1. Wired or wireless
KNX is a wired standard: lighting, curtains, climate and keypads all talk over a dedicated bus cable. It's extremely reliable and expandable, and it's the natural choice when a villa is being built or fully renovated.
Wireless systems (Zigbee, Matter, Wi-Fi) fit into finished homes with little or no new cabling. They're ideal for apartments and for adding comfort to a villa you already live in. Many homes combine a wired backbone with wireless devices where cabling is awkward.
2. Which rooms, which scenes
Start with how you live, not with a product list. Where do you switch several lights at once? When do you close the curtains? What should happen when you leave the house, or go to bed? Those routines become scenes — “Movie” dims the lights and closes the curtains, “Good night” switches everything off and arms the alarm.
3. How you'll control it
An app is essential, but not everyone in the house will want to use one. Wall keypads with clear labels, voice control through Alexa, Google or Apple Home, and sensors that act on their own (lights on when you walk in) make the system usable by the whole family — and by guests.
4. Where the equipment lives
A smart home needs a home for its controllers, network switches and recorders: a ventilated cabinet or small rack, with power and a solid network connection. Plan it early. So is Wi-Fi: every wireless device depends on it, so whole-villa coverage comes first.
5. Security in the same system
Cameras, the doorbell, smart locks, the alarm and leak sensors are more useful in the same app as your lights — one place to check the house, and scenes that include security. Decide at the start who will maintain the system, and make sure you receive the programming files at handover so you're never locked to one installer.