[ Spotlight: Wiring accessories ]
finishes are visible, while black nickel is one of the more recent additions to a number of manufacturers’ ranges. Manufacturers are also offering bespoke services – like MK Electric’s colour match offering, which can match the colour of a customer’s wiring accessory with other furnishings or materials in the home. Asked what is proving most popular in terms of
style, Legrand’s Caroline Boden responds: ‘Brushed steel and polished chrome continue to be popular, while stylish slim profile plates without visible screws, such as those in our Synergy Modern range, are in great demand.’
Building blocks Decorative wiring accessories are also being widely used by housebuilders and developers as a way to add value – both real and perceived – to properties, and help create more sales. This trend is something that Steve Matner, UK
residential key account handler for Hager, recognises and welcomes. He explains: ‘From the housebuilder’s point of view, the added value and aesthetics of decorative wiring accessories are a big draw, but at not too great an additional cost when put in the context of the price of a house. In kitchens, a decorative plate is often specified as standard – our most popular finish is brushed steel, which matches the white goods and products.’ David Richards, category marketing manager at Schneider Electric agrees, and adds: ‘These products can be used not just to improve the look and feel of a building, but also its performance. As the cost of these items is fairly low on a project basis, wiring accessories offer a cost effective solution for many types and sizes of building.’
Horses for courses
Hamilton Litestat recently supplied a varied selection of switch plates and sockets to renowned horse trainer Paul Nicholls’ new house in Ditcheat, Somerset. Nicholls’ new residence is a luxury 5,500ft2
new build comprising 23
rooms, all of which have been built and finished to his specification. The interiors are elegant and classically styled, with contemporary touches to bring them right into the 21st century. Electric lighting has also been used to best effect, with an
impressive chandelier installed above the main curved staircase. To complete the stylish interior, 90 sockets and 70 switches were specified from a number of Hamilton ranges, including the crystal clear Perception CFX and the traditional Cheriton, in polished brass and chrome. Hamilton’s expert team was also commissioned to design and manufacture bespoke data plates for the building’s audiovisual system. Oliver Boon, branch manager for Devondale Electrical Distributors, which supplied the products, comments: ‘Hamilton was chosen to provide the accessories because there were lots of bespoke plates required and we were confident that no one could do the job better both in terms of value for money, high quality and turnaround time.’
The ME by Melia Hotel in London’s Covent Garden
The growth in smart home technology has also popularised decorative accessories
Cost effective Not surprisingly, decorative accessories cost more to buy and are generally three times more expensive than white plastic versions. This price difference tends to separate those who view these products as purely functional items from those that recognise the added value they offer. ‘Most manufacturers have a wide range of
collections at different price points,’ says Ian Hamilton, managing director at Hamilton Litestat. ‘For example, our Hartland CFX Colours collection is produced from high quality plastics, mimicking the slim plates and concealed fixing elements from our Hartland CFX metal plates. Plastic is obviously cheaper than metal, providing a real value-for-money decorative product. At the other end of the scale a bespoke plate design that requires lots of handcrafting will come with a premium price.’ There are also significant advantages to buying
products from a reputable manufacturer. MK Electric’s Jason Ng, claims: ‘As with everything else, the old adage “You get what you pay for” holds true for wiring accessories. You could walk into a discount outlet and purchase a chrome-plated light switch from Brand A for the same price as a white plastic switch from Brand B, but would you be getting a similar build quality, reliability, and level of electrical safety? Probably not.’
Smart attack The growth in smart home technology has also popularised decorative accessories. Individual client spend on a typical custom installation project can be considerable, and six figure contracts are not unusual. According to the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA), the smart home
48 ECA Today November 2012
©Arup Group Ltd
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