Nestled in the picturesque landscape of the Hudson Valley sits Klocke Estate, a soil-to-glass brandy distillery that features a bar, restaurant, lounges, and stills imported from the Cognac region of France. Envisioned by world-renowned designer Ken Fulk, Klocke Estate boasts expansive interiors that exude sophistication and charm. Our team, TSP Smart Spaces, was invited to collaborate on this project to elevate the already exceptional venue through state-of-the-art smart technology integration. Our goal was to enhance the guest experience throughout the space through AV, motorized window treatments, and lighting control.
Illuminating beauty: Ketra lighting in the distillery
At the heart of Klocke Estate lies the distillery. Here, apple and grape brandies are lovingly crafted using one of only a dozen stills from the Cognac region of France. These rare stills are truly a sight to behold, and guests can admire them during estate tours. To showcase these magnificent stills in their full glory, we installed Ketra lighting throughout the distillery. These lights, often found in prestigious museums and art galleries worldwide, allowed for a range of personalized lighting that illuminated the stills, with every detail and nuance perfectly highlighted.
Harmonizing design and technology through Lutron HomeWorks
In the restaurant and bar area, guests are greeted by breathtaking views of the Catskill Mountains, Hudson Valley, and the estate’s own vineyards and orchards. Ken Fulk’s design here beautifully marries the culture of the Hudson Valley with subtle French accents.
While TSP Smart Spaces took charge of the lighting control aspects, it’s important to note that all the fixtures in the interior of the building were meticulously specified and designed by renowned designer Ken Fulk and his talented team. The diversity of fixtures, bulbs, and lighting types in such an elaborate space often poses a significant challenge when it comes to integration. However, thanks to the versatility of Lutron HomeWorks and its remarkable compatibility with virtually any light fixture on the market, we were able to bring the entire lighting scheme under one cohesive and intuitive control system. This seamless integration extends beyond just the lights, partnering perfectly with the shade control for a unified smart home experience.
Mastering natural light: Lutron Sivoia shades
Managing window treatments in large residential or commercial properties presents a unique set of challenges, particularly when manually raising and lowering shades. This challenge is exemplified at Klocke Estate, where the picturesque setting sun, while beautiful, can create a blinding glare for visitors and diners in the restaurant. To address this issue, we turned to Lutron and its advanced programming capabilities for shade control, which proved to be the perfect solution for this sophisticated space.
In our comprehensive approach, we outfitted every window in the estate with Lutron Sivoia shades. These high-quality shades offer smooth, quiet operation and precise control. A standout feature is the impressive 15-foot tall shade installed in the back of the dining room, showcasing the system’s versatility in handling even the most expansive windows.
The true magic of the Lutron system lies in its intelligent programming. Through careful analysis and testing, we determined the exact time before sunset when the sun’s angle begins to present a glare to diners. This information was then used to program the shades to gradually close in perfect synchronization with the setting sun. This nuanced approach ensures that guests can enjoy the spectacular sunset views without being disturbed by glare, maintaining an optimal and enjoyable dining experience throughout the evening.
Invisible audio: Sonance speakers for discreet sound
One of the most significant challenges in projects of this caliber is working alongside designers who have a very specific design narrative and aesthetic vision. As technology integrators, our role is to install necessary systems in a way that doesn’t detract from or compete with the meticulously designed space. This is where our partnership with Sonance proved invaluable. By utilizing their state-of-the-art invisible speaker options, we integrated a distributed audio system throughout the estate that delivers high-quality sound without any visible impact on the carefully curated interior design.
A seamless luxury experience
TSP Smart Spaces is proud to have contributed to bringing this remarkable vision to life. The seamless smart technology integration—from intelligent shades to app-controlled lighting and dynamic illumination—creates a luxury experience for everyone who visits the space. The Klocke Estate project stands as a testament to how smart technology solutions can elevate a space, combining functionality with unparalleled elegance.