How an electrician uses PDL Electric Home Design in her home
Find out how Master Electrician Sarah Loveday applies the concept of Electric Home Design by PDL to her own family home.
For Master Electrician Sarah Loveday’s busy family, a smart and convenient home is a must-have. With some careful planning and consideration around the concept of Electric Home Design, Sarah was able to achieve this, using PDL products to make a home that’s smart, convenient, future-proof, and safe. Find out how she did this and how you could implement the same in your own home.
About Sarah Loveday’s home
In today’s busy world, a home that simplifies daily life is a great idea. For Master Electrician Sarah Loveday, it was more than an idea — it was a complete must-have. “I wanted our house to be really user-friendly and operate around my family’s lifestyle,” explains Sarah, mother‑of‑four and managing director of family business Loveday Electrical.
The light and airy home has six bedrooms and features a spacious kitchen and living area that opens onto a large patio surrounded by lush tropical garden for outdoor entertaining. With three teenagers and a toddler under one roof, her modern home shows how thoughtful electric home design can create a space that’s both family-friendly and a sanctuary for relaxation.
Sarah’s Electric Home Design tips
Consider every element of your home’s design
For Sarah, taking the time to plan how her home could work for her family and really add to daily life was well worth it. “I finally have a home that understands me completely,” she says. “I can make updates as I need, but the biggest bonus is letting my home look after the small details so that I can enjoy time with my family.”
Sarah recommends taking time to plan where you’ll put beds and desks, as well as TVs and other devices, or appliances in kitchens and pantries, so that power points and network connections can be wired in the right places. This should include outdoor electrical requirements like work sheds, pools and pumps, garden lighting and water features.
She also recommends having an idea of what you ultimately want to achieve electrically, whether you can afford to do everything at the time. “Even if you’re not planning to get everything done during the build or renovation, plan your dream end goal in case there is something critical that needs to be done at the start.”
Using future-proof, easy-to-upgrade solutions
When considering a home’s electrical design, it’s important to select solutions that are future-proof and can be flexibly expanded upon to accommodate changing family needs. This was especially true for Sarah, who needed the home to operate around her family’s lifestyle.
For this, Sarah chose a PDL Wiser Smart Home system that links to the stylish PDL Iconic Essence switches and power points throughout the house. The PDL Wiser system does not require special cables, making it ideal for new home builds or renovations. “A lot of home automation systems are hard-wired into the walls and floors, meaning you have to choose everything you want before you finish the build. With four growing kids, it was important to have a system that could be scaled up as our family’s needs changed,” says Sarah.
Additionally, PDL Wiser comes with the Wiser by SE app, allowing users to easily control their appliances and monitor energy usage from anywhere in the world.
Sarah also recommends using PDL Iconic switches and power points, as they are a great way to give a home basic smart home functionality that can be upgraded as time goes on. The PDL Iconic range also comes with easily swappable skins to match changing design aesthetics across renovations.
Put safety first
When it comes to keeping your family and your home safe, your switchboard is the perfect place to start. Keep in mind both your home’s condition and any unexpected natural circumstances that might happen when discussing electrical safety options with your electrician.
Sarah has AFDDs (Arc Fault Detection Devices) installed to prevent electrical fires. Additionally, her switchboard contains SPDs (Surge Protection Devices) to protect against lightning strikes.
“Everyone has so many expensive electronics in their homes these days, but they don’t really understand the damage that a lightning strike, even just in the vicinity, can do to your property,” she says. “It makes sense to have surge protection installed in the switchboard to protect your entire home and the things you love.”
How to get started with Electric Home Design
Whether you’re renovating or working on a brand-new home, considering the electrical aspects of the project can be overwhelming — especially if you’re not sure where to start. Here at PDL, we’ve gathered some inspiration for you in our Electric Home Design Magazine. It’s packed with inspiration, information, and planning advice, which you can use to build a ‘wish list’ to discuss with your electrician. Get your copy today — it’s free!
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