19th Century Architecture Meets 21st Century ELAN g! Technology in Artisan Art Gallery

When David and Linda Fox decided to open a second art gallery in Franklin, Tennessee, they wanted it to be different than the high-end gallery that Linda curates. After finding a gem of a property, a local home built in the 1860s, David knew that combining a historic American home with 21st century technologies would allow him to run a successful high-traffic art gallery. Using only an iPad, David can control The Copper Fox’s lighting and music with the ELAN g! system and mobile app, access the security and surveillance systems and conduct transactions with Square technology.

“I wanted the gallery to be techy behind the scenes,” Fox said, “but present a rustic, historic ambience that visitors can’t find at other galleries. Now with the ELAN g! system, my security system and Square’s transaction technology, I can literally run the entire store from my iPad. It’s been an incredible boon to be able to adjust lighting and music on the fly, so if I notice it’s an extra bright day or the music got a bit too loud, it takes about ten seconds to adjust everything, and I don’t have to leave the floor!”

Working with local electronics integrator Audio Video Elements, David was able to strike the perfect balance between technology and artistry. Aaron Lawrence, owner of Audio Video Elements, was careful to keep every component hidden from view, so as to leave the art as the centerpiece with the technology providing the backbone. Using a small ELAN system controller, the ELAN g! iPad app, Lutron lighting, Panamax surge protection, Speco Technologies cameras, a Digimerge 16-channel DVR and audio components from JBL, Monitor Audio and Marantz, Lawrence made the store seamless to operate.

“In addition to the simple lighting and music control, the iPad affords me the opportunity to make house calls and generate more sales,” Fox continued. “Now when a client is interested in new pieces I can bring the pieces to their home, show them how they would look, and they can buy right there with a credit card. There’s no checks or receipts to write, so it makes it easy for me to sell and easy for the client to buy. What all of this technology really has done is remove any barriers between my clients and the art. When they walk into the store they don’t know that the lighting and music is set to very specific levels, or that I can change it at a moment’s notice without leaving the gallery floor. All they know is that the room is inviting and relaxing, and that the art is gorgeous. That’s how I think technology should work, accenting our surroundings and not dominating them.  When you are in a restored 150-year-old house, retaining a tech free visitor experience with all the benefits of behind-the-scenes technology just makes sense.”

According to Fox, The Copper Fox processes a lot of transactions for an art gallery, up to 500 a month. The technology he chose allows him to move freely throughout the store without worrying about shoplifters or missing a sale, since they can transact right out on the floor if the patron desires.  Everything about The Copper Fox is unique, including the name, which was recommended to David by a friend after he witnessed the new copper roof that was installed during renovations.

While the security and surveillance systems are not yet tied into the ELAN g! system, David has a separate iPad app that allows him to access each system wirelessly. One of the reasons David and Aaron agreed on the ELAN g! system is that it can be expanded in the future to include the gallery’s climate controls, additional lighting, and the existing security and surveillance systems. Besides that, the ease of use was a important selling point.

“Almost anyone can use the ELAN control system the first day it’s installed with no training or instruction,” Aaron Lawrence said. “I knew it would be a perfect fit for The Copper Fox, as multiple employees would need fast and easy control of everything in the gallery. It’s truly amazing that David can run the whole store off of his iPad, and I’m glad to have been a part of his successful new business.”