The Design of Your California Home Theater Can Encourage Relationships from Afar

Like much of the rest of the country, Californians are abiding by shelter-in-place orders for the sake of social distancing. Many of us in Huntington Beach, CA, miss spending time with our friends and family members outdoors, going shopping, attending concerts, and more. If you’re missing out on all of the usual friends and family gatherings, why not make the best of the situation by using your home theater design in new, exciting – and social – ways? Read on to learn three ways to stay social in your home theater or media room while sheltering-in-place.

SEE ALSO: 2 Top Home Theater Design Trends from CEDIA 2019

Video Games

If you’re a big PlayStation or Xbox fan, then you know just how fun it can be playing your games on a sizeable ultra-high definition screen. Even better, your surround sound speakers can fully immerse you in the action of a shoot-em-up style game. With the tap of a button on a smart remote, you can also dim the lighting and lower the motorized shades for a truly riveting experience. If you add a headset, then you’ll be able to play with your friends, too!

Netflix Party

You’re staying at home, your friends are staying at home, and your family is staying at home, only in separate locations. Bring everyone together by something you all are already doing – watching Netflix. You can screencast whatever show or movie you’re watching from your browser to your high-definition TV and chat live with the rest of your friends while you all watch the same thing! You can take the Netflix party a step further by using a video conferencing tool like Zoom to see your family as they watch along.

Family Zoom and Google Hangouts Visits

Once you’re done watching Netflix with the gang, you can use your large TV display to have a conference call in your very own home theater. You can use an app like Zoom or Google Hangouts to have a live video chat with your friends while maintaining a state-mandated social distance of six feet. Keeping in touch with friends and family can help you keep your spirits up during a stressful time that many of us are experiencing.   While you’re spending more time indoors, be sure to make the most of your home theater design. Launch Systems can help – call us today at (949) 515-7030 or connect with us online. We look forward to working with you.

Your Clients’ Homes Are Showcased in the Best Lighting Possible

On our blog, we’ve often discussed the benefits of motorized window treatments, from making the switch to motorized shades to enjoying additional privacy and energy savings. California homeowners are always looking for ways to improve their homes in a variety of ways. If your Corona del Mar, CA clients are looking for new and exciting ways to elevate their interior décor, then motorized window treatments are one way to offer them the opportunity to showcase homes in their best light. Keep reading to learn three ways shading and blinds can further advance the look and feel of a California home.

SEE ALSO: Why Make the Switch from Manual to Motorized Window Treatments?  

Interior Protection

The look and feel of a room dramatically shift with the addition of window dressings. Blackout shades can set the mood for the perfect movie night with no light intrusion, while sheers offer sparkling sunlight without the harsh glare. With a variety of color, fabric, and style options available, any homeowner can select window treatments that can protect their home, too. The luxurious fabrics and styles selected for a home do more than simply look great, though.  They serve to protect the interior furnishings, technology, and artwork in a home from harmful UV rays, reduce annoying glare, and can help absorb heat from the sun. The degree to which this is done is dependent upon the fabric’s opacity and the style of the shade. Imagine shades raising in the morning to let the soft morning light in, then with a tap of a button, lowering to reduce the harmful UV rays hitting favorite art pieces.

Set the Scene

Pre-programmed scenes allow for the operation of smart technologies automatically. Typically, a homeowner can operate electric shades and blinds with the tap of a button on a smart device, remote, or on-wall keypad. With scenes, the operation occurs with no direct action required from the homeowner, plus additional smart home technologies like lighting control or security systems can be programmed to work simultaneously at specified times. An “Evening In” scene can initiate the shades to lower in every room of the home and allows for increased privacy at night. Simultaneously, smart lighting can brighten to a warm glow in the living room, dim in the media room, and custom-designed spotlighting can showcase artwork in the den, all while creating a relaxed mood.   Call us at (949) 515-7030 today or reach us online to begin exploring the opportunities available from custom motorized window treatments.

Your Home’s Devices Can Run Like a Breeze with an Upgraded Network from Launch Systems

Many of us may find ourselves staying at home more than we’re used to, enjoying additional streaming services like Hulu or Netflix more often, working remotely, and participating in online learning activities with our children. While we’re comfortable and safe in our California homes, the additional loads on our home networks may be becoming uncomfortable. Have you noticed slowed down network speeds in recent weeks? Are your devices lagging and favorite shows buffering? If so, then consider home network installation services from Launch Systems as a solution to your network problems. Read on to learn more about how Launch Systems can help your family enjoy improved network speed and reliability in your Newport Beach, CA home.

SEE ALSO: Expand Your Home Network to Improve Your Outdoor Areas  

Reliability

You’re downstairs in the home office on a conference call while the kids are upstairs playing their favorite online learning games. Your spouse is streaming a movie in the media room while they work. The demand on your network is intense, and if you have a subpar home network, then at any moment, your network could crash. Not only is your family actively using the network, but there’s likely an array of smart devices connected as well — tablets, phones, smart thermostats—even bathroom scales can connect to Wi-Fi these days. A well-designed home network is reliable because it can support all of your home’s devices, with the ability to grow as your device count grows. Wireless and wired networks work in tandem with one another. The wired network serves as the backbone to your entire network, offering top speeds, while your wireless network gives your family the flexibility it desires. The combination of modems, routers, wireless controllers, network switches, and wireless access points offer your Newport-area home the fastest, most reliable solution for increased network demands.  

Security

You may initially think you don’t need security features on your home network, but that’s a dangerous idea. Cybercriminals can hack Wi-Fi networks if you aren’t taking measures to protect yourself. WPA2 password protection is the primary method of securing your network from those that have no business being there and prevents neighbors from hopping on your network and stealing your bandwidth. Additional security measures you can take to protect your network include network firewalls that protect your network from incoming malicious traffic and guest networks. Setting up a guest network is relatively simple and prevents your main network’s security from being compromised. Launch Systems can help you design a secure network that best suits your needs.   If you’re ready to advance the power of your home network, Launch Systems can help you stay connected with professional installation services in your California home. Contact us today at (949) 515-7030, complete our no-obligation consultation form, or chat with us below.

The team at Launch Systems is keeping an eye on all the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and around the world, and we are taking all necessary precautions to keep our employees, clients and community safe during this time. Health precautions and protocols in line with WHO and CDC directives are taking place throughout our organization to reduce the spread of disease. Every day our team reviews up-to-date recommendations to ensure we’re doing everything to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Though these may change over time, here are the current steps we are taking to reduce the risks associated with this novel coronavirus:

● Every technician is equipped with hand-sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean their hands. It is also readily available at our showrooms, offices and work sites to be used by all of our employees. In addition, all employees must wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

● Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees are instructed to notify their supervisor and their healthcare provider immediately upon experiencing any symptoms.