Designing a high-end home to disguise all its technologies of convenience can be a challenge. Every effort was made to guarantee that the technology in this home would perform without visually intruding on the daily life of its owners.

Every aspect of living in this home involves some use of technology whether it’s creating different lighting scenes, opening or closing drapes or simply watching TV. John Cioe, general partner of Lusso Homes of Distinction in Scottsdale, Ariz., was designer, builder and homeowner on this project. He drew the initial design, worked with a draftsman who created the plans, and built it through his company.

The integration of technology started at the very beginning of the design/build process as Cioe split his time living in Scottsdale and Rhode Island. “I was commuting back and forth. We truly utilized technology even with how we built it — through the use of online journals, photos and e-mail correspondence,” Cioe says. He received daily photo updates on its progress.

This home served as a dry run for Lusso Homes, which had never built a home of this caliber before. The process of designing and building this house served as a try-out for both the interior designer as well as the team to guarantee that they could meet the level of quality for this type of house, Cioe says. This house, which Cioe lives in, now stands as a model for prospective clients.

Let There be Light

Experiencing the hidden technology begins as soon as the homeowner walks in the door. One of Cioe’s pet peeves is gangs of light switches in the front entry of a high-end home. “There are no light switches at the front door; they are controlled by keypads, motion sensors and/or four button switches,” Cioe says. “As you walk around this house, you don’t see any banks of switches.”

The master bathroom is one area where light sensors were installed. When someone wakes up in the middle of the night, the lights will go on but not at 100 percent. This room also has a volume control system that accesses the DVD and CD libraries and tuners on a rack which can be found in the study. “Technology for me goes beyond just wires, so we also have a coffee system with a built-in refrigerator in the master bath. The tub is a whirlpool that includes spa therapy with bubbles and [chromatherapy]. The shower utilizes eight rain tiles and steam so it is also an enclosed steam room,” Cioe adds.