Well-planned home automation goes unnoticed. There are no screens on every wall and no gadgets to explain to guests: the lighting shifts with the hour, the blinds respond to the orientation of the façade and the house is ready by the time you arrive. At ETNA STUDIO we design the smart home in Barcelona as part of the interior architecture, not as something fitted at the end.
Home automation designed into the project
The right moment to decide on home automation is at design stage. When it is considered alongside the layout, the cabling runs where it should, the switches align with the joinery and the electrical board is resolved without surprises. That is why it forms part of our apartment renovation and interior design work: one team coordinates architecture, services and systems.
It is also possible to add automation to a home that has already been renovated, or to an older apartment. It takes more care, but simpler, well-chosen solutions often make it feasible. We assess each home individually.
KNX, Gira and My Home Bticino: the system is chosen for your home
No single system suits every home. We work with the standards and manufacturers that best answer each brief.
KNX: the standard for a fully designed home
KNX is an open, established protocol that lets lighting, heating and cooling, blinds, access and cameras live within one installation. It is the soundest choice when a home is designed or renovated from scratch, because it does not tie you to one manufacturer and can grow over the years. We pair it with Gira switches and interfaces, whose design sits comfortably within restrained interiors.
My Home Bticino and Simon IO: alternatives for each home
When the home is smaller or the scope of works is more limited, we integrate My Home Bticino or Simon IO, which allow automation with a simpler, more tailored installation. We choose between them and KNX according to the size of the house, the works planned and what you wish to control.
What home automation can do for you
Lighting is the first real benefit: scenes for dining, working or unwinding, with designer lamps such as Taraxacum, Parentesi or Tizio brought under one control without losing their character. Beyond that, heating and cooling follow schedules and presence, motorised blinds work with natural light, and access, cameras and irrigation are managed from your phone or a discreet panel.
Audiovisuals: cinema and sound built into the architecture
A good audiovisual system is also decided at design stage. The screen or projector, surround sound and multiroom audio are built into the architecture, so that the living room or a dedicated room works as a cinema without filling up with cables and equipment. We did exactly that in the flat in Carrer dels Valero, with a 4K projector, a cinema screen concealed in the ceiling and recessed multi-zone audio.
To choose the right system for each space we work in collaboration with the audiophile space Audio Reference.
Smart home in real projects
Every home asks for a different system. The Pedralbes flat is resolved with KNX from Hager; in the Plaza Tetuán penthouse we worked with My Home from Bticino; and in the single-family home in Sant Cugat we combined KNX with Gira switches. You can see these and other works on our projects page.
How we work
We begin by understanding how you live: which routines you want to simplify and which you prefer to keep by hand. From there we define the right system, coordinate it with the other services during the works and programme it with you at the end, with scenes tailored to your day. The home is handed over ready to live in, with a simple explanation of how everything works.
Smart home FAQ
What is KNX home automation and why choose it for a renovation?
KNX is an open protocol that connects lighting, climate control, blinds and access in a single installation. It suits a full renovation because the cabling is planned alongside the works, it is not tied to one brand, and it can be extended over time without starting again.
Can a smart home system be installed in an older Barcelona apartment?
Yes. If the home is being fully renovated, it can be wired with KNX just as in a new build. Where the scope of works is smaller, systems such as My Home Bticino or Simon IO allow a simpler installation. We assess each apartment to recommend the least invasive route.
What is the difference between KNX and other smart home systems?
KNX is an open standard designed for complete, expandable projects and is not tied to a single manufacturer. My Home Bticino and Simon IO are manufacturer systems, simpler to install in smaller homes or where fewer works are planned. The right choice depends on the size of the house and what you wish to control.
How much does a smart home installation cost?
It depends on the size of the home, the system chosen and how many functions you want to automate, so we do not quote generic figures. Once we know your home and your priorities we prepare a specific proposal, within the overall project budget.
Tell us about your home
If you are planning a renovation, or would like your home to run more simply, let us talk. Get in touch with a few lines about your home and we will tell you how we would approach it.