Significant little things

We press the switches dozens of times a day, not paying attention to whether they are conveniently located and how they look. Meanwhile, large manufacturing companies invite leading designers to turn electrical installation products into full-fledged decor elements. Such «little things» will bring bright accents to the interior.

There are many electrical accessories on the market today. These are electrical sockets (with and without a grounding contact, with protective shutters), computer, TV and SAT, for audio systems, electric stoves, as well as switches (one-, two-, three-, six-gang, with indicator lights, walk-through, with a detector motion, automatic, touch), dimmers (dimmers), extension cords, power filters andt.e. Ba number of series of leading manufacturers include devices for technical lighting control systems and radio remote control. Moreover, all products of the same collection are distinguished by a single design.

Your choice

Merten

Such a wide range of different options is offered that you can find products that will suit any apartment. It all depends on fantasy— yours or the decorator— and budget (the cost of products— from 100 to 1500rub.). Wiring products, as a rule, are manufactured according to a modular principle: one or more mechanisms and a decorating frame. The latter is made of plastic, solid wood, ceramics, natural stone, glass, brass, aluminum, steel, chrome-plated, gold-plated. There are even «chameleons» that change color depending on the lighting (Vimar, Italy). By choosing a certain collection, you can vary the color of the frames or combine different frames, keys and inserts depending on the color scheme of the room where it will be installed. For example, Delta Vita series products (SiemensGermany), consisting of a frame, an overlay and a decorative insert (colors: gold, platinum, silver andetc.), allow you to get 176 color combinations. All these tastefully selected accessories become an element of decor and make it possible to place certain accents.

If stylish— down to the last detail

Siemens

Your apartment, of course, has «uncommon facial expressions», a unique individuality. BUTwhether such seemingly insignificant details as switches, sockets andt.P.? If the answer is no, then it is not difficult to solve this problem. Take Serie 1930 (Berker, Germany). Strict black and white products will recreate the atmosphere of the 20-30s. XXin. Exquisite retro (bronze, wood, original shapes)— collection Fontini (Spain). Author’s development— Simon frames (Spain) with crystal trim Swarovski— awakens creative imagination. Classic version in platinum and bronze colors is the Alpha neo series (ABB, Germany). Those who prefer the avant-garde will appreciate the Delta Ambiente collection (Siemens)— products that are unusual in color and design, with light guides framing the pressure surfaces of switches. Light Tech Series (BTicino)— silver mechanisms in a matte or glossy overlay— will satisfy those who choose high-tech. BUTlovers of unusual solutions will be interested in switches BTicino with glass frames and keys, under which you can insert any picture: a piece of wallpaper (so that they merge with the walls), a portrait of a loved one or a copy of a famous painting. ATcollections Merten (Germany) you can pick up items for different styles— from classic to art deco. For fans of sustainability, the Delta Natur series has been developed (Siemens)— products made of solid natural wood, impregnated with a special composition that prevents burning and decay. By the way, this series was installed in the famous Konstantinovsky Palace («Palace of Congresses», St. Petersburg). LS plus series (JungGermany)— an impressive combination of satin glass and aluminium. AT2007G.ABB introduced the series «Steel»— it differs in that there are no fingerprints on metal surfaces. ECO 60 series design (Gewiss, Italy) fits into any interior, from modern to classic. The pads have a soft shape with rounded corners, the matte finish does not leave scratches.

There are ultra-flat mechanisms for outdoor installation— Simon 73 (Simon). They are made from heat resistant plastic. Colors of the CD 500 series (Jung) correspond to the RAL scale, therefore, after installation they will be almost invisible.

If you decide that you need a different room design, decorative elements are easy to replace.

For the little ones

Do you want your child not to be capricious in the evenings, but to go to bed with pleasure? Great option for kids— switch Simon 82 (Simon). On the luminous keys, when the mechanism is on, you see the sun, a teddy bear or a frog; when the mechanism is off, it appearsmoon with stars. Why not a plot for a bedtime story? (True, for those adults who always «carry childhood in their pocket», BTicino offers the Luna series— switches with illumination in the form of the moon.) Sockets with protective shutters will help to avoid the unpleasant consequences of children’s curiosity. FROMin terms of environmental friendliness, it is worth paying attention to products Siemens— all materials used in the manufacture of products do not contain harmful substances and allergens.

Beauty and convenience— aesthetics of the future

According to ergonomic requirements, the switch must be installed so that it is convenient to use it without raising your hand. It should be located near the front door, and if it has a backlight, it serves as an excellent guide in the dark. We will tell you in detail about how to correctly install electrical equipment in one of the following issues. BUTin this article we talk about what devices will make our life easier and more enjoyable.

Architects-Designers
M. Vyatkina,
O. Chashchina
Photo by E. Luchin,
P. Lebedeva
In an apartment «stuffed» with equipment, it is very important to carefully consider the location of the electrical installation
The dimmer (dimmer) allows you to change the intensity of lighting. So, with the help of this device, you can control the brightness of the lamps yourself, and your eyes will be protected from sudden changes, since the illumination of the room increases smoothly. Ring illumination around the control key will not let you «lose» the device. Dimmers are rotary or touch, that is, the adjustment is carried out either by rotating the round button, or by lightly touching the key. Special motion sensors respond to human movements. They are mounted in the corridor or on the stairs.— The light will turn on when you appear. They also offer switches with motion detectors. Control switches with pilot illumination show that some device remote from you is not turned off. Pass-through (cross) switches work in pairs: one of them can turn on the circuit (for example, in the hall), and the other— turn off (going to the living room). Circuit breakers are designed to protect the circuit from short circuits and overloads.

There are sockets with a plug ejector that have a special button: you press it— and the fork «free»; sockets with timer— it can be used to set the switch-on and switch-off time of the connected appliance. They also produce sockets with an operating status indicator— a special lamp signals whether there is voltage in the network, as well as sockets for any type of plug, sockets with a protective shutdown. Mini-columns offered by the Spanish House of Electrical Engineering are designed for 3-8 sockets and make it possible to save space when connecting several electrical appliances. There are devices for climate control, infrared control systems, and all devices can be decorated in the design of your choice.

ATfor your safety, a series of electrical installation equipment for rooms with high humidity has been created: Plexo urbano (LegrandFrance), Allwetter 44, Ocean, Busch-Duro AP/WD (ABB). A number of series Jung, Siemens can be made in a moisture-proof version with the addition of sealing gaskets.

The editors thank the companies ABBEnsto, Gewiss, Jung, Legrand, Merten, SiemensSimon, WessenSpanish House of Electrical Engineering for help in preparing the material.

• Source: Ideas for Your Home Magazine#106