Hikvision’s residential security system safeguards Whitney Blair Custom Homes' vacation home

A security system provided by Hikvision USA Inc., the North American company that offers video surveillance products and solutions, was installed by Holmes Security Systems to provide full coverage security and remote monitoring for a custom home built by Whitney Blair Custom Homes and sponsored by Southern Living Magazine.

Established in 1966 and published by Time Inc., Southern Living Magazine is one of the largest lifestyle brands in the country. The Southern Living Idea House is a custom home built annually that showcases top-of-the-line residential products and technologies. The 2017 Idea House was built on Bald Head Island in North Carolina and features a Hikvision security system.

“Every year, we create an idyllic house that inspires millions of Southern Living readers with design and decorating ideas they can steal for themselves. Using the South's best architects, builders, designers, and landscapers, we reimagine the ultimate Southern home and bring it to life in the magazine, on southernliving.com, and on our social platforms. Now in its 28th year, no franchise is more eagerly anticipated by our audience than the Southern Living Idea House,” said Sid Evans, editor in chief of Southern Living.Holmes Security offered professional expertise and the Hikvision security camera system delivered high quality results

Remote monitoring access

Bald Head Island in North Carolina is known for its multi-million dollars vacation homes. The video surveillance equipment had to provide security with remote monitoring access for the homeowner.

Whitney Blair Custom Homes, a major builder on Bald Head Island, sought out the expertise of Holmes Security Systems, a 109-year old security company with offices in both Fayetteville and Wilmington, NC.

“It was an honor to be selected by Southern Living Magazine to be the builder for the 2017 Idea Home. Our success depends on the quality of our trade partners and their product selection, especially with an accelerated schedule and limited access with transportation by boat only. Holmes Security offered professional expertise and the Hikvision security camera system delivered high quality results with a design that fit the home’s style,” said Jeff Sanderson, president of Whitney Blair Custom Homes.

Monitored fire alarm system

Every house on Bald Head Island is required to have a monitored smoke and fire alarm system. Holmes Security owns and operates its own UL-listed central monitoring station, which influenced Whitney Blair’s decision to choose Holmes as a security partner.

Other important considerations for the security system included aesthetics and functionality. As a Southern Living Idea home, it required innovative technology that could withstand a range of temperatures while being elegant and discreet. The video surveillance system had to blend seamlessly into the décor.Covering the indoor and outdoor space while keeping the camera placement discreet was challenging

Security installation challenges

The installation posed many, varied challenges. Bald Head Island is a car-free barrier island accessible only by boat and located about 35 miles south of Wilmington, N.C. All personnel, tools, and equipment had to travel to the island each day by ferry and then, once on the island, by golf cart.

The Idea House is a two-story, 3,273 square foot structure with a separate two-door golf cart garage, topped by a crofter – a separate flexible living space similar to a mother-in-law suite with a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom/sitting area. The home boasts more than 1,300 square feet of outdoor living space with a paved patio, backyard fire pit, outdoor kitchen and lounge area.

“Covering the indoor and outdoor space while keeping the camera placement discreet was challenging,” said Dave Foster, sales and marketing manager for Holmes Security Systems.

“Also, the Idea House was completed in an amazing six-month timeframe. The accelerated construction schedule meant that deadlines were tight, and subcontractors were stumbling over each other at times. Communication with the builder, other subcontractors, our supplier, and our own installation team was key.”

Full-coverage security

Holmes Security recommended and installed an eight channel Hikvision DS-7608NI-E2/8P NVR with four terabytes (TB) of storage, paired with a Hikvision DS-D5021FC 21-inch monitor and six cameras to provide a customised, full-coverage security solution for the home.

The builder wanted to store up to two weeks of video. Holmes Security selected the four terabyte Hikvision NVR for its capacity to store up to four weeks of video. The NVR was easy for Holmes Security to install and program and is also designed to be easy to use for the future homeowner.

Five Hikvision DS-2CD2332-I Outdoor Turret cameras were installed to completely encircle the exterior of the home. Hikvision’s EXIR enhanced technology has built-in IR LEDs housed in a window separate from the camera lens to deliver superior viewing and recording quality in low light conditions, an important feature as Bald Head Island gets very dark at night.Whitney Blair included a second-floor equipment room to provide the homeowner with 24/7 access to video footage from an NVR

Round-the-clock access to video footage

Locations were chosen carefully to ensure key areas of the home would have coverage. The front and rear porches were equipped with turret cameras to view the front and rear doors, and one turret camera was installed to cover the garage door. The additional outdoor turrets were deployed to give the best angle of surveillance along the sides of the house. 

For the interior of the home, a Hikvision DS-2CD2532F-I Compact Dome camera was installed inside the front corner of the living room to cover living and dining areas. The dome camera captures the entire open space and provides good coverage of the front and rear doors while its low-profile blends seamlessly into the design.

Whitney Blair included a second-floor equipment room to house the NVR and the monitor, to provide the homeowner with 24/7 access to video footage.

Tailored security system with remote viewing

Hikvision’s iVMS software provides remote viewing that will allow the future homeowner to access the camera feed from their smartphone, tablet or computer when away from the home.Southern Living donated a portion of each ticket sold to benefit the Old Baldy Foundation

“Southern Living looks to the builder and subcontractors to offer innovative solutions that fit our vision for the design. Holmes Security recommended the Hikvision security camera system, and it met all the functional needs for security at the Idea House while delivering great aesthetics that blended with the décor,” said Misty Chandler, marketing manager at Time Inc.

Once completed, the 2017 Southern Living Idea House was open for public tours, with thousands of people viewing the home. Southern Living donated a portion of each ticket sold to benefit the Old Baldy Foundation, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to maintaining North Carolina’s oldest lighthouse built in 1817 and located on Bald Head Island. After the initial Open House, Bald Head Island Realty hosted tours while also listing the property for sale.

Surveillance expertise

Whitney Blair Custom Homes currently has 19 additional Southern Living-inspired homes planned for construction on Bald Head Island. All will include Hikvision security systems.

The Southern Living Idea House features the best in construction products and features. By combining aesthetic style, discrete camera placement with HD quality video and remote viewing, Hikvision’s security system provides full coverage for this custom home. Hikvision integrator partner Holmes Security System’s expertise, professionalism and adaptability to construction challenges enabled Southern Living and the home builder to provide the best in residential video surveillance for the future homeowner.