You might love your media and entertainment, but also hate the clutter it creates.  With the excess equipment and audio video components, it can all be quite distracting from the film or show in front of you.  Plus, when you’re not watching a movie, these products might still be out and going unused during the day or when you have guests.  But with hidden audio video, your media room or home theater can serve an abundance of purposes in your Dallas, TX home.  Read on to learn more about veiling these smart technology features within your interior design.

Hide your Screens

There’s no doubt about it – 4K Ultra HD TVs are ideal in every way for your movie nights and viewing experiences.  But often times, they are extremely wide and take up a large amount of space.  We’ve listed out below several ways to hide your TV screen in your entertainment center.

• Moving Panels: You can feel like you’re in the future with wall panels.  Place your favorite piece of artwork or a picture frame on the panel, so when the TV is not in use, you have a nice addition to the room’s décor.  Then, when it’s time to binge-watch a series or film franchise – press a button, have the panel slide up, and enjoy.
• Furniture Lifts: Incorporate your TV into an actual piece of furniture in the room. The screen can slide up and down out of a TV cabinet or a table countertop, and will effortlessly appear when you are ready to view it.
• Ceiling Lifts: A ceiling lift allows a TV to hang up horizontally above its normal display area. Simply press a button on your smart device, and watch as the screen zooms down from the ceiling and vertically into place.

SEE ALSO: ENJOY FOOTBALL SEASON WITH THE LATEST AUDIO VIDEO TECH

Now for the Audio

You want your speakers to give you the best sound quality available.  This means no obstructions or hindrances to muffle them.  But speakers can be bulky and mess with your room’s style.  Now you don’t have to compromise your taste for quality!  Hidden wall speakers mean the product can be carefully placed within your wall, taking up hardly any space.  You can conceal the speakers’ looks and still hear their top-notch sounds.

If you don’t mind how standard speakers look, but still want them not to take up too much space, then bookshelf speakers are a viable option as well.  You get amazing, high-end sound quality, similar to larger and more predominant floor-standing speakers, but are instead able to place these on top of bookshelves or cabinets – eliminating the amount of room they would normally take up.

Smart home automation is a term that’s thrown around a lot, but isn’t well understood. What’s the difference between smart home automation and smart home control? What are the best technologies to make your Colleyville, TX home into a smart home? If you’d like to know the answers to any of these questions, keep reading!

Defining Smart Home Automation

Smart home automation refers to the process of upgrading different aspects of your home – lights, window shades, entertainment systems, etc. – to be part of the Internet of Things. Essentially, these home components are now able to be controlled via any internet-connected device. The next step is to then connect all of these devices into one complete ecosystem that works automatically to keep your home in the perfect environment for safety, comfort, energy efficiency, and beauty.

SEE ALSO: Frequently Asked Questions about Smart Home Automation

The Difference Between Smart Home Automation and Smart Home Control

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. However, most smart home systems use a combination of automation and control. It all boils down to how you want the devices to act throughout the day. 

If you have window shades that detect that too much solar heat gain is causing your home’s air conditioner to work harder than it should have to, those window shades could automatically close to block out the sun. That’s smart home automation because you didn’t have to do anything to achieve that effect. The system intelligently chose the right action to keep your home energy efficient. 

Extraordinary floor-to-ceiling windows and glass walls have become the norm for modern homes these days.  The glass panes are optimal for scenic views and letting in the day’s natural lighting.  But often, they can be a hindrance for privacy and let in the sun’s ray that might damage your interior décor.   Motorized shades can easily solve the issue, and provide a comfortable and practical feel to your living area.  Read on to learn why smart window shades are the perfect fit for you Dallas, TX home.

SEE ALSO: WHICH TYPE OF MOTORIZED SHADES IS RIGHT FOR YOU HOME?

Motorized is the Way

Your lofty windows are stunning, but perhaps not when you’re attempting to manage their shades.  You want to lower them with ease when the sun is directly hitting your living room, or open them up without thinking twice in the morning.  With regular shades, the latter would be a tricky feat to accomplish without spilling your coffee.  But motorized shades take the difficulty out of the equation; all that’s required is the push of a button.  And if you know certain hours of the day you’d like the shades adjusted, then you can set them to work automatically without another thought to it.

Blend In or Stand Out

When enjoying the view from your glass walls or high window fixtures, normal blinds and shades can be distracting.  They don’t blend well with the rest of your interior, and often still prove a noticeable problem when you pull them out of the way.  Specific motorized shades, such as roller or honeycomb style, will ensure that when they are drawn up – you won’t realize they are there until you lower them back down.  These shades roll up into the wall above the window, disappearing completely until you are ready to have them back.  Want the added decoration that lovely patterns and fabrics motorize shades can offer?  That’s always an option too.  Whatever fits your home’s design and your taste, there is a window treatment style for you.

Doubling up

Often, we want the best that both worlds can deliver – and choosing for elegant glass windows shouldn’t be any different.  With motorized shading, you don’t have to compromise.  In one room, you might wish for privacy as you read or lounge about on the sofa.  But other days, you want to enjoy the view and the sun’s light.  Blackouts shades might be a great option for when your family is watching a film in the living room, but not when you have guests over the next day.  Double roller shades are the ideal solution.  Dual-shading means two shading styles and two options to always have on hand for your window treatments.  Choose between UV ray protection, view preservation, blackout, and more.  Now you can determine the lighting and ambiance of every room of the house with ease and without settling.

During football season, you know how important it is to make sure everyone catches each impressive play and suspenseful moment of the big game.  But there’s nothing worse than garbled audio and a glitch-riddled screen to ruin the fun.  Give you and your guests the ultimate game day experience in your Dallas, TX home with an elevated audio video system.  Read on to learn why your upgraded media room is the perfect place to enjoy football with friends and family this fall.

New AV Technology

The next best thing to standing in the stadium with your sportswear and team gear on is reveling in an immersive experience at home with your bowl of buffalo chicken dip.  But with the latest audio video tech available, being at home might just jump to first place.  With a 4K Ultra High-Definition flat screen or projector, you’ll feel like you’re right there cheering your team on – in the comfort of your own home.  4K guarantees a crisp and clear picture quality, and lets you get as close to the screen as you need to without worrying about seeing the individual pixels. 

Installing a surround sound system will also ensure that you never miss a commentary or call.  You can enjoy everything about the stadium experience, but on your comfy sofa surrounded by your fellow fans.

SEE ALSO: GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH AN AUDIO/VIDEO SYSTEM UPGRADE

Rid Yourself of the Glare

Imagine your team is about to score a touchdown, but then the sun shines intensely into the living room – causing a major glare on the screen and hindering your view completely.  You might think there’s not much to be done against the sun’s power without a huge hassle involved.  But motorized shades can make sure you never miss a beat. 

With a single push of a button, lower the shades so that no light touches the TV, or have automatic sensors cause the shades to automatically roll down when the sun is shifted to shine directly through your windows.  Take the control into your hands, and only worry about refilling your guests’ drinks and plates.

Double the Screens

With so many games to stay on top of, you might find not every viewer is in agreement over which to catch up on and watch.  Multiple screens are guaranteed to keep everyone happy and up to date on the various games.  With more than one screen, the opportunities are endless.  You can install an outdoor TV with a weather-proof and glare-free screen.  If your friends are grilling and tailgating on the patio, then you can easily pop into the kitchen for more dishes and never miss a moment on your media or kitchen’s TV.  Having more screens means more game-watching capabilities, and less time figuring out what channel to switch back to.

Upgrading to a smart home might already seem like a daunting task, with plenty of steps to take before you get there.  With so much at hand, you need a company that makes the planning and designing simple for you, and is most importantly, looking out for your best interests.  Finding a low voltage contractor to install or add to your home solutions should be the easy part, but for many homeowners, it’s tough to know which companies are worth considering.  Here are the simple steps to take to find the perfect home automation company to assist all your endeavors for your Colleyville, TX home.

1. License to Install

While low voltage licensing is not a requirement in Texas except for companies who install security and alarm systems, if do you want any security features in your smart home, you’ll definitely want to make sure that the home automation company you’re working with has required their contractors to have low voltage licenses. 

Obtaining the license requires many hours of training and a passing score on a thorough exam that ensures the installer knows the proper safety, regulations, and building codes.  Knowing your contractor has this low voltage license means you won’t have to worry if they’re qualified – they will be guaranteed to do the job right and safely the first time around.

SEE ALSO: 3 REASONS TO CHOOSE SAVANT FOR SMART HOME AUTOMATION

2. Insurance is a Must

You never know what can happen – unwarranted and unexpected obstacles and events happen every day on the job.  When things go wrong, insurance is the answer.  If your home automation company is missing that, mark them off your list.  If an installer or worker is injured at your house, you could be held responsible.  With an insured company, you are no longer liable.  You can stop expecting the unexpected and leave any issues for the company to solve and settle.