Tag Archives: entertainment center

Integrating Entertainment Technology in your Home

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Entertainment center from the Rancho Mirage model in Oasis at Queen Creek

Entertainment center from the Rancho Mirage model in Oasis at Queen Creek

Technology has certainly changed since the days when telephones and televisions were the extent of it in your home. As televisions have gotten larger and flatter, and what we can do with them has evolved, it pays to plan for the entertainment technology in your home. Here are a few ideas.

Plan for family viewing: While you may like to have a television in your bedroom or kitchen, it pays to choose one main location for your entire family to enjoy. This allows you to invest in one larger-format set with theater-quality sound for watching films or special programs. Smaller-format sets or even computers work well for everyday screen time.

Build in convenient space for accessories: DVD’s, game consoles and controls, and whatever else you need for family entertainment is more likely to be used regularly if it’s convenient. Close-by shelving and storage helps keep everything in one place and easy to access when you need it. Notice that the shelves and cabinets in this entertainment space keep equipment and supplies out of sight when not in use, a tidier and more attractive look.

Create an integrated look: The wall color, tile insert and flooring, and black finish on the cabinets make the space feel well-planned and attractive. The choice to stay with light tones and black makes this wall a focal point while it still remains consistent from a design perspective with the rest of the room. Notice how the black finish on the coffee table supports this design goal.

Integrating entertainment technology into your home requires you to consider both functionality and design. For more ideas on how to make that work in your home, we invite you to visit our models in Oasis at Queen Creek.

Your Entertainment Wall

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Legacy Models 071 (1)Designing an entertainment wall involves balancing design and function. You want a good place for the large HD TV while still keeping the screen itself low-key when it’s not turned on. These suggestions can help you think about what will work in your home.

Use color wisely: Dark grey-purple on the focal wall in this photo from Legacy draws the eye while reducing the footprint of the screen. The shelves and cabinet bring in lighter tones and the space is large and flexible enough to make changes in the future.

Models 065Incorporate an additional focal point: By adding the fireplace under the niche holding the television in the photo to the left, also from Legacy, the space feels nicely orchestrated. The screen becomes another dark rectangle, adding depth and balance to the light stone face. Once again dark purple draws the eye, with free-floating shelves providing opportunities to display accessories and carry the light tones out to the sides.

Consider seating: Positioning seating toward the entertainment area makes it more comfortable to watch programs, but you may want to place some seating facing toward the conversation area rather than aiming everything at your entertainment wall. This encourages discussion when you have guests, and the chair or chairs can easily be turned if they are needed for viewing a particular event or program.

Create flexible lighting options: A lighting arrangement that works well for a gathering may not serve your needs while watching your screen. Make sure you plan for both situations when setting up your lighting. A few ceiling spots may be all you need for television viewing, or consider a dimmer switch to provide enough ambient light while avoiding a glare on the screen.

Your family room can be flexible enough to meet all of your entertainment needs, whether you’re spending the evening chatting with friends or enjoying a DVD of a favorite film. Take the time to create a space that works for you and your family –in terms of both style and function.

 

Sleek Entertainment Center

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Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossing 014Do you like the idea of an entertainment center, but haven’t seen the right look for your home yet? Well, check out this one from the Fulton Homes Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossings. The cabinet style and finish coordinate with the kitchen while the more substantial floating shelves create a look that’s perfect for any living space.

You can use the door-fronted cabinets to hold DVDs, cable boxes, game equipment or anything else that supports your entertainment viewing. Out of sight when not in use but available easily when wanted, this space works for the busiest families.

The shelves could hold books with the help of bookends, or favorite accessories. Shelf size can be set to fit even the largest HDTV and the floating shelves’ absence of hanging brackets keeps the look sleek and contemporary – a fitting complement to the television itself.

To encourage the sense that this space is different from the rest of the room, a dark maroon accent color pulls all of the elements together. The brushed nickel pulls – matching those in the kitchen – combine with sparkly silver accessories to bring a welcome touch of brightness to the arrangement.

If you had a wall like this in your living or family room, how would you decorate and accessorize it? For more ideas, visit Ironwood Crossing and check out this model. Or visit the Fulton Design Center on one of our browse evenings – the first and third Thursdays of the month from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.