example, there are dozens of ways to get from point a to b in the system. With that freedom of flexibility can come some complexity, but with the help of the Loxone support team we knew we were never on our own.
– Scott Hirst, Loxone Partner
I love that with Loxone I was able to use any light I wanted to get any desired lighting effects. For example, the third-party spots on the angled ceiling in the kitchen and dining area are controlled just as easily as any Loxone lights used in the home. This flexibility was possible inside and outside.
– Brent Celek
Lighting affects the look and feel of each room
What special considerations went into the design of the house? And lighting?
Brent: I really wanted it to be a smart house with low maintenance. A house where you utilize every room and the flow of the house that not only works everyday for our family, but also for entertaining guests.
When it comes to a house, I feel that lighting has a big role in how people feel in the space. Where the lights are placed and their brightness and color can make a room feel right. I love that with Loxone I was able to use any light I wanted to get any desired lighting effects. For example, the third-party spots on the angled ceiling in the kitchen and dining area are controlled just as easily as Loxone lights used in the home. This flexibility was possible inside and outside.
Gallery above shows tunable white lighting effect with LED Strips and LED Spots.
Favorite Features: Advanced Lighting Control
Ideal for unique accent lighting, the LED Strips can be just as functional as they are eye-catching. They are frequently used along ceilings, under cabinets and more.
These spots are a staple to any room. They offer directional warm white light and diffused colored light to achieve endless possibilities while meeting code requirements nationwide.
Favorite Features: Advanced Lighting Control
With its built-in motion and brightness sensors, the full-color LED Ceiling Light is a powerful, all-around lighting solution with even more functionality working with audio and alarm systems.
It’s an obvious choice for a home gym. So while you’re pumping yourself up with music for a workout, the lights will flash in case of emergency or even as a simple doorbell replacement.
Favorite Features: Simple Control
The Touch Pure is a frameless switch with a high-quality, 3D printed glass surface with Touch-points for lighting, music, shading and more. It includes a backlight, especially helpful at night.
The Loxone App is displayed on an iPad with the iPad Wallmount. This turns into a convenient control center to adjust lighting or music, answer the door and much more.
Favorite Features: Simple Control
All the functions of a Touch Pure plus special grilling probes and functions make the Touch & Grill the first smart home grill thermometer. It’s not only about perfectly grilling those steaks…there’s so much more functionality waiting to be discovered.
What feature supports or improves your family’s lifestyle?
Brent: We love how you can just create an entire mood and call it “Party”, then the room will transformed with colored lighting and music. When you are having a party it only takes one tap on either the Touch & Grill, Touch Pure or even in the app. It’s really impressive. We have created multiple moods throughout the house that fit each individual space.
Favorite Features: Night Mode by Presence
At nighttime, the system knows it’s supposed to remain asleep, just like the family. However, if motion is detected as someone gets up, this will trigger the lights to dim softly to create a safe path. That’s the beauty of Night Mode.
Are there any unique Operating Modes that your family benefits from?
Brent: We absolutely love Night mode. This is where I believe Loxone is ahead of everyone else. You can create a mode that is unique to you and your needs. We have a Night Mode in the kids’ living quarters and one for the master quarters. It’s essential because if I wake up in the middle of the night, my bathroom lights come on automatically with soft dimming.
The simplicity of it all makes it so easy, but also spoils us. When we go to other places to stay, we forget that we have to turn lights on and off.
Unique application for unique animals
What is the background story on the alpacas and how is automation being used in their barn area?
Brent: My wife Celeste and I always wanted animals. Celeste mentioned alpacas and we began to do research. After talking to many people that own them, we decided it would be a great animal for us to own too. So far we have been really happy with them.
With regards to the barn automation, we just love that the lights adjust based on time of day without us touching a button. This is where technology is huge for us. If we had to run over there every night to turn lights on and off it would become annoying. It takes a couple minutes at the beginning to get things set up but once you are done it makes your life at home so much easier
With regards to barn automation, we just love that the lights adjust based on time of day without us touching a button. This is where technology is huge for us.
– Brent Celek
Looking for more tips behind the installation?
Check out Part 2, with Q&A from our Loxone Partner Scott hirst.
*Photos by Alcove Media
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