In episode 4 of Genius Home, our hosts Ariana Escalante and Caleb Denison showcase a modern, calming villa in the hills of Malibu, California. The villa’s cascading grounds seamlessly incorporate the area’s hills and perfectly house the home’s three livable spaces. Of course, the home also has plenty of technology, but you won’t see it in plain view.
Light is a big theme in this house. Whether it’s natural light streaming through the windows, or artificial light beaming down from bulbs, all of the home’s illumination is controlled via a powerful Lutron lighting system. Residents can manage everything through a wall-mounted iPad, a smartphone app, or even via voice commands. But most of the time, the lights and shades can just run themselves. They’re programmed to come on automatically when the sun sets and stops beaming light in through the home’s luxurious floor-to-ceiling window panels.
After sundown, you can head down to the home’s decked-out entertainment room. But you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled. If you don’t look closely, you might not notice that the big painting on the wall is actually a Samsung QLED smart TV. The display is paired to stereo speakers that are hiding in the ceiling. In fact, all of the rooms here have hidden speakers – all of which can be controlled via the home’s central entertainment system, naturally.
If you can pull yourself away from that entrancing entertainment room, the house also offers a broad range of outdoor activities. Wander out into the property’s backyard and you’ll find a full-sized tennis court, a spacious lawn, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Who needs a TV when you have such a killer vista to stare at?
And that’s not all either. Continue down the backyard hills and you’ll find even more living space in the form of a fully renovated 1950s Airstream. It has access to the main homes’ entertainment, sounds, and security systems. You’ll find a bedroom, kitchen, and sitting area all inside – and it isn’t the least bit cramped.
But don’t stop there. Stay on the path that leads away from the Airstream and you’ll eventually find yet another extension of the house: A full-blown wellness studio. The wood-paneled studio keeps the environment warm and inviting, while a smart glass window system allows you to turn panels from transparent to completely opaque at the touch of a button. As a result, this studio keeps privacy and focus at the center while remaining connected.
All things considered, this 50,000-square-foot midcentury villa is an exercise in balance. It’s absolutely stuffed with smart home tech, yet still provides a calm and relaxed atmosphere. Its owners show that you can have a tech-filled home and still be able to unplug from your hectic lifestyle.
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