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Room-by-room renovation

Take your home from functional to fabulous with tips from an electric design expert

Whether you’re renovating a room or have big plans for your entire home, there are so many layers to consider. One key layer often overlooked is electrical. However, with expert guidance, your electrical system can go from functional to fabulous, enhancing your home’s style and performance in ways you may never have imagined.

As Robert Knight, Residential Electric Design Consultant at PDL by Schneider Electric, explains, “Electrical is one of those layers and with thoughtful planning it can go from functional to actually enhancing your home’s style and performance.” From creating an unforgettable first impression with sensor lighting on the path to the front door to using LED strip lights to highlight a feature wall or artwork, the right electrical plan can truly transform your space.

When it comes to the hub of your home, it’s essential to have “power points in all the right places,” according to which appliances you will be wanting to use, or have sitting on the benchtop, at any given time, advises Robert.

Lighting is another vital ingredient. “Add task lighting above a benchtop, or perhaps a motion sensor in your pantry, which turns the light on automatically when hands are full.” Plus, don’t ruin your new kitchen with outdated switches and power points. “There are many great options available, like the PDL Iconic and SaturnTM”, he adds.

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Kitchen: Bedrooms:

Your place to recharge. Use dimmers for instant ambience, and link heat pumps to a Wiser Temperature/ Humidity Sensor to stay comfortable all night. Also consider dimmers for children’s rooms to easily shift from play to bedtime, and add data points with cabled internet for homework and streaming as they grow older.

A few clever additions make a huge difference here. Such as a Wiser Temperature/Humidity Sensor to trigger the extractor fan and a motion sensor to activate dimmed night lighting. And with Wiser Connected Power Points, you can save energy and keep your family safe by setting timers and remotely controlling power usage via your phone.

Bathroom: Living and dining areas:

Start with key questions here: Where will your dining table, couch and TV go? These answers will guide the power points you need. Add dimmers for movie nights or dinner parties and use WiserTM Connected Power Points to control heat pumps from your smart phone.

Plus, good quality cabling is a musthave for data-hungry households. “The data demand in homes is higher than ever,” points out Robert. “A WiFi network can only handle 3-4 high definition streams, whereas with cabled internet the number is closer to 25 connections all at once.”

Garage and outdoor:

With plenty of power points both inside and out, Robert suggests the robust, dust proof, water resistant Iconic Outdoor range.

Take into account your future needs too and consider “installing an EV charger or pre-wire for one.” Lastly, help protect your home and valuables by talking to your electrician about the right circuit protection for your home.

For more inspiration and room-by-room tips visit pdl.co.nz/homebodies

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2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281621014717931

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