Set in a secluded lagoon in the city of West Palm Beach, Florida, this waterfront mansion is a product of frequent collaborators ETC Florida and developer Aquantis Group coming together on a future-forward design for a very discerning client: the developer themselves.
Pro Client Seeks Future-Proof Smart Home Solution
Nelson Comas
“We’ve worked with [Aquantis] in the past with much success,” explains Paul Biava, President of ETC Solutions. “And they decided it was time for them to create an outstanding home that would be built with an eye for detail and beauty and stood out among the many homes of this caliber in the area.”
A major differentiator in this category would be the home’s future-forward approach to its automation systems. The client wanted to allow growth and change by incorporating additional wiring and outlets throughout the installation that, even if not used by present systems, would support add-ons in the future.
As such, the documentation on the home ended up being one of the most important deliverables on the project. With it, the client understands where everything is, allowing them to access what they need for future expansion and enhancement.
Televisions Only ‘Visible’ Tech in Sprawling Florida Mansion
Nelson Comas
The turnkey solution provided by ETC Florida uses a Control4 automation platform that communicates with the mansion’s other systems. This includes the security system, whole-home lighting control, shades, and distributed audio system, as well as even the front gate control of the home.
Touch panels, keypads and other methods of controls are in strategic positions throughout the home to provide ease of access to the system without becoming too prevalent.
As Biava explains, the televisions used in the entertainment sections are the only pieces of the overall system that are blatantly visible in the final design. Even the speakers remain out of eyesight, with ETC employing treatments that render the products virtually invisible.
Double Treated Windows Make for Challenging Installation
Nelson Comas
The window treatments were by far the biggest challenge ETC faced on the project.
According to Biava, “The home has a lot of windows and most of them are floor-to-ceiling. There were certain areas, for example the living room which has a 25-foot-tall window treatment, being able to hide that in a pocket and make that work was difficult.”
The primary suite also received dual treatments for its windows, which marked the south, north and east sides of the room.
The use of solar and backout shades proved to be very labor intensive, Biala states, however, the need for concealment only added to difficulty.
“Being that there was no space to hide anything, making that work presented a difficult challenge,” Biala explains.
Nelson Comas
Nelson Comas
Systems & Equipment
Control
- Control4 home automation platform
- Lutron Lighting Control & Shading
Networking
- Access Networks Wi-Fi
- Araknis Networks routers, network switches and controllers
Audio
- Origin Acoustics & Stealth Acoustics speakers
This project was a runner up in our 2024 CE Pro Home of the Year Awards. Presented annually at CEDIA Expo, the Home of the Year Awards represent the best of the best smart home innovations within the CEDIA channel. If you have a project you would like to have considered in the Home of the Year Awards, submit while the window is open, or follow CE Pro to stay informed of when the next submission round begins.
