Multi-Use Rooms Vs. Dedicated Theatres

Whether your project involves renovation or new construction, including a home theatre begins a series of other decisions. In order to specify and install optimal systems, all involved need to understand what the space will be used for. If the home theatre is dedicated only to movie watching, some things to consider would be control of the light in the room and seating distances from the display; however, if it will also accommodate family time or gaming, then more room would be needed in front of the seating for activities and game controller connections.

As design professionals, then, you need to consider the ability of your partners to anticipate these questions and ask them at the right time, before the design is final. It is okay to not have all of the answers to technical questions as long as you have the right people standing in the wings ready to help. Tackling these issues now may prevent an additional renovation later. Beyond having asked the right questions, you’ll also need an expert on your design team to propose resourceful, economic, and versatile solutions.

While the challenge may be as simple as finding a location for a projector in the home theatre, even that can be accomplished in many different ways and not all of those solutions will prove successful over time. You need a partner who understands what the trade-offs look like and can help you and the client navigate them to the right conclusion. The Kiwi Audio Visual web site illustrates the level of expertise in high quality audio visual installations required to ensure successful projects.

Lighting Control And How It Can Lower Your Carbon Footprint And Electricity Bills

An integral part of designing the perfect home these days includes anticipating the family’s needs for lighting. The lighting system creates welcoming and livable spaces, transforming new construction or renovation into a home. Fixtures, lamps, lenses and other accessories need to answer to a wide variety of requirements, while the control system ensures the success of the design.

Lighting control creates the right balance of light for any area of the living space, while avoiding glare. Thus, the occupants can illuminate only the required rooms with lighting designed for their activities. In fact, one control system can handle lighting, HVAC, entertainment and security from integrated keypads anywhere; however, this misses perhaps the most important aspect of lighting control.


As energy becomes more costly we all need to reduce our carbon footprint and overall energy usage. Lighting control systems assist here, too. First, reduce the need for electricity by re-lamping from incandescent to more efficient compact fluorescent lamps. Control systems enable users to run fixtures at less than full capacity, extending lamp life, and reducing consumption and operating costs.


Control systems set light levels and prevent using and paying for more wattage than you need. You can also light and extinguish fixtures remotely and avoid burning lights unnecessarily. Finally, reducing your use of electricity will reduce your utility bills, especially important in today’s economic climate.