Award winning smart homes with Platinum Partner CEDIA

As a valued Platinum Partner with the BIID, CEDIA highlights integrated solutions that can enhance the design process, resulting in spaces that are both beautifully designed and intelligently connected. Here Imogen Dent, Design & Build Program Specialist, talks about the CEDIA smart home awards and this year's winner.

About the CEDIA Smart Home Awards

The CEDIA Smart Home Awards celebrates outstanding innovation and excellence in smart living environments. Run by CEDIA, the program acknowledges the projects, individuals, products, and solutions that are shaping the future of connected homes and intelligent design. 

From home security and automated solutions to home theaters and entertainment spaces, the CEDIA Smart Home Awards projects provide inspiration for the level of technology integration that consumers want in their properties. 

The awards offer design build professionals valuable insights into the evolving landscape of smart technologies and their impact on residential spaces. The recognition given through these awards highlights the latest advancements, best practices, and trailblazers in the field, providing inspiration for those working at the intersection of design and technology. 

CEDIA encourages interior designers and architects to follow the results of this programme as a resource for understanding key trends, influential projects, and market leaders driving progress in the smart home sector.

Buzzards Road Project: A CEDIA Smart Home Award Winner

Uniting a contemporary spa and cinema extension with a classic countryside home, this UK-based project demanded invisible technology and effortless control. The result is a retreat that redefines modern living while respecting historic form.

When this homeowner set out to build a wellness retreat on their existing property, their vision was clear: they wanted this new space — comprising a gym, sauna, swimming pool, plunge pool, cinema, treatment room, and guest suite — to not only feel like a sanctuary, but to function as one. Ease of use, high performance, and seamless control were critical. But just as important was the request to unify both the new extension and the untouched main house under a single control system that felt intuitive, discreet, and future-ready. 

Innovation

UK CEDIA integrator member, IndigoZest, approached the brief with a singular goal: to make technology invisible yet indispensable. Central to the solution was a unified control system that integrated every new element while laying the groundwork for future upgrades to the existing home. Lighting was a prime example. The extension featured a fully centralised lighting system, but IndigoZest also amended light switches in the original house to match. This ensured visual consistency across both areas, even though the underlying systems differed.

The cinema, developed in partnership with Cinema Luxe, was a true highlight. A 9.4.4 Dolby Atmos loudspeaker configuration was hidden behind acoustic treatments, while a high-lumen 4K projector and studio-grade media player delivered uncompromising audio-visual quality. The equipment was installed outside the room to preserve the design intent.

In moisture-heavy zones like the sauna and pool, IndigoZest opted for waterproof displays and ceiling speakers rated for extreme environments. Mirror TVs were used to preserve aesthetics, while invisible speakers kept sightlines clean. Across all wellness areas, technology was designed to be experienced, not seen.

Thoughtful Design, Effortless Control

Retrofitting a control and networking backbone through the old structure presented significant challenges, particularly due to thick walls and the absence of existing cabling. But careful planning and product selection ensured reliable Wi-Fi and system stability throughout. 

The user interface was deliberately simple. Wall-mounted touchscreens, engraved keypads, and handheld remotes were provided, but the focus remained on intuitive scenes and clearly labelled controls. Unique touches included a ‘football’ mode that broadcast live Newcastle United matches across the property, and automated AV pauses when someone rang the gate intercom. 

For a client initially sceptical about smart home technology, the result has been transformative. What began as a luxury wellness wing has become a completely connected home — quietly intelligent, beautifully resolved.

To connect with a trusted CEDIA integrator for your next project, visit cedia.org/find-a-cedia-integrator. 

Note: CEDIA is a BIID Platinum Partner. This article has been produced as part of our sponsored partnership programme.