Great technology only feels right when it sits in a beautifully designed home. That is why we work closely with Celene Collins, one of Cork's most respected interior designers, on projects across the county.
If you are looking for an interior designer in Cork for a new build or a renovation, this is who Celene is, how our two businesses fit together, and what to settle between designer and installer before the walls close.
Who is Celene Collins?
Celene leads a luxury Irish interior design studio with over 25 years of experience. Her work covers private homes, renovations, hotels, restaurants and offices. Her studio is based at The Fifth Quarter on Paul Street in Cork City, with a second office in West Cork. She has been featured in The Irish Times and Ireland's Homes Interiors.
Alongside full residential and commercial design, her website lists 3D visualisation, interior fit out for developers and one to one design clinics.
Why design and technology belong together
The best smart homes are planned from the start. When lighting, audio, control and cabling are thought through alongside the interiors, nothing looks bolted on afterwards. Celene works hand in hand with architects, engineers and builders, and her 3D visualisation lets clients see the finished room before work begins. We bring the technology side: lighting control, multi room audio, home cinema and automation, all designed to disappear into the room.
Planned together, the decisions that usually cause trouble stay small. The designer decides where the light should fall and how each room should feel; we make sure the circuits, dimming and keypads behind it can deliver that. The designer decides where a screen and speakers can sit without spoiling the room; we make sure the power, cables and signal are there before the plaster goes on.
What an interior designer and a technology installer each decide
The two roles overlap, which is why it pays to talk early. A rough split looks like this:
| Part of the home | The interior designer leads on | We lead on |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Where the light falls, the fittings and the mood of each room | Circuits, dimming, scenes and the cabling behind them |
| Audio | Where speakers can sit without spoiling the design | Speaker type and layout for even sound, and where the amplifiers live |
| TV and screens | Where the screen goes and how it is framed or hidden | Mounting, power, cable routes and signal |
| Keypads and touch screens | The finish and the position that suits the room | What each button does and the wiring behind it |
| Curtains and blinds | Fabrics, tracks and how they hang | Motors, power and control |
| Joinery and cupboards | Layout and finishes | Space, ventilation and cabling for any equipment inside |
What to settle before the walls close
Most of the expensive surprises in a smart home come from a decision that was made after the walls were closed. These are the ones worth putting on the drawings first:
- Lighting circuits and keypad positions, drawn on the same plan as the fittings. Our lighting design guide explains the decisions in more detail.
- Screen positions, with power and a cable route behind each one, so nothing trails down the wall.
- Speaker positions on the ceiling plan, lined up with light fittings and vents so the ceiling stays tidy.
- Curtain and blind positions, with power at each track or pocket if you want motorised blinds and curtains.
- A cupboard or plant room for the equipment, with ventilation and a route for the cables.
- Wi-Fi access point positions, so they sit in ceilings and not on shelves. Building your own home? Our free Wi-Fi design offer marks them on your plans for you.
Our first fix wiring guide covers the cabling for a new build, and our survey and design service turns all of it into drawings that you, your architect and your designer can review together.
Choosing an interior designer in Cork for a smart home project
Whoever you choose, a few questions are worth asking at the first meeting. Are they happy to work with a technology installer from the concept stage, or do they expect the wiring to be fitted around a finished design? Do their drawings show lighting circuits, speaker positions and screen locations, or only the fittings? And who coordinates between the designer, the architect, the builder and the installer when something has to move?
For a new build, the answers matter most before first fix starts. For a renovation, they matter before the ceilings are opened. In both cases it is far cheaper to move a speaker or a keypad on a drawing than in a finished wall.
The result
A home that looks exceptional and works effortlessly, with no visible clutter and no compromises on either side.
Questions we are often asked
Do I need an interior designer to have a smart home?
No. Plenty of smart homes are planned by the homeowner with an architect and an installer. A designer helps most when you want every room to feel considered, because the keypads, speakers and screens are then chosen to suit the room and not simply placed where the cable happens to arrive.
When should the technology installer join the project?
For a new build, at concept design, and no later than before first fix. For a renovation, before the ceilings and walls are opened. Early means the lighting plan, the speaker positions and the equipment cupboard are drawn once, with everyone's input, instead of being adjusted on site.
Can you work with my own designer or architect?
Yes. We work alongside designers, architects, engineers and builders, and we share our drawings with all of them so that everyone reviews the same information. If you do not have a designer yet and are planning a new build or renovation in Cork, we are happy to introduce you to Celene.
Will the technology be visible in the finished room?
As little as possible. Ceiling and wall speakers sit flush, the equipment lives in a cupboard or plant room, and one keypad with engraved buttons replaces a bank of switches. A keypad or a TV will always be seen, so we agree its finish and position with the designer to suit the room.
What do you install in Cork homes?
Lighting control, multi room audio, home cinema, motorised blinds and curtains, Wi-Fi and networking, and whole home control, with systems from Crestron, Control4, Lutron and Rako. Our Cork page shows what we install and where we work in the county.
If you are planning a new build or renovation in Cork, we are happy to introduce you. You can see Celene's portfolio at celenecollins.com, or get in touch with 1Install to talk through the technology side of your project.
Book a consultation or call Dublin on 01 906 9326 or Cork on 021 202 8107.
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