Planning ahead for new house - where to start?

FrankGrimes

Thanks bk, if I could find multi-button switches that are effectively just simple pish buttons sending a scene selection instruction to the SmartThings/Hue hub, I would just cut to the chase and use Hue bulbs everywhere and that would be perfect. I.e the switch has no direct relationship to the lighting circuit, it is effectively a remote stuck on a wall. Really want nice looking switches and as yet haven’t seen any that do this, all the zwave switches I’ve seen have lighting dimmer/relay modules built in.

Looks like Comfort may get the Velbus connectivity sorted, so it may become an option again but if I found an elegant switch/remote solution, I would probably go with Hue at this point. In that scenario I would wire to the switch including neutral but secure them in place behind the wall, take a photo of location (with tape measure beside it for accuracy), and then plaster over it so no need for faceplate, would open it up to add a wall switch back box later if needed.

bk

Well there are a bunch of z-wave switches like that on this page you can check out:

http://www.vesternet.com/smart-home/lighting/switches-dimmers

It includes some battery operated switches that you jsut stick on the wall and also some of the other switches which are powered, but don't have to actually control the light circuit directly, they just use the power so you don't need to change batteries and are otherwise wireless and just control scenes.

LightwaveRF might be another system worth considering.

Another option would be Z-wave modules behind some nice momentary switches. You could use them in-conjunction with Hue if you wanted.

AidenL

Shane732 wrote: »

Has anyone looked at Control4? I've often thought about having it installed, it's reasonably scale-able and integrates mainstream solutions like Hue, Sonos etc...

Steer clear, its awful.

I have it installed, three years later, cant get it working, its atrocious.