Recently Filed in Bathroom

We can’t quite share this homeowner’s borderline R-rated reaction when custom electronics pro DistinctAV fired up the basement equipment rack for the first time. But let’s just say that a bunch of the equipment is routed to the master suite, and company president Derek Cowburn adds that for the homeowner it’s “an electronics dream come true.” Like the rest of this fully-loaded house, Cowburn notes, all the video, audio, and lighting in the master suite is controlled by the RTI T3V Wi-Fi remotes. Each remote… View this story
Bathroom • Bedroom • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Cool Homes

Take it straight from the custom electronics pro on this one: “In a home with an amazing dedicated theater, a Harley Davidson display bar and a two story waterfall within the two main floors it’s hard to believe it could get any more unique!” What P.J. Aucoin of Calgary-based Home Concepts couldn’t believe was this home’s master suite. And it is sweet—both to begin with, and then after Home Concepts got through outfitting it with two wall-mounted TVs and a mirror TV. “The homeowners were… View this story
Bathroom • Bedroom • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Cool Homes

Last week we told you about this spectacular California home outfitted by custom electronics pro Audio Impact. It was easy to see why it was one of our Home of the Year finalists in the overall category, but we didn’t want to just gloss over the notable master suite, which was also a finalist in that category. And it definitely sparkles. The ceiling is 25 feet high with beautiful moldings and recessed patterns, and a stair case leads to an office with a balcony that… View this story
Bathroom • Bedroom • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Cool Homes

How do you fit a surround-sound system in a bedroom that has concrete floors and ceilings—plus walls of glass? “The homeowner wanted a 5.1 surround system with a large screen plasma, while making the entire installation as clean, as simple, and as subtle as possible,” says Shane Seira of custom electronics company Sensory Environment Design (SED). The homeowners also didn’t want gear like the speakers to hang on the walls. SED had to come up with a novel solution, so the company designed and manufactured… View this story
Bathroom • Bedroom • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Audio • Cool Homes • Slideshows

The design is ultraclean, the technology is carefully hidden—and the combination makes this master suite a masterpiece. Anchored by a contemporary custom cabinet that houses a see-through fireplace between the bedroom and bath, the space packs in video for each room, surround-sound audio, colored LED lighting, touchpanels and keypads, and a TV on a motorized lift. And how many master suites have two zones of audio for the bathroom alone? Let’s start there, where the owner can listen to TV audio or the whole-house music… View this story
Bathroom • Bedroom • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Cool Homes • Slideshows

It was the ultra-contemporary European-style Kreon light fixtures that set the tone for the technologies in this master suite. “Once we saw how modern they were, we knew we had to be just as sleek with our integration of the electronics,” says Edwin Melendez of Multimedia Innovations in Hallandale, Fla. One of the slickest implementations of high-tech is the 50-inch Runco high-def plasma display that traverses on a motorized track installed within the ceiling. A command from a portable AMX touchpanel activates the Trak-kit track… View this story
Bathroom • Bedroom • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Multiroom AV • Home Control • Cool Homes • Slideshows

The other day it dawned on me. My kids aren’t so little anymore. Sooner than I’d like, they’ll be teenagers. Although they’re just 11 and 9 now, they’re already showing signs of adolescence, like sleeping until noon, eating me out of house and home and taking marathon showers. They used to skip in and out of the stall, barely taking the time to wet their hair. Now a good 20 minutes passes before they emerge. I’m happy that they’re finally getting this hygiene thing, but… View this story
Home Control • Bathroom • Gadgets • Enhancements • Info and Answers

Control for consumers is the ultimate aphrodisiac and today Americans are used to having it in all facets of their lives. This control ranges from the interface on their iPods and their home theater remote controls, to the steering wheel-mounted radio controls in their cars and Web-enabled HVAC and security controls that are accessed from smartphones. Moen’s newest product release addresses the need for homeowners to control their showers, vertical spas and Roman spas. The company’s ioDigital system is designed to give users control over… View this story
Appliances • Climate Control • Climate Control Systems • Humidity Control • Thermostats and Sensors • Zone Controllers • Home Control Systems • Pool and Spa • Bathroom • Product News

Tired of turning on your bathroom faucet and arduously adjusting the temperature every single morning? iHouse provides a solution in the form of SmartFaucet, which includes a facial screening application to recognize the user and automatically turn on the water to his or her desired temperature and flow. Finally! The SmartFaucet also features a touchscreen, allowing users to access e-mail, peruse a calendar and check the outside temperature among other things, according to Bornrich.org. When a user steps to the faucet the facial recognition technology… View this story
Touchpanels and Keypads • Bathroom • Weird Stuff • Product News

Some would say putting a TV by a tub is just plain dangerous. However, the folks at West Hollywood, CA–based DSI Entertainment Systems believe that it’s perfectly safe to soak next to the set—as long as it’s installed correctly. During the renovation of this master bath, the DSI crew carved into the tile to create a cavity for a 15-inch LCD TV. The display chosen for the task was no ordinary TV. Engineered by German manufacturer ad notam, it would be able to transmit images… View this story
Displays • LCD • Location • Bathroom • Enhancements • Product News

Q. What are my options for a TV in the bathroom prewired with a cat5 and a coax? I would like to stream my home video, mp3’s, photos, etc., but space is limited on the wall. What I have in mind may not exist: A TV with Ethernet and a built in media player. -Tony The choices for this type of application are limited at the moment, but there are a couple of options for what you are looking for. HP has a new line… View this story
Ethernet • Bathroom • Multiroom AV • Ask a Pro

Got a bath renovation on your mind? Believe it or not, you can make your bathroom green—or at least greener than it’s been. Start with the easy stuff like energy conservation. Lighting control systems and occupancy sensors can help you save on electricity. Even installing an inexpensive dimmer switch can allow you to keep a very dim light on at night, and this uses far less electricity. Occupancy sensors like Wattstopper/Legrand’s Vacancy Sensors and Lightolier’s IntelliSight can be installed fairly easily as well. These will… View this story
Climate Control • Home Control • Lighting Control • Bathroom • Green Technology • Home Control • Info and Answers