On one of the oldest waterfront properties on Lake Minnetonka sits a home that is decisively modern, but it would be hard to notice with how well Lelch Audio Video hides the smart tech at play. That’s because the owner of the home, architect Charles Stinson, wanted to ensure that in creating a versatile space, the technology used wouldn’t impede upon the expansive views and natural beauty.
“Due to the home’s tight spaces and the client’s design-focused priorities, we faced a few unique challenges ensuring our technology systems camouflaged with the rest of the home’s interiors,” says Alex Lelchuk, founder, Lelch Audio Video. “All these challenges required extensive project management, oversight, and communication both in person as well as via email, text and Slack.”
With this in mind, the team prioritized more design-forward technology that either made a small footprint within the home or could otherwise be easily concealed. Control4 was selected to created a system to control security, shading and HVAC. Lutron, meanwhile, provided the lighting system, which the client could control through discreet keypads and a central kitchen iPad.
“The Lutron lighting system combined with DMF Lighting fixtures deliver a perfect blend of technology and functionality,” he notes. “The client is able to only use lights as needed with custom scenes that dim lights during different times of the day to accommodate their needs while only going up to 80% in the evening to conserve energy and set the right mood.”
Glass Walls Pose a Unique Challenge for Audio
In embracing natural light and expansive views of natural splendor, the house employed heavy use of glass wall enclosure, particularly in the aptly named great room and sunroom. The design left ample room for scenery, but not much else, as Lelchuk quickly found out.
“We had to add a Leon Media Décor Art Screen system over a fireplace with a really low profile, leaving us less than a quarter of an inch to fit the display,” he mentions of that installation obstacle.
“The glass exterior walls posed another problem when calibrating the surround sound in the main room, particularly when it came to the subwoofer. To optimize audio quality, we went with a low-profile Millenia subwoofer from Paradigm and in-wall and in-ceiling speakers from Sonance.”
Sonance architectural speakers were also employed for distributed audio, as Lelch Audio Video installed them in the square grille aesthetic to match the DMF lights in the kitchen and concealed them behind Snap-Tex acoustical panels everywhere else.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister site CE Pro.
