The Manor - Best Showroom finalist, EMEA, 2023

The owner of this 17th century country house wanted to turn it into a fully integrated smart home. As a listed property, the project was constrained by both planning controls and governance by English heritage, with specifi c guidance on minimising tech clutter.

A Crestron home system was chosen for its simplicity of use and the ability for Dawsons to make any required changes remotely. 

To meet the demands of the brief, and keep technology discreet, each room has a Crestron keypad for lighting control and, in key areas, a 7" touch screen for more complex operations including AV, lighting, heating, security, and shading. 

Every room has been fitted with Amina plaster-over speakers, compact freestanding active subwoofers, and a hidden Bang & Olufsen Beosound Core — an intelligent wireless streaming connectivity hub. The TV displays are also connected into these units, allowing TV sound to automatically play through the ceiling speakers when the TV is switched on. No other user interaction is required.

Getting consent from English Heritage proved challenging at times. In the music room, an over-mantel piece of artwork was Heritage listed in its own right and needed to be protected from direct or bright sunlight. The solution was to include light level sensors in the windows, which automatically lower the blinds.

As the walls are up to a metre thick, and act as a massive thermal store, heating controls and additional heating boosts are managed based on the outside temperature.