Case study · Cambridge, MA
A family in a modern Cambridge home designed by Suzumori Architects wanted the technology to match the architecture: quiet, simple and out of sight.
Lighting
Lutron HomeWorks QSX
Shades
Lutron Palladiom
Audio
Bang & Olufsen
Also
Theater and security
The home and the goal
Suzumori Architects designed the house with clean lines, large windows and warm materials inside. The owners loved the house but not the banks of switches by every door, and the big windows let in more sun and more view from the street than they wanted at certain times of day.
They asked for lighting that could be set once and forgotten, shades that would handle privacy and glare on their own, and a place to watch movies and listen to music that didn't fill the clean rooms with equipment.
The hard part
This was a retrofit. The walls and ceilings were finished, so we could not run new wire wherever we liked. We replaced the existing switches with Lutron Sunnata keypads and dimmers on a Lutron HomeWorks QSX system, which uses Lutron's Clear Connect wireless where new wire was not practical. Each keypad has engraved scenes for the way the family uses that room.
For the windows we used Lutron Palladiom shades with a 3% fabric, which keeps the view by day and gives privacy. Many are wire-free, battery-powered shades, so we did not have to open the ceilings for power. The shades follow the sun on a schedule and can be overridden from any keypad or the app.
The result
Now a single keypad by each door sets the room. The shades take care of themselves through the day. A home theater, whole-home audio with Bang & Olufsen speakers, and a security system round out the house, and all of it runs from one app.
“Wonderful experience with Adam and his team, consummate professionals.”
Sharath, Cambridge (Google review)
Lutron HomeWorks QSX with Sunnata keypads and dimmers
Lutron Palladiom shades, 3% fabric, wired and wire-free
Yes. Lutron HomeWorks QSX works over wire and over Lutron's Clear Connect wireless, so we can replace existing switches without opening walls.
Not always. Wire-free Lutron shades run on batteries that typically last years, which makes them a good fit for a retrofit. Read more about motorized shades.
We design and install smart home, lighting, shade and theater systems across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Tell us about your house and we'll set up a walkthrough.
