Video and music are a given in any pub, be it one at an establishment in town or in your own home. But a safe room? Not so much. A secret button tucked underneath a bust of Beethoven that reveals that room? That’s even more unusual. Biometric technology embedded in that button that scans and reacts to the fingerprint of only a few certain people? Now that’s one unique, high-tech bar.
In the midst of renovating their 6,500-square-foot home, the owners of this award-winning space pulled out all the stops, incorporating high-tech touches throughout the residence. The newly added bar area, though, received the royal treatment, thanks to the creative minds at Texas-based Futurian Systems’ Vail, Colo., team.
“The homeowners are very tech savvy and wanted something unique for their new ‘Old English Pub.’ Their request was very specific and straightforward, ‘I want this to be the nicest home bar in all of Vail,’” says Futurian president Jeremy Beck. “Over the course of the construction, wiring, and design of the bar area, we collaborated with the homeowners to develop some solid ideas in terms of the technology that would be incorporated. The biometric scanner adds a sense of mystery and makes this bar like no other.”
Stationed at the end of the bar, the statue of Beethoven sits atop a pedestal. Pivoting the bust backwards slightly reveals a button that when touched signals an electronic lock to unlock and a door to a safe room to swing open.
The statue of Beethoven inspired other innovative smart-tech twists. For example, when the owners touch a button labeled “Entertainment Mode” on a handheld Control4 remote, wall-mounted Control4 touchpanel, or a Control4 app on a mobile device, Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” blasts through Paradigm bookshelf speakers. Joining in are colored LED lights and fixtures that brighten/dim automatically.
While “Symphony No. 5” sets the scene, the owners can easily switch to a different piece of music by using one of their Control4 devices to access SiriusXM or stream tunes from their songs via AirPlay. One of their favorites, says Beck, is Frank Sinatra, so Futurian Systems created a special “Frank Sinatra” button that goes straight to the Sinatra SiriusXM channel.
The audio system is also able to give the homeowners a “heads up” that guests have arrived. Futurian Systems tied the Control4 audio system — which can deliver music to not only the bar speakers but every speaker in the house — to a sensor mounted near the driveway. When the sensor detects that a car has entered the property, it triggers the audio system to interrupt the music temporarily and play a chime. The chime sounds again when the sensor detects that vehicles are leaving.
To add video to the mix, another tap of a button activates the 40-inch Samsung 4K TV mounted to the wood paneling at the side of the bar.
Futurian attached the TV to an articulating wall mount which allows the TV to be pulled from the wall and swiveled in all directions. Video sources include local cable TV, Apple TV, Blu-ray player, and the Control4 interface.
Futurian didn’t stop at providing only entertainment in this bar, however. From the same control devices that provide access to video and music, the owners can operate an Elk security system, Control4 smart light switches throughout the house, and direct music and video to other speakers and TVs.
Equipment List
- Control4 automation, lighting & A/V
- Samsung 4K TV
- Paradigm loudspeakers
- Elk security system
- Apple TV
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