Modern London Townhouse: Period Architecture, Contemporary Design, Smart Control 

Externally, the home retains the character of a classic Victorian townhouse, while inside, it has been thoughtfully redesigned around modern family living. Open spaces, carefully selected materials and an emphasis on natural light create a bright and welcoming environment. As part of the renovation, the homeowners wanted to introduce lighting control and smart home functionality without compromising the character of the property or the disruption typically associated with a traditional wired automation system. The solution was a Gira KNX RF installation, designed and delivered by Carbon Integration, bringing the flexibility and reliability of KNX control to an existing home through a wireless infrastructure.

The project highlights how wireless KNX technology is opening up new possibilities for retrofit applications, allowing homeowners to enjoy the benefits of intelligent control while preserving the architecture, design and individuality of their homes.

Contemporary Design, Everyday Living

Beyond its traditional façade, the home retains its architectural character while revealing a contemporary interior defined by clean lines, strong contrasts and a carefully considered material palette.

Natural light plays a central role throughout the home: large glazed openings, skylights and open-plan spaces allow daylight to travel through the property, creating bright and airy interiors across each floor. Rather than relying on solid divisions, the layout uses level changes, glazing and structural elements, including dividers and balustrades, to define spaces while maintaining a sense of openness.

The interior balances warmth and contrast through the combination of white walls, white cabinetry, timber flooring and wood panelling alongside black architectural details. Concrete and stone surfaces are combined with black metalwork, fixtures and fittings and architectural details to introduce depth and texture while reinforcing the contemporary aesthetic.

Despite its minimalist aesthetic, the home remains deeply personal. Cookbooks, artwork, vinyl collections and carefully curated furnishings bring warmth and character throughout the home, while a pair of wireless speakers mounted on Treepod stands introduce form and function, offering a sculptural design element as well as exceptional sound performance within the main living area. Their distinctive form reflects a wider philosophy adopted throughout the project: technology should complement and contribute to the design of a space rather than disappear into it. From the statement speakers to the Gira control interfaces, each element has been selected to enhance both the functionality and aesthetic of the interior.

The result is a home that feels refined yet relaxed, contemporary yet welcoming, a space designed equally for entertaining, family life and everyday living.

For period properties such as this, the benefits of wireless systems are particularly significant. Intelligent lighting control can be introduced without compromising original features or disrupting carefully considered interior schemes. Homeowners gain the flexibility, scalability and reliability of KNX technology while retaining the character and integrity of the building itself.

Installed by Carbon Integration, the Gira KNX RF system provides a future-ready platform that can evolve alongside the needs of the family while remaining discreetly integrated within the fabric of the home. The project demonstrates that sophisticated smart home technology no longer needs to be reserved for new-build properties; through KNX RF it can be successfully introduced into existing homes where preserving architecture and minimising disruption are equally important considerations.

The wireless infrastructure also creates greater flexibility for future changes. As the needs of the home evolve, controls and functions can be adapted and expanded without the limitations often associated with certain hardwired systems. For homeowners investing in long-term renovations, this future-proof approach offers reassurance that the technology can evolve alongside the way they live.

Lighting Control for Modern Family Life

Lighting plays a significant role within the home, both functionally and aesthetically. Given the emphasis on natural light and the open nature of the interiors, the lighting control strategy was developed to work in harmony with the architecture rather than compete with it.

The Gira KNX RF system enables intuitive control of lighting throughout the property, allowing different moods and scenes to be created depending on the time of day and how individual spaces are being used. Through integration with familiar smart home interfaces, lighting can be managed in a way that feels natural to everyday life, whether through dedicated control platforms such as the Gira app or connected home ecosystems such as Apple Home.

Whether preparing for the day, hosting friends or winding down in the evening, lighting can be adjusted effortlessly to suit the moment. The result is a home that feels responsive to the needs of the family while enhancing the atmosphere and character of each space.

Integrated with Apple Home

A key element of the project was the integration between the Gira KNX RF system and Apple Home, delivered by Carbon Integration.

While KNX RF provides the robust, professional-grade infrastructure behind the scenes, Apple Home offers a familiar and intuitive interface for everyday interaction. This allows the family to benefit from the reliability, flexibility and scalability of a KNX system while controlling their home through technology they already use on a daily basis.

Lighting can be controlled from mobile devices using the Apple Home app, whether at home or away, and through voice commands using Siri. The result is a seamless user experience that bridges the gap between advanced building control and the convenience expected from modern consumer technology.

By combining the power of KNX with a widely adopted smart home ecosystem, the project demonstrates how intelligent building technology can become more accessible and intuitive for homeowners. Sophisticated control is delivered through familiar platforms and switches, allowing the family to manage their home with ease and making smart home technology a natural part of daily life.

This combination of professional-grade infrastructure and user-friendly control perfectly reflects the wider philosophy of the project: advanced technology that enhances daily living without demanding attention.

Design-Led Control

Throughout the property, Gira switches were chosen in Matt Black with matching Esprit frames to complement the home’s contemporary design language and coordinate with the black detailing found throughout the interior.

The Matt Black finish was carefully selected to sit naturally within the wider material palette of the home. From the black iron staircase and kitchen detailing to the darker architectural accents used throughout the interiors, the finish creates a subtle visual connection between the technology and the surrounding design elements. Rather than appearing as standalone functional items, the switches become part of the overall interior composition, reinforcing the clean lines and minimalist aesthetic of the spaces.

Beyond the finish itself, the Esprit range offered an important design advantage. The large square frames, precise detailing and clean, uncluttered appearance reflect the contemporary design language of the home, echoing the strong lines, open spaces and carefully considered architectural elements found throughout the interior. Defined by a simplicity of design and a minimalistic aesthetic, the switches feel like a considered part of the architecture rather than standalone functional components.

Thanks to Gira’s modular approach, single- and double-gang switches maintain the same slim profile and visual appearance through the combination of the frame and insert design. Larger three- and four-gang configurations continue the same aesthetic, creating a consistent look across the entire property regardless of the number of functions required at each location. The result is a unified design language throughout the home, where every switch and control point shares the same clean geometry, refined profile and Matt Black finish. This consistency reinforces the architectural vision of the project while ensuring the technology integrates seamlessly into the wider interior scheme.