
Designing a Smart Home From the Ground Up in Orange County, CA
Published 12/26/2025
Designing a luxury residence in Orange County, CA offers an incredible opportunity — not only to create a beautiful home but to make it intelligent, efficient, and effortless to live in. From the rolling coastal hills of Newport Coast to the oceanfront estates of Laguna Beach and the refined neighborhoods of Corona del Mar, the most exclusive homes today are built with smart automation systems woven into their architecture from the very beginning.
At Oasis Smart Homes, we partner with homeowners, builders, and architects to design smart home systems that integrate lighting, shades, climate, entertainment, and security into one seamless experience. Whether you’re breaking ground on a new home or developing a custom estate, early planning ensures your technology is both invisible and indispensable.
The Advantage of Starting Smart
A true smart home begins at the blueprint stage. By planning your automation, lighting, audio, and infrastructure early, you ensure that technology complements the home’s architecture rather than disrupting it.
Benefits of early smart home design include:
- Clean, minimal aesthetics with fewer visible switches and devices
- Wired infrastructure ready for advanced systems and future upgrades
- Centralized control for lighting, audio, and environmental systems
- Energy efficiency and sustainability through automated controls
- Perfect integration between the builder, designer, and technology team
When automation is designed alongside lighting and power, every system functions in harmony — creating a home that feels intuitive and refined from day one.
Step 1: Collaborate Early With Your Smart Home Designer
Your technology design partner should be brought in during the architectural and electrical planning phase — ideally before permits are finalized. Oasis collaborates directly with builders, electricians, and interior designers to coordinate system wiring, fixture placement, and control locations.
Our process includes:
- Reviewing architectural plans for lighting, audio, and network design
- Coordinating fixture and keypad locations with the interior design vision
- Specifying conduit and low-voltage pathways for structured wiring
- Planning for centralized equipment racks and ventilation
- Providing complete engineering documentation for the builder team
This early collaboration saves time, minimizes construction changes, and ensures a perfectly executed result.
Step 2: Choose Your Smart Home Platform
Selecting the right control ecosystem is critical to long-term satisfaction and reliability. Oasis works with the industry’s most trusted platforms, including Savant, Lutron HomeWorks, Control4, and Crestron, tailoring each system to the scale and lifestyle of the home.
Each platform offers unique advantages:
- Savant: Elegant interface, adaptive lighting, and scene-based control
- Lutron HomeWorks: Gold standard for lighting and shading performance
- Control4: Reliable, scalable automation for larger properties
- Crestron: Customizable integration for complex estates
Once the platform is chosen, all subsequent design decisions — from lighting keypads to audio distribution — are aligned for seamless control.
Step 3: Design for Lighting and Shades Together
Lighting and shading define the mood and comfort of your home. Oasis designs integrated Lutron or Savant lighting systems paired with motorized shades that respond automatically to time of day and natural light.
Benefits include:
- Scene-based lighting control for entertaining, relaxing, or working
- Daylight harvesting to reduce energy use and glare
- UV protection for furnishings, flooring, and artwork
- Automated schedules that adapt to your lifestyle and the coastal environment
These systems are designed not just for performance but for aesthetics — using architectural keypads, discreet shade hardware, and designer fabrics that complement Orange County’s coastal modern style.
Step 4: Engineer Your Audio, Video, and Network Infrastructure
Behind every effortless home experience is a powerful foundation. Oasis designs and installs enterprise-grade networks, whole-home audio, and dedicated media systems that deliver consistent performance throughout the property.
Our infrastructure design includes:
- Wired and wireless networking for reliability and security
- Architectural and outdoor speakers for seamless sound
- Dedicated equipment racks for organization and thermal management
- AV distribution for centralized control of streaming and media devices
Whether you’re entertaining poolside in Corona del Mar or relaxing in your home theater, every system is optimized for clarity, control, and connection.
Step 5: Integrate Comfort, Security, and Sustainability
A luxury smart home should provide both peace of mind and efficiency. Oasis integrates climate, access control, and surveillance systems into your automation platform — ensuring safety, comfort, and convenience at all times.
Our integrated systems include:
- Smart thermostats that adjust automatically for comfort and energy savings
- Access control and smart locks for family and guest management
- 4K surveillance cameras with secure remote viewing
- Automated exterior lighting for visibility and security
Combined with intelligent energy management and shade automation, these features make your home not just smarter — but more sustainable.
Step 6: Plan for the Future
Technology evolves quickly, but your smart home should always feel timeless. Oasis builds every system with scalability and longevity in mind, allowing for future additions like EV charging integration, solar management, or expanded outdoor automation.
With proactive support, firmware updates, and 24/7 private client care, your smart home remains optimized, secure, and current for years to come.
Why Orange County Homeowners Choose Oasis Smart Homes
- Over 30 years of expertise in lighting, automation, and AV system design
- Certified partnerships with Savant, Lutron, Control4, Crestron, and Josh.ai
- Local design and service studio serving Newport Coast, Laguna Beach, and Corona del Mar
- In-house electrical, lighting, and automation teams for seamless coordination
- White-glove installation and 24/7 client support for lasting peace of mind
We bring together engineering, artistry, and reliability — crafting homes that feel effortlessly intelligent and perfectly in sync with your lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When should I involve a smart home professional in my new build?
Ideally, at the same time you engage your architect or interior designer. Early collaboration ensures every system — from wiring to lighting layouts — is planned and integrated beautifully.
Q: What’s included in a full smart home design plan?
Oasis provides detailed engineering documents covering lighting zones, shade placement, AV wiring, and networking infrastructure, all coordinated with your builder’s plans.
Q: Can my smart home system be expanded later?
Yes. Our systems are modular and scalable, allowing you to add new rooms, outdoor areas, or technologies over time without disruption.
Build Smart. Live Effortlessly.
Designing a smart home from the ground up is your opportunity to create a space that feels calm, connected, and completely your own. With Oasis Smart Homes, every element — lighting, audio, comfort, and control — is engineered with precision and care to bring effortless living to life.
Call our Scottsdale studio at (480) 907-7095 or our Orange County studio at (949) 210-9440 to schedule your private smart home consultation!
