Keep Peace of Mind by Keeping an Eye on Your Property

Now that you’re spending even more time at home, a smart home security system is crucial more than ever before. Your family’s safety is your top priority, and with solutions like smart surveillance and smart locks, you can maintain peace of mind throughout the day.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the top features that we find essential for your Springdale, AR home’s smart security setup. Want to learn about the technologies that can keep you from worrying about your family and property’s protection? 

Keep reading on below for more!

Illuminate your yard with smart fixtures

Have you felt it? The weather is starting to turn -- spring is here, and it's time to enjoy a little sunlight. While many of us will remain cooped up at home for a little while, there's no reason you can't explore the possibilities of your backyard. One of the most commonly untapped aspects of backyard design throughout Fayetteville, AR, is landscape lighting. You can enjoy a layered, multi-faceted look with just a few swipes of a control device when you install integrated lighting control outdoors. Want to learn more? Keep reading.

Integrated speakers will help your backyard time last

Daylight saving time is here, and that means you're going to be spending a little more time in the backyard in the coming months. Now that the sun doesn't go down until after seven, you'll want to entertain and get the most out of the Fort Smith, AR, landscape: That makes now one of the best times to invest in an outdoor audio system. You can ensure your outdoor entertainment leads to a fun nighttime experience when you have easy controls and superior sound quality. Want to learn more? Keep reading.

A leader in “smart” security can simplify your home safety

Technology develops so rapidly that it can seem daunting to add a new system to your Rogers, AR property. After all, how do you know what will last for years, and what will be obsolete by next March? The simple solution is to consult a home technology expert. And one of the most commonly asked for advice is about home security system technology. What makes one system better than others? In this blog, we’ll show you. Keep reading for more.

How Organized Wiring Sets Up a Successful Smart Home

Point-to-point wiring is all too common, even in some smart home and office installations today. This setup risks being unable to carry the heavy data load in high-bandwidth applications, but transmitting bandwidth is paramount to a successful integrated home. 

In case you haven’t already guessed, we recommend structured cabling to not only solve this issue but also clean up unsightly wires and support future updates to your smart home. In this blog, we’ll compare point-to-point wiring with structured cabling and share some insights regarding why we highly suggest structured cabling and how AV Design Consultants can help you implement it in your Fort Smith, AR, home. 

Learn More About Lutron Serena and Triathlon Window Treatments!

If you’ve kept up with our blog for long, you know AV Design Consultants loves showing customers that motorized shades do more than most people give them credit for. Most people know that they raise and lower and sometimes block sunlight, but it might surprise them to learn that they can save clients substantially in energy bills, top off a room’s design, eliminate glare from screens and more.

While we’ve described their benefits at length, maybe you’ve moved past that stage. You’ve seen how Lutron works in stores or through our video tutorials and know that it’s the right solution for your Fort Smith, AR home’s lighting and shading needs. If this describes you, we venture to guess that you want to explore more details about popular offerings and assess their pros and cons. Today, we’ll discuss two popular Lutron shading options - Serena and Triathlon. Curious? Let’s dive in.

Curious to Learn Some of Its Most Useful Applications for Your Arkansas Business? Read On!

How many people who join your meetings sit there and listen in silence, without participating? Though managers are often seen as “ideas people,” they don’t want to be the only ones visualizing and sharing at their Fort Smith companies. But all too often, attendees don’t feel comfortable enough to participate, and one reason is that they don’t know how to use the technology well enough to share content with ease. 

How can you reverse this pattern? Just add one technology to your conference room design, and motivate everyone to chime in and share ideas by adding a content sharing system like one of our favorites, ClickShare. We’ll discuss some of its capabilities today and outline how to deliver insights more efficiently, so stay tuned. 

Learn How Qolsys and Alarm.com Devices Bolster Automated Safety Systems

Still haven’t made a New Year’s resolution? It’s not too late to jot down a few goals, no matter how big or small, that you have for the year. Many of us resolve to take better care of our bodies, while others prioritize spending more time with family, going on more vacations or redecorating their Springdale homes. 

Though it’s easy to get caught up in personal goals, like losing weight or increasing our income, some of the most important resolutions start at home. Does your Arkansas home security system truly protect your family from harm around the clock? And can you view notifications and respond to threats in real time? All of these features and more are available to you with the help of AV Design Consultants and a couple of our most trusted security tools - Alarm.com and Qolsys. Keep reading to learn more about both below. 

We’ll Show You How to Welcome Your Arkansas Business to the Next Decade!

Imagine you invited a prospect to your Fort Smith office - the one that you’ve been trying to capture for years. You’ve prepared your presentation and brought in the best catering; overall, the conversation went well. But the more you replay the event, you realize that they cracked a joke about your old AV equipment, and then you suddenly remember that uncomfortable network lag mid-videoconference. 

Conference room blunders can cost you money. In a business setting, too many communication breakdowns, AV issues or scheduling problems don’t just damage your reputation: They could also cause you to lose out on business partnerships.

Expert integrators like AV Design Consultants can usually walk into a conference room and point out the problematic or outdated setups right away. Unfortunately, so can some of your key contacts and clients. How can you mitigate this issue? We’ll walk through three telltale signs your conference room could use some updates and how we’d fix them.

A Closer Look at Battery-Operated and Hardwired Shades

Lutron has been innovating how we see home lighting since they patented the first dimmer switch in 1959. Since then, they have revolutionized lighting design with not only enhanced dimmer technology but also automated lighting and shading solutions that integrate with your changing lifestyle needs. 

Now, Lutron is slowly making the manual shades we all grew up with feel obsolete. In 1993, the company patented its first shading offering, the base-model Serena. With one button, Serena’s “smart” microprocessor-controlled system scrolled from shade to shade, and early users marveled at the Quiet Electronic Drive technology. You could choose from four fabric options.

Fast forward nearly two decades, and you’ll see that Lutron’s motorized shades have come a long way, giving us almost too many design and fabric options to choose from. Though picking automated draperies for your Fayetteville, AR, home feels daunting at first, selecting between wired and wireless shades is an excellent launchpad. Which offering suits your home and budget needs better? We think you’ll know by the time you’ve finished reading. 

See Why They’re Important and Which Brand We Recommend for Your Fayetteville Home

When you start a home security system installation process for your Arkansas home, we’re sure you think of the basics first. You know you need a surveillance system, alarms, smart locks, and maybe even some extras like video doorbells and HVAC, audio and lighting integration. 

You’ll learn today why you shouldn’t neglect one vital environmental sensor, especially as we head into the predicted rainy, snowy winter. Read on to see why you should include a water leak detector in your home security suite, as well as one innovative product we recommend.

Wireless soundbars, vintage revival, and more!

It seems as though just several years ago, a residence with a whole-home audio setup was pretty rare. Now we see more and more requests for them here in the Rogers, AR, area, but look and feel of the requests is changing rapidly.  We look forward to seeing where multiroom audio is headed in the next decade and can’t wait to share some of the trending concepts with you. 

If you’re just now in the market for your first whole-home audio system, this season provides the perfect time to have AV Design Consultants complete one from start to finish or upgrade an existing installation that could use a modern touch. After all, the holidays are right around the corner, and Thanksgiving is already close enough to plan your menu. What better way to impress family and friends than a home entertainment system? Read on for our recommendations. 

How to Connect All of Your Devices, Expand Reach and Improve User Experience

We know that your home network isn’t the most glamorous part of your Springdale, Arkansas, smart home, but you can’t deny it connects your most memorable audio-video experiences. Though networking tools aren’t as flashy as an 8K display or dazzling home theater, Wi-Fi’s newest iteration is nothing short of impressive when you see all of its features. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss why a speedy connection matters and dive into the new Wi-Fi standard that we’ll see in homes soon. Are you ready to stop settling for a slow internet speed? Keep reading to see what AV Design Consultants can do to help.  

Seeing Movies in Anamorphic Style Give Visuals New Life!

Whatever movie you view, from modern action flicks, dramas and comedies to sports events, it will most likely benefit from the superior image rendering of anamorphic style.  

What is anamorphic formatting? This setup automatically fills your screen with the aspect ratio intended by the film’s creator. Basically, if a film was meant to be seen in square aspect ratio (1.33:1), that’s how anamorphic will render it. If the movie is a widescreen and features a rectangular aspect ratio (1.85:1 or 2.35:1), it will fill the entire screen, automatically.

Prepare your home theater system for endless entertainment before the colder season settles in by revamping your screen setup. In this blog, we’ll let you know a few more details and benefits of this visual configuration so you’ll understand how to experience more immersive movies in your Fayetteville, Arkansas, home. 

Find out why you need ultra-bright TVs and weatherproof audio outside

Here in the South, fall presents one of the most beneficial seasons for outdoor entertainment. As you know, our summers can get so warm that sometimes we avoid anything that’s not air conditioned for a while. Just as football season approaches, however, we can relish the fresh breeze and a good drink from your patio. Watch your favorite team win while surrounded by your best friends, host BBQs or sip hot apple cider as Halloween approaches. 

Whatever your goals for the season, you’ll probably need some equipment to actualize them. You likely won’t achieve the full effect of outdoor entertainment without an outdoor A/V system, including a durable, weatherproof TV and audio setup. We’ll talk more about why it’s essential to find a specialized display and speaker system, so stay tuned! 

Don’t Overlook These Frequently Used Access Points!

Your doorways serve as the gatekeepers of your home. While we’re sure the first entry you think of when you consider bolstering your home security system is your front door, a well-protected home requires a little reinforcement of other entries, and that includes garage doors and gates. At AV Design Consultants, we believe every detail counts when considering your Fort Smith, Arkansas home’s safety, so let’s talk about a couple of areas that deserve a second look.  

We’ll show you how we design entryways that enforce safety to keep criminals out and provide additional access to help loved ones come in. Ready to learn how remote access and smart locks work together to give you a safe, convenient home? Keep reading. 

Upgrading Your Home? Here’s Why You Should Prioritize Motorized Window Treatments

It’s unfortunate but true: Sometimes motorized shades seem like an afterthought, even for integrated homes. Homeowners often choose to upgrade other smart home functions, like whole-home AV, security, media room and more before they consider replacing their manual shades with some automated varieties.

When you consider the possibilities inherent in one technology, however, you won’t want to miss motorized shades for your Bentonville, AR, home. They’re simultaneously some of the most design-focused and pragmatic equipment available for homes today.  

How? Few upgrades can impact your home’s aesthetic, protect your possessions and save energy like motorized shades do -- all while enhancing the function of your other integrated technology. Keep reading to better understand what we mean and why you’re missing out without them. 

Why an Outdoor Speaker System Is Versatile Enough for Nearly Every Season

When August approaches, many people start thinking of cooling temperatures, back-to-school activities and, consequently, the imminent end of many their favorite season -- summer. But given the balmy climate we enjoy here in Fayetteville, Arkansas, homeowners don’t have to worry about the warm-weather fun ending so soon. 

Let’s explore how you can take your outdoor audio entertaining from summer to fall without a hitch, and why now’s the perfect time to install a new sound system! 

Spice up your next backyard party or make it easier to relax with these devices for your Springdale, AR, home

The summer heat is still going strong in Arkansas, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay cooped up inside with the air conditioning at full blast. There’s always your backyard or neighborhood pool, but that’s hardly the only way to have fun outside. There are several technologies for your yard to make your summer more exciting or help you relax, whatever your mood. Here are three ways Springdale, AR, residents can add new dimensions of outdoor entertainment to their home.

Motorized shades are the ideal solution for Fort Smith, AR, homeowners overwhelmed by summer heat

It can be a challenge to keep yourself and your home at a reasonable temperature during the Arkansas summer. There’s nothing worse than coming home from work to an uncomfortably warm home, and seeing higher utility bills isn’t exactly pleasant, either.

What can you do to make your home more bearable in the summer and save some money? One option: Motorized shades. You may not believe something as innocuous as your shades could have an impact on the temperature in your way, but we’re here to show you otherwise. Here’s how motorized shades help Fort Smith, AR, homeowners cope with summer heatwaves.