Vibration suppression of laminated composite beams using the smart structures concept ispresented in the present work. The smart system consists of a laminated composite beamas the host structure and piezoceramic and PVDF patches as the actuation and sensingelements. To treat the material and geometric inhomogeneities through the thickness ofthe laminated smart structure, a finite element model based on the layerwisedisplacement theory which incorporates the electro-mechanical coupling effects has beendeveloped. The state space model of the active laminated beam is then usedto design the control system. A linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller isdesigned to achieve vibration suppression of the laminated smart beam. The effectsof the laminate configuration and locations of sensors/actuators on controlledresponse are investigated. An experimental set-up has been developed to determinethe natural frequency and damping factor of the smart laminated beam. Theexperimental measurements are then used to design a control mechanism withLQR to suppress the vibration response of the system. Open-loop and closed-loopresponses of the system have been obtained experimentally and compared withthe corresponding simulation results to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiencyof the present approach in the vibration control of laminated smart structures.