Switch Challenge: Beautiful – This is how our community lives with Gira

"We are the ones with the switches, but we’re also so much more." We asked our community what makes Gira special to them. Our Switch Challenge shows the answers. Be inspired by the undoubtedly beautiful impressions.

Smart living in new buildings: comfort in the networked home.

The Gira G1 serves as the control centre in the KNX Smart Home. (Photo: Janina H.)

Miguel and Janina enjoy the comfort of a connected home.

We built our new home in 2018 on a beautiful plot of land on the Mittelland Canal. The foundation stone was laid, the walls went up and the view of the water was secured. Since we live in a digital world, it quickly became clear to us that we also wanted to control our home digitally and smartly.

With the Gira KNX, we have now networked our own smart home on two floors. We control it via the Gira G1 and use the Gira Smart Home app on our tablet in parallel. We can now conveniently control blinds, light, music and much more via KNX. However, our Smart Home already begins at the front door with the Gira System 106 door intercom, which is an absolute highlight for us because we can also operate the system remotely via smartphone. In the house, we opted for switches and socket outlets in combination with Gira Esprit.

We are absolutely satisfied because the Smart Home combines cosy and digital living perfectly for us!

You can get more inspirational impressions on Instagram.

The Gira Esprit design line in glass white creates harmonious contrast on the wall. (Photo: Janina H.)

The Gira Esprit design line fits perfectly into the interior design style. (Photo: Janina H.)

The Gira System 106 is integrated into the Smart Home. (Photo: Janina H.)

It's a match: Farmhouse Style and Gira Smart Home.

Gira G1 schwarz an weißer Wand — Black on white: the Gira G1 as a subtle eye-catcher on the wall. (Photo: Anna Erhardt)

The Erhardt family lives the "American Dream" with Gira Smart Home.

We lived in America from 2012 to 2017, where we fell in love with the American Farmhouse Style. When we returned to Germany, we renovated my husband's grandmother's house.
Due to the construction year, 1959, we first had to lay all the pipes again. Since my husband is both technically and computer-savvy, we decided to make it a Smart Home out and integrate a KNX system. Our choice fell on the Gira HomeServer. We control our Smart Home with a tablet and our Smartphones via Gira HomeServer App. We also use the Gira G1 for control, which we have connected on both the upper and ground floors. A Smart Home at a very high level.

We decided against uniform switches throughout the house and instead selected individual switches for every room. In the corridor area we use Gira Esprit Linoleum Plywood in light brown. In the kitchen and on the terrace door in the living room we installed the Gira push button sensor 3 with corresponding inscription. The Gira System 106 is mounted next to the front door and functions as our door intercom.

Gira Schalter Farmhaus Stil Esprit Linoleum Multiplex — Perfectly tuned: Gira Esprit Linoleum Plywood in light brown blends seamlessly into the hallway. (Photo: Anna Erhardt)

Gira Haustür System 106 Türsprechanlage — At the front door visitors are received by the Gira System 106 door communication. (Photo: Anna Erhardt)

Gira Tastsensor 3 beschriftet — Clear KNX control in the kitchen with the Gira push button sensor 3. (Photo: Anna Erhardt)

Accents to marvel at: Gira Esprit in kitchen and bathroom.

Gira Esprit in der Küche — In Oles home, Gira Esprit blends wonderfully into the bathroom and kitchen. (Photo: Ole Hofmann)

When Gira Esprit moved in with Ole Hoffmann.

For our bathroom renovation, we decided to use Gira for the first time ever. In our opinion, Esprit in glass white goes extremely well with the cistern push plate and the grey tiles.
After renovating the kitchen, we went to our electrician and checked out a few Gira samples. As a huge fan of stainless steel, I immediately went for the Esprit in stainless steel. It’s simply great, both in weight and appearance. Almost as though it were milled from a solid block.
However, the contrast to our ceramic worktop was too strong. We eventually decided upon aluminium brown. It matches perfectly. For our plastered walls, we chose the Esprit in Glass white once more.
As a resident of Lüdenscheid, I’m of course familiar with a few switch design lines. That includes some of Gira’s market competitors.

Until now though, I’ve not had any frames in my hands that have quite the same look and feel as the Esprit series. I appreciate ist very high-quality workmanship.

Gira Esprit Aluminuim Braun in der Küche — Gira Esprit in aluminium brown creates harmonious highlights in the background. (Photo: Ole Hofman)

Gira Esprit Aluminuim Braun Küche — On the other side of the kitchen, the stylish sockets will ensure even more flair when cooking in the future. (Photo: Ole Hofman)

Gira Esprit im Bad neben Waschbecken — Gira Esprit in glass white blends in perfectly with the bathroom furnishings. (Photo: Ole Hofman)

Also beautiful on paper: Hand-drawn Gira products.

Gira Zeichnungen by Alexey Korolevich — The design of the Gira products inspired Alexey to start drawing again after years. (Photo: Alexey Korolevich)

How the Gira design rekindled Alexey Korolevich's passion for drawing.

I have been working at the Gira location in Moscow for 11 years and know all about Gira products. Since I work from home a lot, I save much time that I would otherwise spend on the way to and back from work. In the last few months I have used this time for drawing. The last time I did this, I was still going to university. So it's been a while.

At first, I didn't know what to draw. Then I decided on the Gira products because they inspired me with their minimalist design. I noticed that simple shapes are the hardest to draw. Proportions, shadows and small details are particularly striking. But I find that I get a little better with every new drawing.

You can find more of Alexey’s drawings on Instagram.

Gira Zeichnung System 3000 — For this drawing, the new temperature controller for the System 3000 served as a template. (Photo: Alexey Korolevich)

Gira Zeichnung Esprit Bronze — A work of art both on the wall and on paper: the Gira Esprit switch in bronze. (Photo: Alexey Korolevich)

Gira G1 als Zeichnung — Details such as reflections and the correct proportions posed the greatest challenge for the illustrator. (Photo: Alexey Korolevich)

Elegance in system: System 55 throughout the house.

Gira System 55 im Wohnzimmer — The Gira System 55 in black matt matches perfectly with the furnishing style of Laura and Christian. (Photo: Laura Schneider)

Small highlights in matt black on the walls of Laura and Christian.

We chose the System 55 in black matt because the noble and simple design appealed to us directly. For us, the black switches and sockets are an absolute highlight in our house. They are the reason we would always go for products from Gira.

You find more visual impressions of the house on Instagram.