Today's Multi-purpose Media Spaces Make It Your Choice

What’s the difference between a media room and a home theater? In your home, you get to decide. Some like the traditional home theater, a room purpose-built to deliver a cinematic experience at home. Others like a multi-purpose media room where the family can watch a movie, Dad can host friends for NFL Sunday games, Mom can binge the latest Netflix can't-miss series, and the kids can engross themselves in their favorite games until parents pull them away. So whether you call it a home theater or a media room for your Burr Ridge, IL, home, it's a place for immersive entertainment with the best audio and video experience in the house. Let's explore the current trends in multi-purpose media rooms below. 

Create Your Ideal AV Setting

A home theater is more than just a place to watch movies—it’s a space where you can immerse yourself in the action and enjoy your favorite films, shows, and sports events in unparalleled comfort.

The perfect home theater design is key to creating an ultimate viewing experience that rivals any commercial cinema. Below, we explore the essential elements to consider when transforming your Chicago, IL, home theater into the entertainment space of your dreams.

Keep reading for more!

The Power of Limitless High-Quality Content for Your Home Entertainment

 Many homeowners throughout Chicago, IL, are turning to custom home theaters for their home entertainment. Custom home theaters are designed for the activities that you and your family enjoy. For many, that means creating a space where you become immersed in the latest blockbuster. Others may love their own personal big screen to binge-watch their current series, play a round of Fortnite, or relax amidst high-fidelity surround sound of their favorite tune. 

Custom home theaters are designed to help you escape into new worlds. With a large selection of content in the best formats available, it’s easy to find the best film, music, or song to create the ideal entertainment haven in your home. 

And that’s where Kaleidescape comes in. 

This movie server upgrades the experience by bringing the best images and sound to the screen. We’ll explore the benefits of this technology here. 

Yes! Let Barrett’s Technology Solutions Incorporate Innovative Tech into Union Pier Properties

Imagine a home that perfectly aligns with your schedule. It can adjust the temperature based on your personal preferences and adapt the lighting and shading to create the perfect ambiance—all while saving energy and reducing your monthly utility bills. 

While this may seem too good to be true, luckily, it isn’t. It is the modern luxury experience home automation companies like Barrett’s Barrett’s Technology Solutions can offer. We expertly blend convenience, elegance, and sustainability into one seamless technology experience. Adding a smart home system improves your life in Union Pier and makes your home more energy-efficient.

Let’s explore the topic below.

Create the Ideal Home Audio-Video System

Selecting the right audio-video system is crucial for creating the perfect home entertainment experience. However, with so many options on the market, choosing the best setup can be overwhelming.

To help you navigate the decision-making process, we've put together a Q&A addressing the most important factors to consider when selecting a home audio-video system. Keep reading for more on creating the ultimate media space for you and your family!

Chicago's Top Technology Integrator Recognized for Its Commitment to Excellence 

Each year, CEDIA honors integrators, manufacturers, and individuals who have made significant contributions to the custom technology industry. The awards go to those who elevate the standards of home technology integration. While there are some for specific installations (like media rooms or smart homes), we're proud to announce our recognition for our standout services across the board.

Barrett’s Technology Solutions was named the winner of the 2024 Excellence in Business category, which recognizes companies that showcase strong business practices, outstanding client service, great workplace cultures, and strategic planning. 

"Barrett's has been a proud member of CEDIA for many years, and we are truly honored to receive this prestigious award," said Barrett's President, Brian Perrault. "It stands as a testament to the hard work our team puts in every day, as well as our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and ongoing support to our clients." 

An Inside Look at Barrett’s Technology Solutions’ Exclusive Lighting Lab Event for Chicago’s Top Designers and Architects

When creating a truly extraordinary living space, lighting is everything. This is not just mere illumination; lighting sets the mood, creates ambiance, and brings out the best of a home's architecture and decor. At Barrett's Technology Solutions, we understand this, and that's why we created a unique demonstration experience showcasing the latest technology and techniques in lighting control systems and design. 

Recently, we hosted a two-day event that brought together top architects, designers, and contractors from the Chicago area to discuss the latest innovations in lighting. In this blog, we’ll take you behind the scenes of this exclusive event and show you how Barrett’s is helping our clients and partners take full advantage of lighting technology in their projects. 

Explore Hidden Technology and Séura Mirror TVs

As we head toward 2025, the interior design trend known as minimalism continues to redefine our living spaces. As it reshapes toward a more personalized approach, with some bright and bold designs displacing neutral creams and whites, today’s minimalism is a combination of functionality, serenity, and beauty. It’s about living a joy-filled life and surrounding yourself with the things that you love.

The challenge for interior designers is technology. The convenience, comfort, and incredible experiences home technology provides are hard not to love. Yet, as the possibilities in home entertainment explode and more smart devices for home solutions enter the market, AV and automated systems begin taking over the once-clean lines and elegant simplicity of luxury homes. 

At Barrett’s Technology Solutions, we’re committed to providing our clients with the latest technology that defines ease of living and enjoyment while retaining their homes’ aesthetics. You can live a life filled with the benefits of automation, stunning images, and breathtaking sound in every room of your home. The key is hidden technology.

One of our partners and favorite brands in this space is Séura Mirror TVs. Let’s explore what they offer homeowners in Union Pier, MI. 

Managing Your Home’s Energy Effortlessly

Savant is a luxury home automation platform known for its customization and the ability to scale up for large luxury estates. In 2021, it came out with Savant Power and changed the face of smart home energy systems. 

The Savant Power System is the ultimate smart energy management solution for your Chicago, IL, home. While several of these systems are on the market, Savant Power has given homeowners control at the circuit level and, as Savant does, created scenes that let homeowners direct their energy at the touch of a button. Let’s explore what this means and why it places Savant at the top of the pack.

SEE ALSO: Barrett’s: Your Elite Smart Home Company Partner in Chicago

Managing the Power Grid

Numerous systems, like Savant, offer solar power and battery storage. As the sun creates energy, it’s stored in batteries, enabling homeowners to use its power when it best suits them. Green energy becomes available 24/7, accessed with the tap of an icon on a smartphone app.

Controlling Your Home’s Energy Usage

Savant goes a step further by using sensors and controllers built into smart modules that are inserted into your home’s existing circuit breaker. Via the Savant app, you can see which circuits use the most energy, including how much each appliance uses, and turn them on and off from anywhere.

Protect Your Wisconsin Home While You’re Home or Away

Peace of mind comes from knowing that your high-end lake house in Lake Geneva, WI, is secure. At Barrett's Technology Solutions, we understand the unique needs of luxury homeowners who rent out their properties, and we offer security camera systems designed to protect valuable assets while blending seamlessly with a home's aesthetics. 

Discover how our advanced solutions can safeguard your rental property and provide the ultimate comfort and convenience.

Enhancing Your Home Aesthetics with Thoughtful Lighting Design

Lighting is crucial in home aesthetics, influencing how your living spaces feel and function. DMF Lighting offers innovative solutions that enhance both the beauty and practicality of your Oak Brook, IL, home.

Understanding the "zones of vision" principles can significantly improve your overall lighting design, creating better, more functional living spaces across your property. Want to learn more about creating this ideal lighting design and setup? Read more below!

Transforming Your Experience with Natural and Electric Light

Today’s lighting designer incorporates stunning lighting and elegant controls to create a seamless experience that enhances your home’s environment in remarkable ways. At Barrett’s Technology Solutions, a Lutron shade dealer serving Chicago, we partner with global leaders in lighting design and control while collaborating with electricians to ensure predictable outcomes you can rely on. 

Are you ready to uplevel your design and enhance your everyday experience? With automated shades and lighting, you can transform the atmosphere in a heartbeat. Let’s discover the possibilities.

Discover how our high-end solutions and in-depth expertise can transform your projects from day one!

Since 1966, Barrett's Technology Solutions has been a trusted name in the smart home technology business in Chicago, IL. Renowned for our commitment to integrating advanced solutions from the very beginning of every project, we go beyond what the typical smart home company does, and we collaborate closely with designers, architects, and other professionals from the project's conception. This early involvement ensures that technology seamlessly blends with the overall design, creating a harmonious and innovative living space.

Keep reading this blog to learn more about our unique role in making luxury experiences a reality!

Create the Ideal Living Spaces with Ease

Home automation has become integral to modern living, and homeowners expect the latest technology in their new builds! From smart lighting and climate control to whole-home security systems and voice-activated assistants, the demand for connected homes is skyrocketing.

For designers, architects, and contractors, meeting this demand requires a deep understanding of home automation systems and the expertise to integrate them seamlessly into new builds. This is where partnering with a home automation integrator becomes invaluable. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of working with our team!

Explore the Solutions that Combine High Performance with Sophisticated Aesthetics! 

A beautifully landscaped backyard is your personal oasis. It offers a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Whether you're hosting a summer barbecue for your friends, enjoying a quiet evening under the stars with your family, or simply relaxing with a book on your own, the right soundtrack can elevate the experience. However, what happens when you want to combine the joys of nature with the fun of your favorite music and podcasts? Many homeowners are hesitant to add high-quality audio equipment into their outdoor spaces because they don’t want to disrupt their nature-focused aesthetics with technology.

Fortunately, with the right outdoor speakers, you can have the best of both worlds and enjoy superior sound while maintaining the beauty of your backyard. So, if you find yourself googling “backyard audio solutions near me” in hopes an AV company can help you find the right technology, keep reading to find out more about the innovative devices that can beautify the outdoor areas in your Oak Brook, IL, home.

Treat Your Family and Friends to Luxury Outdoor Comfort

Extending Chicago living areas into the great outdoors is more popular than ever. These are the spaces where you gather with family and friends, enjoying good food and drinks and long conversations amidst nature’s beauty. For some, it also means integrating the latest outdoor entertainment with concert-quality audio systems and outdoor TVs that deliver breathtaking images. 

Others prefer a quiet retreat, a personal oasis with fountains and firepits amidst relaxing and beautiful landscapes. No matter your preference in outdoor design, there is one item that ensures greater comfort and convenience, particularly in the windy city. That item is outdoor shades.

At Barrett’s Technology Solutions, we partner with industry leaders in outdoor automatic shades. Let’s explore what they offer and how they make outdoor living that much better.

Discover the Best in Outdoor Entertainment and Relaxation 

It’s that time of year when we spring-clean our patio furniture and grills in preparation for the festivities of another beautiful outdoor season. Whether you enjoy extravagant garden parties, poolside barbeques, or relaxing in a hammock under a full moon, now’s the time to create the space you’ve dreamed of in your Hinsdale home.

Here, we’ll explore the many ways people are transforming their outdoor areas from party central to a quiet retreat and an oasis after dark. No matter your inclination, creating inviting spaces that offer the best in outdoor living is good for the mind, body, and soul. Extending the celebration into the night requires today’s outdoor lighting.

The Perfect Pairings for Outdoor Gatherings: Good Food, Wine, and Music

You can always tell when spring has arrived in Chicago, IL. Bicyclists appear en masse, emerging from winter’s slumber with a smile. Cottontail rabbits start popping up everywhere and Michigan Avenue brings its stunning display of tulips. Spring is here!

While it’s not quite time for summer festivals, it is time to consider your first spring gathering with friends and family. Yes, it’s time to prepare our backyards for the coming months of outdoor dining, barbecues, pool parties, and quiet nights under a full moon. 

To provide some inspiration, we’re exploring how to elevate your first outdoor get-together with great food, excellent wine pairings, and an outdoor audio system that will create an unforgettable ambiance your friends will long remember. 

Experiencing the Best in Home Entertainment

For many, a home theater brings to mind a room with enhanced acoustics, in-ceiling surround sound speakers, brilliant images on a wall-sized movie screen, and tiered custom recliners. It’s an entertainment space that rivals the commercial venues in Lincoln Park, IL.

Others envision wide open spaces, movies under the stars, and surround sound technology that fills the air. For those people, nothing quite compares to an outdoor theater system. 

Let’s explore the state-of-the-art AV, lighting, and smart technology that helps our team at Barrett’s Technology Solutions turn backyards into masterpieces of outdoor entertainment—a customized oasis of enchantment, intrigue, and fun.

Creating a Greener Chicago Home with Smart Technology

Many homeowners are looking for opportunities to reduce their energy consumption, whether due to environmental concerns or wanting to lessen their reliance on the grid. To accomplish this, they’re turning to renewable energy and sustainable solutions. One of the leaders in this sector is the Savant Power System, an energy management solution that allows you to live a life of luxury while reducing your carbon footprint. 

Here, we’ll take a closer look into this remarkable system and what it offers homes in Chicago, IL.