Meet Illusion, the futuristic company taking home automation to new heights.
The use of domotics, home automation, has grown at an unprecedented scale in recent years. Lighting, climate control, entertainment systems, appliances and security systems, all controlled from a smart device to create the perfect home environment and luxury living. The likes of Google Home, Apple Home Kit and Amazon Ìs Alexa have turned the once luxury of a smart home into a service accessible for any budget and requirements.
There is one company on the Costa del Sol that has been at the forefront of domotics since it was even a possibility. Illusion, the San Pedro based company that has been supplying homes in Marbella and beyond with custom home automation systems since 2006.
Atlas Group speaks to Victor Periañez, Director of Illusion to find out more about the company’s services and what the future holds for home automation.
Who is Illusion? Illusion is a custom home automation provider. Illusion creates a plethora of services to help clients live more comfortably, save energy and most importantly, save them time so that they can enjoy life in their perfect home. Lighting, audio and video, cinema and entertainment, domotics including home security and electric curtains are custom created for clients.
The company was one of the first on the scene in the area and remain ahead of the curve with their futuristic advancements in home automation. The company has grown to see the demand for home intelligence systems but while the team is large, they still offer exceptional customer service, working closely with clients to fulfil their needs and always over delivering on expectations.
How does the company work with clients? Victor and his team handle the full timeline of a project. At the start, the project manager will sit down with the client to discuss their lifestyle, their usage of the home and their habits. At the concept stage, this is vital and often this is even prior to an architect or developer being involved. A proposal is put together and then the wider team ensure that everything in place to deliver the project.
There are six designers who create the initial plans and a larger team of over 30 staff involved in the execution and logistics of a project. There is also a maintenance team who are in charge of the upkeep of the systems, long after they have been installed to ensure customer satisfaction lasts throughout their time living in the home.
Tell us about your typical clients? Victor explains; “When we work with Atlas Group, our typical clients are Russian, English, Scandinavian, Dutch and Belgian. These clients are looking for the whole package in home automation and entertainment.”
Home intelligence systems are hugely popular now. What is driving this? Clients are seeking more control of the home and more help, especially in the larger properties. Home automation allows you to control everything quickly and easily, often at just a couple of clicks and this is vital for clients as it allows them to live their life, have more free time and a higher comfort and standard of living.
Domotics take care of the home all year around which is also key for those who are not living in the property full time. You can be leaving another country on route to your home in Spain and be able to turn on the pool heaters, lift the window blinds and have the home at the perfect temperature, ready for you to step through the door. And this is where Illusion excel; finding out how they can save their client’s time by offering easy, no fuss solutions.
What was your last collaboration with Atlas Group and which services did you provide? Mirabella Hills, a luxury and spectacular development of villas in Benahavís. Victor explains; “Illusion created the lighting, the blinds, the speaker systems and the home controls.”
Another project, a family home in La Zagaleta, involved lighting the inside and out, and a luxury cinema room fitted with bespoke chairs and an audio/visual system to create the ultimate viewing experience.
What are the trends in domotics? Victor explains, “An ever more personal service. In the past, large homes would require a whole team of staff to run the home but now, home automation allows the homeowner to have full control and usually from their own mobile phone, saving money and creating a home perfectly tailored to the homeowner.”
Energy saving is also a hot topic and demand for lowering costs and finding a more sustainable way of running a home is now key for many homeowners. Eco friendly systems to limit water use when watering big gardens, solar heating...these areas have grown in leaps and bounds.
There has also be a rise in people seeking high quality yet original products when it comes to lighting and audio/visual products.
What is the future of home automation? In the next few years, Victor believes that home automation will be the standard system in every home. Voice control will boom and users will have more control than ever. Thanks to the intelligence behind Google and Amazon, voice control and home automation will be accessible for any budget and any requirement.