CEDIA Smart Home Awards 2025 - Best Home Cinema Level 1 (EMEA)

A traditional-style home cinema brings immersive audio, understated drama, and everyday usability to a Victorian seaside home, where thoughtful engineering and intuitive control shape an award-winning experience.

When homeowners Steve and Jan exchanged Surrey for the South Coast of the United Kingdom, they acquired a Victorian property rich in character, along with an unusual 1950s side extension originally built to house a swimming pool. Long since redundant, the structure presented an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Instead of demolition, the couple chose to transform the space into something Steve had always wanted but never had room for: a dedicated home cinema.

Intuitive Control at the Centre

Control was specified to enhance the experience, not complicate it. The brief was clear: fast response, consistent operation, and a user interface that feels natural from the very first interaction.

Cinemaworks implemented Savant control, supplied by RGB Communications, built around a Savant SHR-S2 Smart Host and Savant Pro Remote X2. The result is reliable, room-focused control that allows the cinema to be enjoyed effortlessly by every member of the household.

“We use Savant control on all our projects. I spent ages assessing the control market, and Savant stood out - good to program, really reliable, and has by far the nicest handset.” - Owen Maddock, Cinemaworks

Lighting That Responds Instantly

Lighting plays a critical role in shaping the cinematic experience, supporting immersion while remaining practical for everyday use.

Rather than relying on generic presets, lighting scenes were programmed around real-world behaviour:

• Low-level lighting for immersive viewing
• Mid-brightness scenes for casual use or multitasking
• Full illumination for cleaning and entertaining

“It’s a dream to program - and really quick - and very easy to make custom alterations. For example, in a cinema, you want to make it light and dark really quickly, so we always add ‘light’ and ‘dark’ buttons to the two custom buttons on the handset, without having to go to the lighting page. We also have the Savant processor monitoring for Scene changes in the lighting system, so then we can add ‘Cinema On’ and ‘Cinema Off’ buttons to the keypad by the entrance door.” - Owen Maddock, Cinemaworks

A Refined User Experience

The Savant Pro Remote X2 was selected for its balance of performance and design. Its metal casing and considered button layout complement the traditional styling of the room while maintaining an intuitive and approachable design for all users.

“The Pro Remote X2 sits in the hand beautifully and feels appropriately luxurious with its metal casing - just enough buttons to make it a dream for the whole family to use, without ever thinking about it.”

An Award-Winning Outcome

The finished cinema delivers immersive performance, intuitive control, and long-term usability - qualities recognised by the industry when Cinemaworks received the CEDIA Smart Home Award 2025 for Best Home Cinema Level 1 (EMEA).

Savant, supplied by leading distributor RGB Communications and expertly integrated by Cinemaworks, provides the control foundation quietly supporting the experience.

What was once an unused pool extension is now an award-winning home cinema that demonstrates how dependable control and thoughtful integration can elevate a space without ever overshadowing it. It is a room that performs beautifully, where engineering meets enjoyment, and where considered design has delivered more than Steve and Jan ever expected.

Products Used:

• 1x Savant Pro Remote X2
• 1x Savant SHR-S2 Smart Host

Contact Information:

Cinemaworks

Website: https://cinemaworks.co.uk/

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 0117 214 0115

RGB Communications

Website: https://www.rgbcomms.co.uk/

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 01488 73366