McIntosh has developed a reputation for engineering high-quality audio equipment and is recognized by audio enthusiasts by its signature blue accent lighting on its products. The owner of this approximately 17-by-28-foot home theater was adamant about not only using predominantly McIntosh equipment for its quality, but also as a design element. “Originally, he requested that we positioned the pre-amps, amplifiers, and receiver directly underneath the screen in open cabinetry so they could be easily admired,” says Bethany Johnson an interior designer at Timonium, Md.-based Gramophone, the home systems integration firm that handled the design of the room and the installation of the A/V gear.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Eye-catching equipment rack in the lobby
- Stainless steel accents and blue-and-black color scheme pay homage to McIntosh equipment
- Modern and practical jump seat-style ottomans
EQUIPMENT
- Stewart Filmscreen Projection Screen
- Sony Flat-Panel TV
- Sony Video Projector
- McIntosh Preamplifier
- McIntosh Amplifier
- Sonance Amplifier
- McIntosh Blu-Ray Disc Player
- McIntosh Poser Center
- Totem Loudspeakers
- J L Audio Subwoofer
- Savant Control System
- Lutron Lighting and Shade Control System
“We felt that although the equipment is eye-catching, it would have competed visually with the screen.” Johnson’s suggestion: showcase the McIntosh gear in a beautifully constructed equipment rack near the entrance to the theater. A light fixture recessed in the ceiling washes over the face of the components, attracting even more attention to the brains and brawn behind this high-caliber theater.
“Even if guests who come to this theater aren’t A/V buffs, the prominence of this rack is a sign that this theater is going to blow them away,” Johnson remarks.
Outfitted by the Gramophone team with a 125-inch Stewart Filmscreen screen, Sony: video projector, and high-end Totem speakers, the room delivers on its promise. Although the McIntosh theme may not be as obvious in the main theater area as it is in the lobby, there are still subtle nuances peppered throughout the room. Infused into the design is a color scheme of signature McIntosh blue and black, complemented with modern stainless steel accents, including the light fixtures. The same clean, modern lines are carried through to the furnishings, which feature two “jump seat ottoman-style” Salamander chairs in the front. Attached to casters, the chairs can be moved around the room–a plus for the avid gamers in the family, says Johnson. Their ability to start as an ottoman and unfold into a padded seat with a backrest is also a space-saver for a theater with a low 71/2-foot ceiling. “People can sit on them without blocking the view of people sitting in the back rows of the theater,” Johnson says. – L.M.
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