Moving On Up
In the past, creating a movie experience at home meant setting up a big screen in the basement and putting in a few recliners. These days, many homeowners are transforming living rooms on the main floor of their homes into home theaters. Some homeowners may even convert a room that’s right beside their kitchen. This New Jersey homeowner wanted a multiuse, high-performance home theater in a central area of the home where it would get plenty of use. The entire house got an extensive renovation and installation, including an eight-zone multiroom audio system and individual lighting controls for each room. The homeowner did consider the home’s lower level as a location for the theater. However, since it’s a “walk-out” with great views, he felt the room worked better as a playroom or game room.  Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$$ Contemporary Posted Mon Dec 29, 2008, 12:51 PM ET — By Jamie Sorcher Photography: Bryan Cole
Outfitting a condo can present many challenges, particularly with space limitations and limited wiring. But for this condo’s owner, lots of extras like motion detectors, lighting controls, and remotes make this space enjoyable whether he’s working from his office or relaxing in the living room. The 5,000-square-foot condo consists of three units that have been combined on the 18th floor of a 19-story building. The building is one of three towers in the Gateway and South Lake Union complex along Seattle’s downtown lakefront. The North Tower, where this condo exists, also includes the 160-room Pan Pacific hotel, 261 residential apartments, and some retail shops. The project is the handiwork of investor and philanthropist Paul Allen. The famous co-founder of Microsoft developed the property under Vulcan Inc. Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$$ Contemporary Posted Wed Dec 17, 2008, 5:16 PM ET — By Kim Wilson Photography Tony Scarpetta
Many home entertainment projects are called retrofits, which for all intents and purposes translates as a remodel. An installer needs to have the same skills that new construction projects require. But when a project combines both new construction and remodeling, the challenges intensify. Audio Video Design (AVD), based in Newton, Massachusetts, is always up for a challenge and so was the owner of this greater Boston-area home. The homeowner used AVD as one of the prime subcontractors on the project. The owner also constantly interfaced with the general contractor, Thoughtforms, and architects Zaras and Neudorfer. Filed Under: $$$ Pro Interiors Contemporary Posted Wed Dec 17, 2008, 4:44 PM ET — By Kim Wilson Photography:Andrew McKinney
Los Gatos, California-based cyberManor specializes in the design, installation, and integration of Internet-connected home electronics solutions that enhance the entertainment, communication, comfort, and safety of its clients’ homes. This year, the company won the Microsoft Windows Media Center Ultimate Install Contest for this immaculate and eco-friendly installation at the Kreaden residence in Sunnyvale, CA. The homeowner desired a centralized, user-friendly entertainment and automation system. CyberManor’s solution was to incorporate a complete wholehouse integration system using the Windows Media Center interface as the central command platform. Filed Under: Furniture Contemporary $$ Posted Fri Dec 12, 2008, 1:28 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
As cool as it may look, not everyone wants to hang their new flat panel TV on the wall. Omnimount, manufacturers of sophisticated TV wall mounts also offer entertainment centers to accommodate your flat panel, AV components, media, and more. The sleek and elegant Link Series furniture offers contemporary finishes and a modular design that is sure to compliment any decor. The Link Series features three distinct pieces—the LT63, LC31 and LS31—that easily stack on each other or next to one another to create a large or small furniture system. With the Link Series, you have the freedom to create the best combination for your particular space. Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$$ Traditional Posted Tue Dec 9, 2008, 6:11 PM ET — By Jamie Sorcher
For married couples or any two people who live together, life always seems to be a series of compromises. When this Omaha, Nebraska, homeowner built his dream theater, he not only put on an addition to the house for his theater, but he added a room right above it for his wife. Jim Wichita, of Omaha-based The Sound Environment, handled the install. “Mr. homeowner wanted the ultimate home theater, and Mrs. homeowner wanted a gathering room,” says Wichita, with a laugh. Filed Under: Equipment $$$ Posted Thu Dec 4, 2008, 4:27 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
Long before the iPod gained dominance as the defacto portable media device, audiophiles were voicing their concerns about where the music world might be headed with the popularity of lowfi MP3 music files. For some the introduction of Krell's S-300i Integrated Amplifier, which interfaces with the iPod, could be seen as a "if you can't beat them join them" strategy. A different perspective would be that the iPod is no longer considered a lowfi product. Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$ Posted Tue Dec 2, 2008, 5:12 PM ET — By Jamie Sorcher
For parents who want peace of mind, there’s no better solution than constructing a game room/home theater where all the neighborhood kids want to hang out. That is exactly what one Frisco, Texas, homeowner and professional home builder did, and the results have been a slam dunk. Project manager Randy Garcia of Audio Video Innovations in Houston, TX, says the installation allows the family’s three boys to always invite their friends over to watch movies or play video games instead of going out somewhere. Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$$ Posted Fri Nov 28, 2008, 3:26 PM ET — By Jamie Sorcher
Most 18-year-olds grapple with the usual burning questions, like what to do after college graduation, what career path to follow, or even where to live. But college drop-out Gurbaksh “G” Chahal, an Internet entrepreneur (founder of BlueLithium and ClickAgents), already had several million dollars in the bank by that time. He was also on his way to even greater success. In the last year, he signed a book deal, and releases his memoir, The Dream. Today, G owns a lavish $6.5-million penthouse in San Francisco that overlooks the San Francisco Bay. Three luxury apartments were combined for the residence, which totals 3,300 square feet. G had the privilege of being the first person to reside in the tower since Fox studios filmed a reality TV show about him and this space earlier in the year. To be camera ready, the penthouse got the full red-carpet treatment with an over-the-top budget and a cadre of decorators, painters, electricians, and architects working around the clock. Filed Under: Installer Profiles $$$ Pro Interiors Contemporary Posted Tue Nov 25, 2008, 3:54 PM ET — By Jamie Sorcher
Constructing a theater from scratch in a custom-built home can be a challenge, but remodeling a room in an established home can sometimes be even more demanding. That was the case with this 7,800-square-foot home in Siesta Key, Florida. For the second remodel in its 26-year existence, the homeowner called in custom builder, Rick Oswald, owner of OZ Build and Design, based in Sarasota, FL, to fashion a theater on the home’s second floor. Ryk Schoonheim, owner of Sarasota-based Sights, Sounds, and Such then outfitted the room with the latest gear. Filed Under: How To Posted Fri Nov 21, 2008, 6:29 PM ET — By Gary Altunian
Recently I sat down with Anthony Grimani, President of PMI, Ltd., an acoustics consulting firm, to discuss room acoustics and home theater design.
GA: Anthony, please start by explaining the services offered by your company, PMI, Ltd. Filed Under: Reader Interiors $$$ Contemporary Posted Wed Nov 19, 2008, 3:51 PM ET — By Bill DiPoalo
Nine years ago, my wife and I had our home custom-built on an isolated 11-acre lot. The theater room continues to evolve into the vision I had back then. I wouldn’t say that it’s entirely completed, but it’s definitely fully functional and a pleasure to use and entertain in. Filed Under: Installer Profiles $$$ Traditional Posted Fri Nov 14, 2008, 7:49 PM ET — By Krissy Rushing
Shannon McGinnis is one of the few people who has found that his hobby/avocation is also his vocation. In 1997, he started his Custom Electronics Design and Installation company as a one-person operation; it has grown to include three additional installers at present. Home Technology Systems, Inc., currently provides Wichita, Kansas, and the surrounding areas with a single-source solution for all custom home and small business electronics needs and desires, including home theater, systems integration, lighting control, structured cabling, multiroom audio, and security. Filed Under: Reader Interiors Casual Posted Thu Nov 13, 2008, 4:46 PM ET — By Tim Ending
Back in 2004 when we purchased our current house, we couldn’t have predicted what we were in for. Being previous renters, we had no real experience as to the ins and outs of home ownership. In New England, most houses are old. In our case, the particular house we bought was built in 1901. Granted, the house was well maintained and was, thankfully, structurally sound. We moved in and, with little time and much fanfare, proceeded to brand the house with our own tattoos of individual taste. Unfortunately for my wife, I was not prepared to be an armchair house decorator, so being actively involved meant that we sometimes disagreed on things like design styles, color schemes, or furniture choices. But overall, I have to say we always came to either a compromise or mutual agreement. My pet project was the audio/video system—something I had long ago visualized with pumping bass and a gazillion gadgets—while hers was the kitchen. Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$$ Installer Profiles Posted Wed Nov 12, 2008, 3:47 PM ET — By Krissy Rushing
A kid who went from racing go-karts at age 7, to becoming the first Rookie of the Year to take home the Shootout victory at the 70-lap Budweiser Shootout, to scoring the highest-points finish ever for a NASCAR rookie in 2006, Denny Hamlin, age 27, is loving life. And with that success has come the means to enjoy his home in a way that suits his ultra-fast-paced lifestyle. For Hamlin, that means technology. Filed Under: Equipment $$$ Posted Mon Nov 3, 2008, 4:20 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
Designer-oriented homeowners have steadily been moving away from large behemoth loudspeakers, opting for hidden solutions. However, for those enthusiasts that still like to show off their electronics, even loudspeakers are getting more stylish. With loudspeakers like MartinLogan's Feature, you can put back the WOW in your AV presentation. The Feature is a fully powered, high-resolution, electrostatic loudspeaker designed for use either on or off-wall for center, front, or surround channel applications. Pictured here it is being used as a center speaker with MartinLogan's breathtaking Purity floor standing electrostatic speakers that make their own statement. Filed Under: Equipment $$ Posted Fri Oct 31, 2008, 3:42 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
There may be plenty of Blu-ray players out there already but Integra believes they have something special to offer their dedicated customers. Known for their premium performance products, Integra releases the DBS-6.9, their first Blu-ray player, which delivers full 1080p video at 24 frames per second, the native frame rate for most original motion pictures and HD content. Filed Under: News Furniture Posted Tue Oct 28, 2008, 6:03 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
Nothing makes a statement like personalizing your interior decor with Auralex Acoustics SonicPrint ProPanels. These acoustic absorptive panels are covered in a special fabric designed to improve the sound of your home theater or media room. The SonicPrint panels help control excessive reverberation and room ring that are caused by hard surfaces like drywall, concrete or wood. Strategically placing these panels on the walls will absorb unwanted sound energy and optimize the acoustical properties of your room, providing more accurate and undistorted sound throughout the listening area. Filed Under: Equipment $$$ Contemporary Posted Thu Oct 23, 2008, 12:31 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
For a bold statement, the designer loudspeakers from NACSound will surely get noticed and compliment the most daring contemporary décors. Direct from Italy, these handmade custom speakers are distributed in the US and Canada by Sonance, a leader in custom hidden solutions for loudspeakers. The NACSound for Sonance speakers are hardly meant to be hidden and in fact, should be prominently displayed. Filed Under: Equipment $ Posted Tue Oct 21, 2008, 6:19 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
The remarkably low-priced $1099 InFocus X9 makes high definition projection a no brainer. This latest DLP projector offers native 720p resolution, 1800 lumens, and 2500:1 contrast ratio with a maximum image of almost 30 feet. The projector also features DLP's BrilliantColor™ image processing technology to improve optical efficiency and provide a wider color gamut.
|
|
