Cunningham Theater - Ahwatukee, Arizona

There’s no question that audio and video technology has come a long way in the past 20 years. Update opportunities abound with existing happy customers, and that was the case here as this home theater, originally designed and installed back in 2004, was ripe for a major overhaul.

The homeowners wanted a very modern-looking room to match the rest of the roughly 10,000-square-foot house, located in Ahwatukee, Ariz., and that is what we achieved. To do so, Creative Sound and Integration worked with the client’s builder during the renovation as well as SRS (Sound Reduction Systems) on the walls’ stylish acoustical treatments.

The resulting room—part of a year-long retrofit that included various whole-house tech upgrades—incorporates a Sony laser projector; Marantz amplifier and processor; 7.2-channel surround sound featuring Aerial Acoustics loudspeakers and subwoofers; millwork that conceals the front LCR speakers and subs; a dozen home theater chairs from Fortress Seating; and handheld Crestron controls. An equipment rack stays hidden but accessible behind a panel door to the right of the screen.

We outfitted the rest of the house with the latest Crestron Home control system, which anchors new multiroom AV, lighting, and automated shades. With very clean, modern aesthetics plus simple-to-use electronics, this fun home theater fits naturally within this smart home.