For anyone involved in selling lifestyle upgrades like premium AV systems and comprehensive smart home controls, showrooms are an absolute necessity. After all, there's no way to sell people an experience they can't see or touch, especially when that experience typically revolves around outfitting the entire home with AV and home automation technology. It seems a bit over the top for integrators to bring portable smart home systems to every project.
It is crucial that we have a category dedicated to Best Showroom each year in the CE Pro Home of the Year Awards (now accepting submissions).
From fully custom-built smart homes replete with voice control and hydroponic rooftop gardening to massive lighting showrooms that merge the realms of home tech and design, we're digging into the CE Pro project archives to see all the innovative ways integrators have found to maximize the potential of their specialty.
If you want to see other projects in the CE Pro Project Archives, be sure to check out our recent articles showcasing motorized shades made for charming coastal properties and home theater systems.
Photo by Amy Clark
When creating the Experience Lab, Michael Oh, president of TSP Smart Spaces, knew the company needed to move away from traditional product-centric showrooms and focus on creating an immersive, realistic demo space that could replicate the smart home experiences its high-end customers would encounter.
Learn more about The Experience Lab.
Photo courtesy of Pavilion
Pavion (formerly CTSI), a US-based integrated provider of fire, security, critical communications and audiovisual technology solutions, has opened a new regional office in Raleigh, North Carolina, with the aim of establishing a space to showcase its cutting-edge technology solutions while providing a modern working environment for its employees.
Learn more about Pavion's Customer Experience Center.
Photo courtesy of System 7
The System 7 Experience Center isn't about shoving flashy large micro-LED screens and other smart home technology in front of visitors' eyes – it's not about excessive, superficial displays. Instead, the company's showroom takes an understated yet immersive approach to showcasing its premium smart home and entertainment solutions.
Learn more about the System 7 Experience Center.
Photo courtesy of Gramophone
Coming together in a spectacular display, the Gramophone Experience Centre brings together the expertise of Gramophone’s in-house design, build, lighting and electrical teams, bringing together the so-called ‘best of the best’ to offer a truly luxurious showroom experience for visitors wanting to find out more about the endless possibilities of smart home living.
For more information about the Gramophone Experience Center, please click here.
Photo by Wes Albert
ETC Florida's ConferLuxe showroom in West Palm Beach, Florida, will serve as the venue for the company to highlight the capabilities of its audio, video and conferencing solutions, as well as display smart home products from Control4, Lutron, Origin Acoustics, Salamander Designs, Sony, Samsung, Leon Speakers, Stealth Acoustics, Biamp and more.
Find out more about our ConferLuxe showroom.
Photo courtesy of SoundVision LLC
SoundVision's 3,150-square-foot technology showroom was designed to be a clean representation of the same smart home experience SoundVision strives to bring to life in each home it visits. For Mark DiPietro, this meant displaying enterprise-grade network solutions, Wi-Fi connected control systems, remote controls, TVs, lighting, security cameras, doorbells, blinds, and other smart home solutions throughout the demo space.
Find out more about our Soundvision showroom.
Photo courtesy of Current Home Technologies
Amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, golf was one of the first activities allowed in many areas, and while many custom integrators dealt with local and state regulations impacting indoor activities, Tony Curtis of Current Home Technologies was starting to see his pre-pandemic investments in turning his showroom into a haven for hacks (or, for some, a haven for low-handicap players) pay off.
Learn more about the 19th hole on Main Street.
Photo/Jack Anilkumar/Silicon Valley Photo
For this spectacular showroom-meets-model home build, CyberManor worked with multiple industries, providing the design and integration of smart home systems, of course. Partners on the project include architect Kohlsaat and Associates, contractor Lundgren Construction, interior designer Celia Boutell of Lydia Lyons Designs, plumbing work by Santos Plumbing, and HVAC installation by Residential Heating and Cooling.
Learn more about the New Home Technology Center.
Photo provided by Mozaic Smart Technology Design
When it comes to design, Mozaic Audio Video Integration's mission is to “make technology beautiful and simple,” a central theme in every aspect of the design of their renovated smart home showroom. CEO Michael Johnson says this mantra applies not just to the showroom, but to the business as a whole, especially now that the showroom more easily aligns with the company's stated mission.
Find out more about our Mozaic showroom.
Photo courtesy of Ovation
Bob Poynter's Ovation retail space outside Indianapolis features an enclosed A/B switching room on one side, a super-high-performance listening room on the other, and an enclosed Atmos BTS theater room in the rear, providing clear lines of sight from front to back.
The remainder of the open floor plan features multiple separate seating areas, each with a free-standing audio system set along a low half-wall, a stunning video wall that can be viewed from every angle of the store, and a variety of home theatre systems, all accessible from the main floor.
Learn more about Ovation's retail showroom.
Photo credit: Devance
When Matt and Dana DeVance set out to build a new smart home showroom and office that was twice the size of DeVance Electronic Lifestyle's previous location, they were determined to make the space more than just a demo room or a mecca for great design.
Matt’s vision was to build a destination that would go beyond a brief experience to forge a lasting relationship and further establish this innovative integrator in the community of Carrollton, Texas, located about 20 minutes north of Dallas.
Learn more about the Relationship Center.
Photo courtesy of Meridian
Sensory Dispensary's new showroom, located in a residential area, gives integrators a space to host customers and gives them the opportunity to experience in-depth what can be achieved in their own home. Because the showroom is located inside a home, the installation needed to be as unobtrusive as possible and fit into the existing design and décor, according to the company.
Learn more about our Sensory Dispensary showroom.
Photo credit: Consexto
The impetus for Portugal-based Consexto's creation of an eye-catching smart home showroom was to demonstrate how large screens can seamlessly blend into the design of any room. The results impressed both potential customers and trade partners, so mission accomplished.
Find out more about our Consexto showrooms.