Man cave smart home: A bold, futuristic vision in black
- OnSmart Living
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
This is by far one of our biggest smart home projects to date, a 5 room BTO designed with over 100 smart devices, 32 custom automation scenes, and a fully integrated lighting system tailored to match a sleek black-metal aesthetic.
Back in June 2024, when we first met Raj, he shared a crystal-clear vision for his new home:
"I want it to feel futuristic, clean lines, black tones, and lighting that feels like it belongs in a sci-fi movie."
He was open to our lighting design ideas and excited to collaborate, giving us the creative freedom to push boundaries while aligning everything with his minimalist and modern taste.
Choosing the right smart home ecosystem: Aqara + Apple HomeKit
Since Raj is an iPhone user, we recommended building his smart home on the Aqara system, which integrates natively with Apple HomeKit. This allows for:
Full voice control via Siri
Easy automation setup in the HomeKit app
Local processing for faster response and better privacy
The home is powered by a suite of Aqara devices, some highlights include:
Aqara smart panels for intuitive scene control
Presence and motion sensors throughout the house to trigger lights on and off
Smart curtain for hands-free daylight control
Water leak sensor, placed under air-con units for peace of mind
Lighting design & planning: Dynamic, immersive, and tailored
All lights are integrated into the Aqara ecosystem, allowing scenes to automatically trigger based on time of day, presence detection, or a tap on the smart panel.
Lighting Design & Planning: Dynamic, immersive, and tailored
To bring his vision to life, we started with a full lighting and switch planning phase, complete with floor plan modeling and 3D renderings so Raj could visualize how everything would come together.
We used a mix of scene lighting, accent lighting for his car collection, and motion-triggered automation to complement the black-themed interior and highlight architectural features in every room.
Because the home featured numerous lighting zones, we had to work closely with both the smart home engineer and electrician. Wiring had to be done with absolute precision, every lighting point had to be mapped, and every switch configured for flexibility and control.
Stable, seamless connectivity
With 100+ smart devices in place, including smart switches, motion sensors, door locks, curtain motors, voice assistants, and more, a strong and stable network infrastructure was absolutely critical.
From the beginning, we designed the network with future scalability in mind:
Dedicated Wi-Fi mesh zones
Optimized BLE Mesh gateway placement
Isolated smart home subnet for low-latency communication
This ensures that every automation runs smoothly and without lag even when multiple scenes trigger at once.
32 smart scenes for everyday convenience
We created 32 unique automation scenes to reflect Raj’s daily routines and lifestyle. Some highlights include:
Movie time: Lights dim, curtains close, air con and TV turn on
Work mode: Desk lighting activates, ambient lights cool to 5000K
Goodnight: All lights and electronics off, except hallway motion lights at 10% brightness
Every detail is tuned to make daily life seamless — all controlled by voice, Homekit app, or smart panel.
A smart home that reflects personal style
What truly sets this project apart isn’t just the number of devices or the tech, it’s the way the smart system was designed to complement Raj’s personal aesthetic and lifestyle.
From the moment you enter, the lighting feels intentional, elegant, and futuristic, perfectly aligned with the home’s black-themed interior.
Whether you’re dreaming of your own smart man cave or just starting to explore what’s possible with smart home design, this project shows how technology and design can come together to create something truly extraordinary.
Interested in designing your own smart home with us? Reach out for a consultation.
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