Some projects are years in the making. That was the case for a project designed by Vision Audio of Lubbock, Texas. But these projects can also pay off. The immense installation the company performed, for an almost palatial residence in their own hometown, won the company the 2009 Windows Media Center Ultimate Install Contest, which is annually awarded by the Media Center Integrator Alliance (MCIA) and Microsoft.

BodySound has come up with a solution for consumers who prefer to keep in-room speakers excluded from their theater décor. The company has created a line of specialty furniture that eliminates the need for in-room speakers. The line is comprised of a variety of fine leather seating—from armchairs to loveseats. Each of their seats has a 7-speaker personalized surround sound system.

Talk of the Town, a norther New Jersey dealer with showrooms in Allendale and Hoboken, hosts a special event today, called "The Automated Home," for local architects and designers. New York Spaces magazine, is co-hosting the event and the night will feature socializing and demonstrations on how home theater and automation technology can fit into architectural and interior design.

The unique thing about Inca's new mount (model P/N 900810-5A-WPS) is that you build it right into the actual wall, making for a n extremely slim and customized look. It's fully motorized and comes with an RF remote to automatically extend the TV into the desired position. The mount is designed for flat panel TVs that weigh up to 100 pounds and a cable management system is built inside. Plus, an optional wall mounting pictures frames are available to ‘frame’ your flat-screen TV when it is stowed against the wall.

Home theater companies looking to expand their profit centers were running into a problem when it came to star ceilings. Such products can be fantastic, but the installation time required installing a star ceiling cost valuable man-hours and left companies with a small profit.

“Inspiration Comes Naturally” is the slogan at Coutura Design Inspirations; a design center in Colorado Springs, CO that provides its patrons with all of their residential design needs. The facility caters to people looking to equip or renovate their homes with the best-of-the-best, and they do this by creating showrooms and “vignette” areas to display the upscale merchandise they have to offer.

An award-winning designer who values the team approach to residential design.

Lori Carroll knows how to work with A/V professionals. In the previous 
issue we wrote about a project she completed with ASL Home Entertainment Group, a stunning installation known as the Pima Canyon installation. It was an elaborate home theater project 
completed for a wealthy resident of Tucson, Arizona, where Carroll is based.

A new showroom for L&M Home Entertainment attracts higher wealth clientele. There was a time when some dealers, who concentrated on only installation and did not run a retail business, didn't bother having a showroom. They were getting enough work and, besides, operating a showroom space can be expensive. But more and more dealers are realizing that a showroom is an essential marketing tool for the business, because nothing sells custom installation like an actual experience.