Alexandre Beaudoin Bonotto Blog's: Best Contemporary Smart Home, Silver and Bronze Winners, More Than $150,000

Wednesday, 17 October 2018

Best Contemporary Smart Home, Silver and Bronze Winners, More Than $150,000

Silver Winner: Ultra-Modern Amenities Artfully Enhance NYC Residence

For this project that Rich AV Design outfitted on New York City’s Upper West Side, the owner had purchased three units for renovation into one and wanted a Savant system solution similar to the one in family’s existing home, only with some extra technology. The integrator collaborated with the client’s interior designer, Nick Deramo of Ingro Inc., through the Highline Construction Company, to execute their vision.

“We focused on combining technology and style. This meant working with some untraditional partners and unique installation techniques for a sleek, modern look,” says Rich AV Design owner Josh Rich.

For example, a Ketra lighting system was a high priority. Ketra automatically adjusts color temperature according to outside light to regulate the family’s circadian rhythm, Rich explains, like blue hues enabling natural relaxation; also, Ketra brings stylistic benefits, like the 2,000 color-changing LEDs that create art in the grand foyer.

Decorative mounts for Savant sunshades and Lutron blackout shades with in-wall recessed side channels combine form and function for automated window treatments accessing the Manhattan skyline. Aesthetic matters also included using Trufig for all keypads, outlets and iPorts to create sleek control framework, Rich notes.

Stealth Acoustics Invisible speakers tap into the Savant multiroom audio system, while TruAudio soundbars add to the setups for surround sound in the living and family rooms. The living room has a 75-inch TV within marble framing while the family room has an 85-inch TV in a custom A/V cabinet.

Systems & Equipment

Savant controls
Lutron lighting control
Ketra, DMX, Dali fixtures
Savant, Lutron shades
Stealth Acoustics, TruAudio speakers
Sony, LG TVs
Access Networks, Ruckus network
SurgeX UPS

Bronze Winner: Installation Tricks Hide Treasure Trove of A/V Riches

photography by Benjamin Edelstein

Where does one’s jaw begin to drop after entering this 11,000-square-foot modern marvel of a residence overlooking the intercoastal waters of Miami? Integrator MAXICON outfitted seven bedrooms, family room, dining room, living room, dedicated theater, gym, and outdoor pool, terrace and cabana.

For starters, automation and security touches begin with the gate and door intercom remotely accessible and controllable from a smartphone as part of the Savant control system. The first floor offers several highlights and ways Lutron shades take on importance.

In the home theater — which includes Sony projector, Seymour screen, Klipsch speakers and Kaleidescape server — the drapery gray blackout fabric shades ensure the darkest viewing environment. Elsewhere, individually controllable blackouts and sheers allow sunlight when desired. They’re key in the family room, which offers dual viewing options — the new Samsung Frame TV, as well as a concealed projection system prepped to drop from the ceiling at the touch of a button.

The second floor takes guests into another media room, featuring a Leon Speakers soundbar and 65-inch TV. The master suite includes a 75-inch ceiling-stowed TV, and Origin Acoustics in-ceiling speakers and Sony TV in the master bath. An outdoor seating area pipes music into Sonance outdoor speakers.

Finally, there’s the high-tech gym. “Once you enter into this modernistic space the only thing left is a great workout with the Peloton Bikes while watching the latest sports news on the 55-inch flushed-mounted TV,” says MAXICON’s Jessica Persyko.

Systems & Equipment

Savant controls