Wakefields Smarter Home Technology: Performance Begins at Home

In professional sport, the margin between good and great is measured in the finest of details. The same precision that defines success on the pitch, track, or court is increasingly being applied to life at home. For elite athletes, home is not just a retreat — it’s a carefully curated environment where performance, recovery, and family life seamlessly converge.

No company embodies this philosophy better than Wakefields Smarter Home Technology, the UK’s leader in bespoke smart living solutions. With dedicated teams operating from London, Manchester and Newcastle and a client list that spans Premier League footballers, Olympic athletes, and high net worth individuals, Wakefields has become synonymous with discreet innovation, uncompromising quality, and solutions that are as personal as they are powerful.

From private cinemas that rival Hollywood’s best to AI driven security systems, from golf simulators for perfecting your swing to automated blinds and lighting scenes that optimise recovery, Wakefields designs homes that enhance every moment of life — on and off the field.

A LEGACY OF INNOVATION

Wakefields’ reputation is reinforced by its partnerships with the world’s finest brands — Lutron, Control4, Bang & Olufsen, Artcoustic, Steinway Lyngdorf — and by recognition from across the industry, including over a dozen international awards for Best Home Cinema Installers and Smart Home Innovators of the Year.

But beyond accolades, the company prides itself on being family centred. For athletes whose careers demand relentless travel, Wakefields ensures that the moments spent at home — watching a film, sharing music, or simply drawing the blinds — become effortless, memorable, and restorative.

CINEMA REDEFINED: More Than Entertainment

For a professional athlete, downtime is precious. The body needs rest, but the mind also craves escape. Wakefields’ private home cinemas are built for both. These are not simply rooms with a screen — they are acoustically engineered sanctuaries where sound, vision, and atmosphere combine to create total immersion.

Every project is bespoke. Some clients want the grandeur of a traditional velvet lined cinema, complete with motorised seating and star studded ceilings. Others prefer a minimalist “media lounge” that blends seamlessly with the architecture of the home, equally suited for family film nights and match analysis in 4K detail.

Behind the design lies serious technology: Dolby Atmos surround sound, reference grade projection, hidden acoustic treatments, and intelligent lighting scenes that shift from “match day replay” to “blockbuster night” at the touch of a button. For one recent Premier League client, Wakefields integrated retractable seating and lighting that automatically adjusts to match the content on screen — every goal, every explosion, every whisper brought to life with spine tingling clarity.

“A private cinema isn’t a frivolity — it’s an asset for recovery and family connection,” says Martin Wakefield, founder and CEO. “After ninety minutes in front of a crowd of 50,000, having a space where you can unwind privately with loved ones is invaluable.”

For many athletes, these rooms also serve as multi functional hubs. They double as e sports arenas for online gaming, private screening rooms for reviewing footage, or even confidential meeting spaces for strategy sessions. The technology is always there, yet never intrusive — blending into the fabric of the home until called upon.

SOUNDTRACK OF SUCCESS: Whole Home Audio

If sport is about rhythm and flow, then music is its natural counterpart. Wakefields understands the psychological power of sound and integrates audiophile grade systems into every part of the home.

With partners such as Bang & Olufsen, Artcoustic, and Steinway Lyngdorf, their installations deliver breathtaking audio — from the intensity of stadium anthems to the intimacy of an acoustic session. Whether filling an entire property with synchronised sound or creating discrete zones for different moods, the result is flawless clarity without a visible cable in sight.

One Olympic sprinter recently commissioned Wakefields to create a system where her training playlist follows her seamlessly — from gym to pool to kitchen — switching zones automatically as she moves. Another footballer wanted immersive outdoor audio around his private training pitch, where music or match commentary can be streamed without compromising neighbours’ privacy.

For recovery, curated playlists flow through spa bathrooms or quiet bedrooms, controlled by a single voice command or swipe on a phone. For family life, it means that everyone can listen to what they want, when they want, in the space that suits them best.

Sound, at this level, isn’t background — it’s performance fuel, recovery aid, and atmosphere creator all in one.

RECOVERY BY DESIGN: Automated Blinds & Lighting

Every athlete knows that recovery is as important as training. Sleep, relaxation, and circadian rhythm management are crucial — and Wakefields brings scientific precision to the domestic environment.

Their automated blinds and curtains work in harmony with smart lighting systems to replicate natural light cycles. Imagine returning home after a late night Champions League fixture to find your blinds drawn and lights softly dimmed, priming your body for rest. Or waking up to a gradual sunrise simulation that prepares you for training without a jarring alarm.

Beyond sleep, these systems adapt instantly to social or professional needs. Hosting teammates for dinner? The house shifts to “entertaining mode” with vibrant scenes. Preparing for an away trip? A single tap closes every blind, locks the doors, and sets the house into “away” status.

“Our goal is to build homes that understand the rhythm of the people who live in them,” Martin explains. “When life involves long flights, late night matches, or irregular schedules, your environment has to be an ally, not an obstacle.”

Athletes describe the effect as having a home that actively supports performance — an environment that reduces stress, conserves energy, and promotes consistency.

SECURITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE: AI Driven Peace of Mind

For high profile individuals, security is more than a precaution — it’s a necessity. Wakefields’ AI powered surveillance systems combine cutting edge analytics with absolute discretion.

Cameras distinguish between people, vehicles, and animals, reducing false alarms and ensuring genuine threats are identified instantly. The systems integrate with smart locks, motion sensors, and mobile alerts, so clients can monitor, grant access, or lock down their property from anywhere in the world. One footballer currently training abroad checks in on his family in real time, viewing crisp 4K security footage from his phone between sessions, while another uses remote access to let trusted staff enter without handing over keys.

But security isn’t only about cameras. Wakefields designs layered solutions that blend seamlessly into the architecture — panic rooms, hidden safes, perimeter monitoring, and environmental alerts for fire or flooding. Everything is unified, invisible, and controlled from a single app.

“The goal is simple: peace of mind, without compromise.”

For families, this means freedom — children can play, partners can relax, and athletes can focus on their careers knowing home is protected by technology that never rests.

BESPOKE SERVICE: Tailored for Elite Lives

What truly sets Wakefields apart is not only the technology, but the way it is delivered. Every project begins with a deep consultation, exploring the client’s schedule, lifestyle, family needs, and aspirations. From there, engineers and designers craft solutions that are meticulously tailored — from initial design to installation to long term maintenance.

Wakefields’ clientele demand absolute discretion, flawless execution, and ongoing support. Many have homes across multiple locations, requiring synchronised systems that can be managed seamlessly from a single app. Others request performance lounges that double as gaming rooms, recovery hubs, and family spaces. Whatever the brief, the outcome is a system that feels effortless and personal.

“Luxury isn’t about excess,” Martin says. “It’s about everything working beautifully in the background so that life feels simple, natural, and secure.”

For elite athletes, success is about more than training, diet, and discipline. It’s about creating an environment that supports every element of performance. Wakefields Smarter Home Technology delivers exactly that: homes that entertain, protect, inspire, and restore.

Because in sport, as in life, greatness isn’t only forged under stadium lights. It’s nurtured in the quiet moments — in the cinema room with family, in the calm of a perfectly darkened bedroom, in the freedom of knowing your home is secure.

Wakefields makes those moments possible. And for those at the top of their game, that may just be the greatest luxury of all.