David Holmes- Harry Potter’s Stunt Double

I have the most beautiful sunlight in this house. All my mates come around, and their kids come around too. They’re over, having a swim, running around in the garden, and all of us grown-ups are sitting in the air conditioning, drinking some wine, cooking, sharing, and just having a laugh and a joke together.

My name is David Holmes. I was a professional stuntman. I grew up as a gymnast, competing in national and international competitions. At the age of 14, I did my first film, which was “Lost in Space.” Then I was called in to do the first broomstick test for “Harry Potter.” We worked out how they were going to shoot and do the stunts, and I was given the lead stunt double role for Daniel Radcliffe. I worked on all the “Harry Potter” films until my accident in 2009.

My injury is a C7 tetraplegic. I have use of my arms, but I don’t have any dexterity in my hands and fingers. The most disabling thing is the environment. Before, I was living in a house that was unsuitable, so I had to live with on-site carers. I went from being very independent and able-bodied to living with a high level of disability. When you realise what you’ve lost, being able to work toward gaining some of that independence back is really important. Living in a wheelchair, you have to think about bathing, getting to bed, and access around the house.

Now, because of what we’ve designed here and the technology that I’ve got in this house, my disability is not constantly ever-present. The first night I got in, after everyone left and the front door closed, I went to the front door. It has amazing acoustics because of the double-height ceiling. I put on some Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli, and I just sat by the front door on my own for a minute and shed a little tear. It had taken three years of hard work to get there, and I’d finally done it. It was amazing to be there on my own and think, “Wow, I actually did this, and I get to live here now.” It was a very special moment for me.

Automatic doors are a lifesaver. We all grew up with “Star Trek,” didn’t we? Having “Star Trek” doors that slide into the wall cavities. When I first moved in, we were all making the sound effect noises as the doors would open. People still come in now and they’re like, “Wow, you’ve got this and you’ve got that.” Obviously, it looks amazing to them, but the core of it was for me to gain that independence, and it has done that. With just an iPad on my lap, I can open the doors, change the heating, change the television, or open a window.

I’d recommend Crestron for its years of use and the availability of being able to program whatever you want into it. The beauty of the Crestron system is that it can incorporate loads of other third-party technologies. Some of my stuff in this house is Bang & Olufsen, and Crestron can talk to that. Some of it is Samsung, and some of it is Apple-based. To have something that speaks unilaterally across all of those platforms is wonderful.

I work in the film industry, so lighting is very important to me. I’ve been around the world’s best-lit film sets as a young man, so I understand how lighting works with coffered ceilings and adding color to the home environment. These are lessons I’ve applied from my previous job, but to incorporate them into my own home and live with them is amazing. I’m really lucky. Everyone who comes through my front door has a very good first impression.

I’m probably more able in this house than most able-bodied people because, with just an iPad on my lap, I can open the doors, change the heating, and change the television. Most able-bodied people have to get up to do that. I’ve designed it in a way that, because I can’t get up to do that, it’s available for me to do so. Crestron and the touchscreen technology have given me that independence. There are no grab handles everywhere; everything is integrated nicely and designed well. Just because I’m disabled, why can’t I have a designed house? That’s what I thought, so I went for it.

Now, I’d like to build another house. Honestly, I’d like to build another one. I think it’s amazing. The best piece of art I’ll ever create is this house. It will be here for 100 years after I’m dead, and hopefully, either my family or another family will get as much use and as much happiness as I’ve had in this home. When you go from being as dependent as I was in my old house to moving into this one and having that space, independence, and sense of freedom, it’s unbelievable.