Whole house audio visual system in rural Worcestershire. Conceived as a pitch-perfect Regency country house, but with the benefit of an impressive array of discreetly hidden modern technologies, Caulin Court blends classic English style with environmental engineering to give unparalleled elegance and convenience.
Working closely with WeatherArk, the developer, KKE Architects and the private client, Zen designed a whole house audio visual system around 3 basic requirements: it had to ‘just work’, be discreet and deliver in terms of visual and audio performance.
Panasonic was chosen for their unsurpassed plasma TV performance, and Bowers & Wilkins speakers throughout for their quality of sound at all listening levels.
Zen were also commissioned to provide certified cable termination of the CAT6 wiring network, as well as core IT/network infrastructure, including full WiFi coverage with a separate and segregated “Guest” network.
A multi-room Sonos system provides music throughout the house, swimming pool and gym, powered by custom installation Rotel power amplifiers.
The Kitchen/Orangery area was a difficult challenge; both rooms are open plan, and adjacent through a large wall opening. The client requirements were that the TVs in both rooms should show the same content and the audio system deliver synchronised audio, even when playing a Blu-ray in surround sound. The only equipment that the client wanted in the room was a Blu-ray player and the TVs – all other equipment should be housed centrally in the plant room.
With that in mind, Zen used top-of-the-range Panasonic 65″ TVs in both rooms, with Bowers & Wilkins speakers discreetly mounted in-ceiling and in-wall to provide full surround sound in both rooms. A custom designed HD distribution system provides centralised Sky+HD feeds to both TVs via high-end AV receivers, and the local Blu-ray player is also tied in to provide a simultaneous feed to both TVs. Meticulous calibrated audio now delivers full surround sound whether in the Kitchen or Orangery, seamlessly. The Master Bedroom and Library/Cinema Room also house Panasonic 65″ TVs with Blu-ray players and access to their centralised & individual Sky+HD boxes.
For control, Zen designed a custom CommandFusion interface running on iPads – housed in wireless charging sleeves that magnetically dock to either wall or desk ‘docks’.
