Next Gen Smart Homes Showroom
We are very proud to let you know that Next Gen Smart Homes have opened their brand new certified Loxone Showroom in Milton Keynes, on the 1st September 2022, in which potential clients are able to see Loxone in action in a physical space. To discover more about the showroom and what inspired this move for the company, we caught up with Aaron and Matthew, Co-Founders and Directors of Next Gen Smart Homes. Here’s what they had to say:
1. Could you start by telling us about your background and what led you to become interested in home automation?
We have both worked in the IT and electrical industries for a number of years, and both have successful businesses in our respective industries. After working on a number of jobs together, we recognised that there was an almost constant crossover where our businesses were supporting one another on home automation requests – big and small.
We started to get an increasing number of home automation jobs from clients, so with our experience in hand, we decided to form a dedicated entity to offer a market leading solution, dedicated showroom and underpinning skillset from our staff bases.
2. How long has Next Gen Smart Homes been operating for?
We’re new! We officially opened in August 2022 but are quickly growing and expanding the team. There are a lot of big projects on the horizon and it’s an exciting time for the company.
3. Who makes up the Next Gen Smart Homes team?
We’re a small, close-knit team that comprises of our two directors, Aaron and Matthew, three smart home engineers and our resident office sausage dogs, Hugo and Stanley, who you can often see trotting around the office to keep everything in check.
4. What made you decide to become a Loxone Partner?Â
This wasn’t a snapshot decision.
We spent two years methodically reviewing the smart home market, the technologies available, product R&D, security and product dependencies – Loxone was the obvious choice for us.
The regular release of new products that keeps Loxone at the forefront of the smart home market, paired with the endless integration opportunities with third party products and no cloud or internet dependency were some of the numerous key points that made Loxone the right company for us to partner with.
5. What led you to decide to build a Loxone Showroom?
Our director Matthew’s existing electrical business was already a Loxone Partner and had undertaken a number of installations for clients and was able to sell the solution ‘on paper’.
But, we knew that giving the client the option to experience a Loxone set-up first-hand was important.
The showroom allows us to take clients through a day in the life of a Loxone-enabled smart home and gives them the chance to experience the true benefits of living in an innovative space.
6. What is your favourite feature within your showroom?Â
That’s difficult!
It’s hard to name a single feature as there are too many that stand out for both us and our clients who have visited the showroom to date. But if we had to highlight a few…
Loxone Touch Surface – the touch surface in the granite of the island within the kitchen brings a unique twist on home controls with intuitive placement allowing the room to be controlled whilst cooking.
Loxone Touch switches – with every switch incorporating temperature and humidity readings. The whole showroom has thermostats in every room without the need for ugly or additional devices on the walls and energy efficient multi-zone heating is an easy addition to a building with minimal additional cost – particularly important in the current times.
7. What exactly does this showroom offer?
A chance to fully experience what it would be like to live in a Loxone smart home with access to all of the cutting edge and most innovative devices and technologies that have been specifically designed to make our lives easier.
A fully immersive experience in the environment of a Loxone smart home with devices and technologies that include: a full range of lighting options; door access control, including intercom; Home Connect appliance integration; shading; climate control, including HVAC integration; touch controls; intruder alarm; weather monitoring; assisted living; irrigation and lots more.
8. What are the go-to home automation features customers ask for?
The most common feature that’s asked for is lighting, both control and automation – though this quickly expands when customers visit the showroom and understand how the switches also take the role of thermostats!
So, while there is always a go-to set of features our customers ask for, these features quickly end up complementing other functionalities which are easy to set up through a layered approach of components.
9. How have your customers benefited from your Loxone showroom?Â
It has given them the chance to fully immerse themselves in a realistic living environment, with tangible comparisons back to their current day-to-day living.
Customers get to experience the functionality first-hand and can walk through scenarios of their everyday life. It’s a relatable experience that allows them to understand the full scope of a true smart home solution.
10. In your opinion, where will the smart home industry be, in the UK, in 2025?
Smart homes will become the norm over the next few years, with a greater recognition that a smart home is more than just a technological fad. As the UK continues to fight the battle for carbon neutrality, smart homes will be at the forefront of end consumer solutions.
As more people realise that smart homes are more than just something that is ‘cool to have’, the opportunities really are endless.
It’s those opportunities and the unique implementations to achieve each customer’s goals that are really exciting.
The smart home industry is the vanguard of technological innovation. And, as that innovation continues to develop new ideas, who knows what a smart home will be capable of in 10 years’ time.
One thing is for certain, all the team at Next Gen Smart Homes are excited for what the future holds for the industry and our showroom will continue to evolve with all the latest innovation as we go on this journey.
The entire Loxone UK team would like to congratulate Aaron and Matthew, and everyone at Next Gen Smart Homes, not forgetting resident sausage dogs Hugo and Stanley, on this amazing achievement. It’s a pleasure to be represented by such an exciting, forward thinking, professional team in the smart home installation industry and we look forward to seeing the impact this showspace has on the future of the business.