The Designer’s Guide to Hidden Technology
Keep Interiors Stylish with Tech that Hides in Plain Sight
As a designer, you strive to strike a balance between form and function. Homes must be functional places for everyday life, but they are also a reflection of your client's taste and lifestyle. One of the biggest challenges in the yin and yang between form and function is how to incorporate technology into your projects cleanly.
Fortunately, while today’s AV and smart technology might be lacking in design aesthetics, there are quite a few ways to conceal it and make it appear on demand. And with smart home automation, making it appear and disappear is even easier for your clients. Let's explore a few ways to use hidden technology in your Chicago, IL, projects to keep them stylish without skimping on the tech and entertainment your clients want.
SEE ALSO: 4 Ways to Hide the Tech in Your AV Installation
TVs and Displays
Today's TVs range up to a massive 100 inches diagonally, taking up significant wall space. When they are off, they might look like a giant black slab. If that doesn't sound palatable, there are alternatives. One is a different style of TV, the Samsung Frame. Samsung designed this TV with special flush mounting, customizable bezels, and a matte screen to make it look like an actual picture frame. When the TV isn't displaying content, it can rotate digital artwork from grand masters to virtually framed family photos, so it never has to be a dull black slab. Another option is the Seura mirror TV, which looks like a decorative mirror when not in use.
Alternatively, you can hide a TV on the wall or in furniture in various ways. Future Automation makes a variety of options, including motorized artwork that can slide vertically or horizontally over a flat panel TV when not in use. A press of a button reveals it when needed. You can also have your TV rise out of a custom console and hide away neatly when you don't want to see it. This is a popular option in bedrooms at the foot of a bed. Want to go further? A motorized mount can hide a TV in the wall or ceiling and twist and whir into place on command.
Speakers
Your clients love great audio, but they might not love speakers everywhere. Fortunately, a plethora of options awaits in architectural speakers, from basic background music to audiophile-grade models. For the ultimate in stealth, Sonance Invisible Series speakers live up to the name, with inset grills that can be finished with various wall paints and treatments. Other options, like James Small Aperture Series, hide the bulk of the speaker in the ceiling and require only small openings that match the lighting apertures to keep ceilings sleek and uncluttered. These and many others offer a range of performance to balance sound quality with aesthetics.
Other options come from custom speaker makers like Leon. You can opt for a bespoke sound bar that perfectly matches the width of a TV screen for a sleek look. You can also choose to flank a TV with custom architectural speakers with frames, grilles, and colors that match the room's finishes. Either way, you can satisfy client desires for superior entertainment with aesthetics that don't upset your carefully curated designs.
Want to learn more about hidden technology options for your projects? Barrett's Technology Solutions has worked with residential designers and builders in the Chicagoland area for decades. To learn more or get started, call us at 630-898-2850 or contact us here—we look forward to working with you!
