Best Technology Meets Design winner achieves the perfect balance — a modern interior infused with smart home solutions.
Residing just outside of Denver, Colorado, this contemporary home includes many features that accentuate the family’s lifestyle and hobbies, such as a home theater, a golf simulator, and a wine cellar. The homeowners knew this would become their forever home from the evergreen design and tailored characteristics that would cater to lives today and in the future.
The challenge
After falling in love with the clean lines, natural light, and modern design, these homeowners finalized the home’s purchase and wanted to add an automation system that could tackle security and access control as well as whole-home lighting and distributed AV. With their rather extensive wishlist for control features, some creative retrofits would be needed to polish off this recently completed construction.
The solution
As a referral from the realtor, the homeowners decided to partner with integrator Quality Audio Video (QAV), who could deliver upon their automation requests with the Crestron Home® platform. By choosing Crestron Home OS, QAV was able to incorporate all the features rapidly due to the ease of programming and configuration allowing the homeowners to get into their forever home quicker than anticipated.
The technology
The entire home was retrofitted to include a user-friendly Crestron Home system, Crestron Horizon® keypads, and whole-home lighting. Black beams and matching window furnishings create a nice contrast to the bright walls and daylight that seeps into the seamless open floorplan that brings the kitchen, living room, and dining room together for a spacious entertaining area. With a style that flows smoothly from one room to the next, the technology needed to be discreet yet accessible for easy control from any nook of the home. Crestron touch screens are placed strategically throughout the home for the control of lighting, climate, and security. There are also six zones in the house with TVs where Crestron remotes are the primary control solutions.
With minimal disruption to the room designs, Crestron Horizon keypads are the main point of control for lighting, allowing the homeowners to change the temperature of light at any time. Large windows throughout the home bring in natural light daily, allowing the homeowners to stay energy efficient by keeping the lights off. The keypad’s design is consistent with the rest of the residence, maintaining modern aesthetics in each room, and the ability to adjust the lights and HVAC controls while away gives the homeowners a sense of relief.
Adding audio to a home where construction had been finalized posed a slight challenge to this project. However, distributed audio was accomplished using Crestron DM NAX™ technology for all audio zones with new and preexisting wires. Audio control runs throughout the home to play soft tunes during meals in the dining room or to amplify the sound from a TV show marathon in the living room. Audio is also a main component of the contemporary home theater, ensuring the sound captivates the viewers through every plot point. Exterior audio zones are also available to the homeowners to provide an immersive entertainment space for themselves and their guests to enjoy along with some fresh air.
The lower level of the home is where the family’s personalities truly shine with activities that keep everyone amused. After working hard in the sophisticated home office, the homeowners can end the day with a round of golf in their fully customized golf simulator or cozy up for a movie. Complete with popcorn and a bar only a few feet away, the homeowners can cap out any day of the week in the home theater. As avid golfers, the homeowners can work on their golf swings throughout the year — a plus with Colorado’s unpredictable weather. This well-designed space features a large projection screen and a realistic green for an authentic experience.
The results
New to the home automation world, the homeowners are completely delighted with the results of their Creston system with rich features and beautiful finishes. The smart home system has brought the homeowners a new elevated lifestyle experience with technology features that support entertaining friends and family, enjoying a movie experience, and improving their golf swing year-round.
“We fell in love with this home’s interior design and architecture. We are blown away with the Crestron system that supports the design of the home rather than take away from it,” says Homeowner.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
