Fully Automated Penthouse Exceeds Minimalist’s Expectations With Covert Technology Powered by ELAN

Designing a fully automated home for a minimalist can be a challenge. When a New Jersey homeowner began renovating his Edgewater penthouse, he dreamed of an easy-to-use automation system that was free of cluttered switches and unsightly wires to fit seamlessly into his picturesque residence. After little deliberation, he turned to Union City-based integration firm Serious Audio Video to install a completely invisible automation system into the penthouse powered by the user-friendly ELAN Entertainment and Control platform. This smart home automation system subtly manages several components of the penthouse, including lighting, HVAC, audio, video, security, cameras, fireplace and even the piano.

“The owner likes to build and has had other automation systems in former homes,” Serious Audio Video Operations Manager Rick Truocchio explained. “However, he never used the systems because they weren’t user-friendly or reliable. When we met through mutual friends, he began explaining his penthouse renovation and desire to have an automation system just to up the resale value. Although he liked technology, he hated seeing it all over his other homes.”

Honoring the owner’s minimalistic style, in-wall ELAN touch panels were incorporated into each room of the penthouse, eliminating excess wall clutter. Everything from the light switches to the thermostats were hidden in convenient touch panel controls, with pre-programmed scene settings to turn everything on or off with one tap. “When the owner comes home, he uses a pre-set button to turn on the Lutron lighting, raise the motorized window shades, and start playing his music,” Truocchio added.

For music, the ELAN system controles iTunes, Spotify and Pandora. The owner can listen to his favorite tunes through the 16 speakers and subwoofers hidden throughout the home. With multiple zones of audio connected through an ELAN M86A multi-room audio controller, music can be played everywhere; through the custom-made chrome-plated speakers in the steam shower ceiling and even through the Bösendorfer piano, which was specially integrated in the ELAN system so the music library can be played back by the piano itself.   

Outfitted with one-of-a-kind Giorgio Armani furniture and custom mahogany, the penthouse is sleek and stunning. “Aesthetics and functionality were two of the main requests from the homeowner,” Truocchio stated. “He insisted on not seeing any technology, but having the latest and greatest of everything.” 

Through the ELAN platform, the Serious Audio Video team found a way to do it all. Concealed behind a 75-inch mirror, a secret 65-inch Seura TV hangs above the fireplace. Utilizing a Future Automation articulating wall mount, the angle of the mirror TV can be adjusted with the push of a button. With different settings, the state-of-the-art TV can be easily seen from the kitchen or dining room, and then effortlessly hidden when not in use. Additionally, there are no computer monitors in the owner’s home office. With just a few clicks on an Apple Wireless Keyboard, the Samsung 55-inch HDTV changes displays and turns into a computer monitor ready for use. 

When it comes to smart home automation, many people are turned off by the complex, finicky nature of some systems. “After the customized construction process took over two years, the owner was concerned that the technology would be another big problem,” Truocchio continued. “Luckily, the integration and installation was the smoothest part of the entire process, which made him very happy.” 

The lavish penthouse looks extremely refined and minimalistic, but is stacked with sophisticated technology. The owner was so happy with the outcome of the penthouse, he hired Serious Audio Video to install an ELAN Entertainment and Control system into his office as well.

To download additional high-res photography, click here. All photography is courtesy of Anthony Torsiello and Serious Audio Video. ​

Integrator Combines ELAN g! with Brand New Display Technology to Help Hoboken's Hottest New Nightclub Compete with NYC's Best

Hoboken, New Jersey is the newest unofficial borough of New York City, drawing Manhattan workers to its upscale downtown neighborhood full of trendy restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The owners of Hoboken’s newest nightclub, Reign, knew they needed to crate a unique experience to stand out among the area’s stiff competition. This meant designing an immense AV system using an ELAN g! system for control, Sound Tube Pendant speakers and subwoofers for put-it-anywhere audio and the first North American installation of a new 10-foot by 20-foot PrimeView Smart Film double-sided glass projection surface. 

Integration firm Serious Audio Video knew that their bid would likely be the highest, at nearly $350,000, well above the $200,000 budget requested by the owners, but they also knew that no one else would match their vision and unique style for the club’s AV systems. The core of the lounge’s AV installation is a powerful ELAN g! system that automates the lighting, audio and video, giving the owners fast and easy control of the entire establishment from their smartphones. With more than 90 speakers and subwoofers producing 30,000 watts and a plethora of specialized lighting, tying everything together into a single easy-to-use interface was a crucial factor in the success of this installation.

“The ELAN g! platform allows us to focus on our clients’ needs and without worrying about overwhelming them with complicated interfaces,” said Casey S. Johnston, owner of integration firm Serious Audio Video. “It’s simple to use and can be run entirely from a smartphone or tablet if they choose, so they never have to leave the club floor to make adjustments to volume, lighting intensity or video content. It also gives them the easiest start-up and shut-down procedure for the club’s systems, since they can use a single “Open” or “Close” button that we programmed to turn entire systems on or off.”

According to Johnston, an installation of this caliber also requires special design. In this case, the integration firm created a unique vortex chandelier of Sound Tube pendant speakers that hang just out of guests’ reach on the second floor, and right above guests head on the first floor in an open overhang. “This specialized design took a lot of tinkering to perfect the installation, but the finished product is more than a simple AV system. An eye-catching arrangement of premium quality speakers and subwoofers reflects the lounge’s chic and trendy atmosphere, and when combined with the amazing PrimeView Smart Film projection display it projects an air of exclusivity that guests can’t find anywhere else in Hoboken or Manhattan.” 

In fact, this was the very first installation of the see-through PrimeView Smart Film display in North America. It is so new that the instructions were only available in Cantonese, so they flew in one of PrimeView’s technicians from Hong Kong to help with the installation. The resulting screen sits just above the speaker chandelier on the third floor and can play any manner of digital video effects. With the ability to change the appearance of the glass from clear to frosted with the push of a button, the possibilities are nearly limitless and certainly push the club’s atmosphere to new heights.

“Night club installations regularly involve millions of dollars of equipment and this was our first night club project,” Johnston said. “We hit it out of the park so we are hoping to grow that aspect of our business and bring other owners the same level of functionality and unique design in the future.”