Whether it’s star-lit dining al fresco, summer Saturdays splashing around the pool or cocktails by a crackling fire, making the most of your outdoor space has become more popular and more possible than ever before.

According to the 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects, 98.3% of architects reported that their clients are requesting outdoor lighting systems and 97% said outdoor living spaces — kitchens and entertainment areas — are in high demand.  Fire pits/fireplaces, grills and installed seating are also very popular.

And we’re seeing this trend in Westchester County as well.  Our clients want to spend more time outside cooking, dining, entertaining and relaxing.  They want their outdoor spaces to have a sophisticated ambiance that is simple to control. Fortunately, advances in home automation and outdoor technology have made it a breeze to expand interior spaces straight into the great outdoors.

The Ultimate Great Room

Yesterday’s squared off decks and slab patios have given way to spaces that feel and function like the rest of your home’s living spaces — rooms without walls.  With a living room, dining room and kitchen, these outdoor great rooms feature lighting, audio and video on par with the home’s interiors.

In the past, a home theater needed its own room with dedicated space for a screen, projector and theater seating. While this is a great setup that most people would love to have, some people just don’t have the space for it. Enter the media room – a multipurpose room that can be a great space for entertaining guests or an awesome space to kick back and watch a movie with the family.

Movie theaters have been trending more towards a luxury experience for viewers – a bar in the lobby, a meal served at your seat and overstuffed chairs for seating – but nothing beats the comfort of your own home, or the power of the pause button.

Nowadays, it’s becoming more and more popular to turn a living room, family room or playroom into a hybrid theater, or what we call a media room. Media rooms are less likely to have darkly painted walls with no windows, and are more likely to have sofas and chairs that can be easily turned into a comfortable theater, without sacrificing precious space. No matter the size of your home, a complete home theater system can be a reality.

With the increase of availability of new release movies for rental through Apple or Amazon, taking the family to the movies without piling into the car and hunting down the perfect seats seems better and better.

Control

Don’t let the idea of a media room make you think of finding the right cables and fumbling with remotes. Soundworks is here to get rid of the tricky parts with fully integrated lights, audio, shades and video that take you from family room to movie night with one simple touch. How does it sound to press a single button and have the lights dim, shades drop and the hidden projector display a 4k HD image on a hidden drop down screen?

Finally winter is on its way out! With warmer weather comes cocktail parties and barbeques outside. Now is the best time to start thinking about upgrading your back yard to create your own high tech outdoor oasis. Here are the best and most exciting upgrades you can make this spring.

Sensational Speakers

Outdoor entertainment and audio systems have been exploding in popularity over the past few years. Innovative outdoor speaker systems can fill any size yard or estate with high-quality, even sound coverage without visible speakers. In fact, there are lots of options for outdoor speakers that can complement landscape designs, or blend in with your existing outdoor elements. Soundworks, Inc. features custom installation of an array of rock speakers, planter speakers, box speakers, as well as in ground speakers and sub woofers. Choosing an outdoor sound system that works best for you is truly just the beginning to creating a whole new outdoor experience.  

Outdoor Control

Today’s intuitive remote controls make operating your outdoor music system a breeze. Let Soundworks design you an outdoor solution that fills your needs and desires. Whether you are looking to control everything from your smartphone, tablet, or even a weatherproof universal remote, Soundworks has got you covered. A vital component to any backyard getaway is to be sure you have a solid, stable outdoor WiFi system. Don’t have good outdoor WiFi coverage? No sweat, it’s what we do. Technology driven entertainment options designed and installed by Soundworks, Inc. feature innovative solutions from companies like Sonos. Sonos allows you to control multiple audio zones wirelessly and easily with the touch of your finger.

Savant Integration

In addition to Sonos, Soundworks, Inc. offers other entertainment options from Savant. Savant is an Apple based smart home technology solution that can provide complete home automation. Retrofitting your existing home to include a Savant system is a non-invasive (minimal wiring needed) way to achieve a fully integrated control system for your home and yard. With a Savant system you can also automate your spa or pool, setting the perfect temperature and jet pressure in seconds.  Add in the perfect ambiance and integrate a lighting system from Lutron. Set the tone for a romantic evening in the backyard or a fun night by the pool with the family. With Savant, the possibilities are endless. Who’s ready?

Soundworks, Inc. is proud to present a special offering for our customers – Cinema One! Through February 28th, a limited edition version of Cinema One will be available with 50 preloaded premium movies.

Kaleidescape Cinema One is the new, high-tech way to watch all your movies – from your own collection or the Kaleidescape store – in the highest quality video and sound possible.

A great way to bring the family together for movie nights and watch your favorite movies the way they were meant to be watched, Cinema One is sure to please everyone.

Here’s why we think this limited edition of Cinema One is so awesome!