By Anelisa Mgidi | November 10, 2026 | smart home

Inside Kingswood: Where Luxury Design Meets Intelligent Technology | A £135k Bespoke Smart Home

Overview

At Kingswood, JSJ Smart Homes was challenged to deliver an unusually ambitious vision: combine sophisticated security, climate control, wellness facilities, architectural lighting, entertainment and whole-property automation within a refined, minimalist home.

The homeowner wanted exceptional comfort, security and peace of mind without having to manage an array of complex systems. Her partner preferred familiar, unobtrusive controls, with technology remaining largely invisible. Meanwhile, escalating construction costs demanded careful value engineering without compromising the experience. The property’s secluded setting, limited connectivity and frequent power interruptions added another layer of complexity, making reliability and resilience essential.

Led by Managing Director Stefan Knight, JSJ helped bring together the design, construction and specialist teams, shaping how the entire property would operate as one connected environment. Loxone was selected as the central automation platform, with complementary technologies carefully integrated according to their individual strengths. Every decision was guided by the homeowner’s vision rather than the limitations of any single manufacturer.

The outcome is not simply a house with more technology. It is a home where extraordinary complexity works quietly in the background, anticipating everyday needs, protecting its occupants and delivering the effortless comfort, freedom and peace of mind that true luxury should provide.

Challenges

Luxury expectations under growing cost pressure

The brief was not simply to add technology to an impressive property. The homeowner wanted the atmosphere of a private luxury hotel, with striking architecture, extensive glazing, wellness facilities, beautiful lighting and effortless comfort, yet without visible technical clutter. At the same time, rising construction costs meant every decision had to earn its place. JSJ faced the challenge of preserving the ambition while coordinating numerous specialist trades, making use of equipment already being supplied and avoiding unnecessary duplication or expense.

Security that delivers genuine peace of mind

In a secluded setting, a large home with extensive glazing brings a heightened need for security and reassurance. The homeowner needed to feel protected without becoming responsible for monitoring cameras, interpreting technical alerts or constantly checking the property. Conventional outdoor motion detection could react to wildlife and other harmless activity, creating nuisance alarms that erode confidence. The challenge was to distinguish meaningful events from everyday movement, bring different security technologies into a coherent strategy and make the resulting information reassuring rather than overwhelming, without disclosing sensitive operating details.

A swimming pool that had to work with the whole house

The indoor swimming pool, whole-house heat pump, underfloor heating, air conditioning, ventilation and specialist plant were being delivered by different contractors, each with their own assumptions about how equipment should operate. The pool supplier initially proposed separate heating and did not expect automated filling and draining to be practical. Yet the homeowner wanted these functions to work intelligently as part of the home, not as isolated plant-room tasks. Crucially, the control sequence could not be fully settled at the design stage. With the pool equipment in place, JSJ had to work through the practical draining, cleaning, refilling, interlocks and fault-monitoring requirements on site rather than rely on a ready-made solution. The challenge was to coordinate pumps, valves, water levels and safety safeguards while keeping the experience simple for the homeowner.

Three sources of water, one safe irrigation strategy

The garden should benefit from rainfall first, use harvested rainwater when further irrigation is needed and draw on mains water only when the stored supply cannot meet demand. Turning that sensible hierarchy into reliable automation was far from straightforward. The system had to take account of weather conditions, harvesting-tank levels, irrigation zones, pump faults and the position and operation of the changeover valve. Crucially, the mains supply needed effective protection against any backflow or contamination from the harvested-water system. JSJ also had to ensure that a technical fault could be detected and communicated to the homeowner/installer automatically in plain, useful language.

Shared weather intelligence instead of duplicate sensors

Different suppliers approached weather protection independently. The therapy-area window company wanted rain and wind sensing, the pergola needed wind monitoring and the irrigation system needed rainfall information. Installing separate sensors for each would have added equipment, installation cost and maintenance, while risking inconsistent responses to the same weather conditions. The challenge was to make reliable weather data available across these different systems and ensure that windows, outdoor structures and watering could each respond appropriately without unnecessary duplication.

One entertainment experience across different audio platforms

Kingswood needed to work as beautifully for a party as it did for a quiet evening. Music might need to flow between the garden, kitchen, wellness areas and guest facilities, with provision for external entertainment equipment, while television and cinema spaces demanded a different audio approach. No single manufacturer offered the ideal solution everywhere. The challenge was to make Loxone audio, Sonos and other specialist audiovisual equipment feel like one coordinated experience, without fragmented controls, frustrating handovers between areas or the cost of replacing capable equipment simply to make it compatible.

Sophisticated technology that never feels intrusive

The homeowner loves the convenience of automation, from the way the house responds to everyday routines to blinds that open in the morning. Her partner, however, prefers familiar, conventional controls and does not want technology to dominate the home. Those expectations had to coexist within an exceptionally minimalist interior. The challenge was to deliver extensive automation across lighting, shading, climate, security and entertainment while making the property intuitive for both occupants and their guests, without forcing anyone to rely on an app, a screen or a complicated sequence of commands.

Resilience when power and connectivity cannot be taken for granted

The property’s secluded setting brings limited conventional connectivity and recurring power interruptions. In an ordinary installation, a power cut could also disable network access, monitoring, security functions and the lighting needed to move safely through the house. At Kingswood, those failures could not be allowed to undermine the homeowner’s peace of mind. Essential systems needed a carefully prioritised backup strategy, while network equipment and automation had to remain supportable remotely wherever possible. The challenge was not merely to keep technology running, but to preserve a sense of safety and continuity when the unexpected happens.

A television designed to disappear

The homeowner wanted a television in her master bedroom without compromising its minimalist design. With an exceptional eye for detail, even discreet window contacts were considered visually intrusive.

A ceiling-mounted television was impractical due to limited headroom, while a bed-mounted lift would compromise her preferred furniture and the room’s aesthetics.

The challenge was to conceal the television completely when not in use, while preserving the bedroom’s elegant design and providing effortless access whenever required.

Solutions

Intelligent Design Without Compromise

Led by Managing Director Stefan Knight, JSJ brought together the construction, design and specialist teams to deliver a unified vision. Loxone formed the central automation platform, with complementary technologies selected for their individual strengths. Through careful value engineering, JSJ delivered the project for £134,557 against an initial estimate of £160,000, preserving the homeowner’s ambitions while reducing costs by nearly 16%. Overall £2m project build.

Security That Understands Its Surroundings

JSJ integrated 6 UniFi cameras with intelligent recognition capable of distinguishing people, animals and vehicles. Overcoming the cameras’ lack of native Loxone compatibility, JSJ developed a bespoke integration using local video transcoding and event webhooks. Combined with integrated alarms, access control and perimeter protection, the result is a sophisticated security strategy that recorded no detection errors during its first three months of operation, providing genuine peace of mind without unnecessary alerts.

A Swimming Pool That Looks After Itself

Rather than installing a separate heat pump, JSJ integrated the swimming pool with the home’s existing heating infrastructure. Working collaboratively on site, the team developed automated pool filling and draining sequences, overcoming functionality initially considered impractical by the pool contractor. Comprehensive monitoring of pumps, valves, water levels and mechanical plant allows faults to be identified and communicated automatically, minimising the homeowner’s involvement.

Intelligent Irrigation That Makes Every Drop Count

JSJ developed an irrigation strategy that prioritises natural rainfall, uses harvested rainwater when watering is required and automatically switches to mains water when stored reserves are insufficient. Tank-level monitoring, valve feedback, pump fault detection and backflow safeguards provide the necessary control and protection. The result is efficient garden irrigation that makes intelligent use of available water while requiring minimal intervention.

One Weather Station, Multiple Intelligent Responses

Instead of installing separate rain and wind sensors for the windows, pergola and irrigation, JSJ integrated these systems through a single Loxone weather station. This eliminated unnecessary equipment and allowed multiple technologies to respond intelligently to changing conditions. When the windows and pergola arrived with wireless controls, JSJ also engineered wired interfaces on site, removing reliance on battery-powered remotes.

Seamless Entertainment Throughout the Property

By combining Loxone’s automation capabilities with Sonos and specialist audiovisual equipment, JSJ created a coordinated entertainment experience across the house, wellness areas and gardens. Music can accompany the homeowner between spaces, while external audio connections accommodate parties and entertaining. Each technology was selected for its strengths, delivering a consistent experience without unnecessary compromises.

Invisible Technology, Effortless Living

Approximately 400 metres of architectural LED lighting, automated blinds and curtains, presence detection and elegant Corston switches create the atmosphere of a luxury hotel. Morning routines happen automatically, stair lighting responds to movement and bathroom audio activates with presence. Sophisticated automation remains largely invisible, delivering convenience for the homeowner while preserving familiar controls for her partner.

A Television Hidden in Plain Sight

With ceiling and bed-mounted television lifts ruled out by space and design constraints, JSJ concealed the master bedroom television within the dressing table mirror. Completely discreet when switched off, it becomes a fully functional television when activated, preserving the room’s minimalist aesthetic without sacrificing entertainment or furniture choices.

Resilience, Reliability and Remote Support

With unreliable mains power and limited mobile coverage, JSJ integrated Starlink connectivity and comprehensive indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi, supported by backup power for essential automation, security and networking systems. Critical hallway lighting remains operational during power cuts, while remotely managed network equipment and proactive fault notifications allow JSJ to identify and resolve many issues without visiting the property. The result is a home designed to remain safe, connected and supported even when services fail.

What we installed

Loxone Products used

Loxone Miniserver
Loxone DALI Extensions
Loxone Dimmer Extensions
Loxone RGBW Tree
Loxone Relay Extensions
Loxone Tree Extension
Loxone 1-Wire Extensions

What else we installed:

Network & Rack Infrastructure

DrayTek 24-port PoE network switch with high-speed SFP+ connectivity
DrayTek 8-port PoE network switch
DrayTek business-grade router with firewall and network management capabilities
Sanus AV rack and enclosed rack equipment
Rack-mounted cooling fans
Rack power distribution units with surge protection and remote-reboot capability
Sentinel Dual 1900VA UPS for network backup
Starlink internet equipment and
Unifi indoor/outdoor Wi-Fi access points
1Home Server – IOT voice control

Security & Surveillance Infrastructure

UniFi exterior cameras with intelligent object recognition and Loxone event integration
Door and window contacts, security sounder
Fire-alarm integration and appropriate automated response
PoE switching, network and power connections supporting surveillance equipment

Audio-Visual & Connectivity

Sonos audio zones and indoor/outdoor entertainment integration
Mirror-concealed television and motorised blind coordination
Sonance invisible IS6 and IS8 speakers, IS10W concealed subwoofer and associated kitchen audio
James Loudspeaker soundbar and Anthem MRX AV receiver for the living-room surround-sound system.
Samsung Terrace display for the therapy area
HDMI-over-Cat distribution, structured cabling, AV rack and associated connectivity