Don’t let the company’s name—atlanta home theater—mislead your perception of its capabilities. As the name implies and as attested to by numerous customer reviews, the company does an exemplary job of installing home cinemas and has since its inception in 1996. But the home automation company has evolved to address many other technology integration needs for its residential and commercial clients.
When the original founder approached the current company owners, Maria and Alex Evans, about purchasing it, they jumped at the possibility. They had been a client of Atlanta Home Theater (AHT) and saw much potential in the industry. “We built a smart home over time and integrated technology within our home’s design so you don’t see it,” says Alex Evans. He thought they could bring their knowledge about technology and design to other homeowners, helping them integrate automation solutions that blend seamlessly and synergistically with their homes’ individual design aesthetics. Today, AHT provides a range of home automation solutions, including lighting and shade controls, smart home design, and entertainment technology, such as golf simulators.
“We create intentional spaces in homes by integrating design elements like fine finishes and fabrics with automation technology for a curated experience,” Maria Evans says. “While we provide the home automation products and the programmers who integrate them into our clients’ homes, our approach is about creating beautifully designed experiences where homeowners don’t even realize technology is working behind the scenes.”
“In the past, there has been a disconnect between systems integration and design,” Alex Evans adds. “We want to help our clients take their home automation systems to the next level, where technology seamlessly works with their lifestyle.”
Imagine a scenario where a homeowner comes home with several grocery bags in hand. She has to put the bags down at the doorway to unlock the door and reach inside to find the light switch that turns on the mudroom light. After walking a few more steps into the house, she needs to put the bags down again to switch on the kitchen light so she can see to put the groceries away. AHT removes manual processes such as these, replacing them with hidden technology programmed to work for each homeowner’s specific needs.
“We can design technology that energizes an occupancy sensor so the appropriate lights automatically illuminate when the homeowner walks inside,” says Alex Evans. “We can program the system to account for differences in daytime versus nighttime activities.” Every detail of a home’s technology can be customized—from opening the entrance gate to setting up technology that turns on lights, runs bathwater, starts streaming music, and opens or closes the shades at certain times of the day or when the owner approaches the home. A smart home system can be individualized to each person’s desires and needs, whether that’s controlling the pool temperature, illuminating a focal-point countertop or having the fireplace automatically come on if the temperature dips to a certain point. The key point is that anything can be customized to make a homeowner’s life easier. “We set up a home that takes care of you,” Maria Evans adds.
Another major differentiator of AHT’s products and services is how the company closely ties together technology with a home’s interior design. For its popular golf simulator product, for example, the staff works with architects, builders and designers in new construction projects and renovations to marry the entertainment technology components so they work with the home’s style. “We design or rework the entire room to enhance the golf experience,” Alex Evans says. “We build the system and work with trade professionals to customize the golf simulator for the person using it. We consider if they are right- or left-handed, how tall they are and other details for a custom fit. We then collaborate with designers to specify the fabrics and finishes on walls that complement the décor.” Whether the golf simulator is for a pro golfer to hone strategy, for a new learner to practice a swing or just for fun entertainment, AHT matches the technological specifications with the home’s style for an enjoyable, functional and beautiful fit.
While the goal is to thoughtfully introduce technology to simplify life at home, AHT’s staff also is laser-focused on providing options that enhance a home’s design style. “We can aesthetically clean up a house,” Alex Evans says. “Many homeowners may have 65 switches spread throughout six rooms; we can simplify everything to just a handful of switches. The change makes it easy and intuitive for even guests in your home to understand how to operate smart home features.” Many of the keypads that run the automation system can be matched to the home’s material palette. The company sources keypads in a range of high-end finishes to coordinate with a home’s style, such as brushed brass, matte charcoal black, glass and many more options.
“As a lifestyle product, we want our clients to enjoy the experience of living in a smart home outfitted with the specific features that will automate the manual processes in their lives,” Maria Evans says. Homeowners get a chance to see a sampling of automation options available in AHT’s 12,000-square-foot showroom, which spans three floors of vignettes that mimic at-home settings. AHT provides access to the most tech-savvy systems that control and customize home lighting. “One of our brands provides millions of different lighting colors that mimic the sun rising (an orange hue), the sun’s midday intensity (blue and white lights) and the evening sunset,” she adds. “It’s the only lighting system that provides the dimmest lights to mimic candlelight.”
AHT is one of the largest custom systems integration showrooms in the country; there is plenty for homeowners to see and choose for their bespoke experience. The company removes the task of automating a home from the homeowner’s shoulders and adds enjoyment to the process of envisioning how a home could function for their family. “We are not product-focused but instead concentrate on creating an experience of what can be achieved in a fully automated home,” Maria Evans says. “We provide concierge-level service, where the custom programming to achieve a homeowner’s desired result is second to none. Everyone’s home is different, and every homeowner has distinct needs. We are so much more than the plug-and-chug of smart home products found in big-box retailers. The engineering and programming of the technology is an art form; we are changing the industry by creating automation solutions featuring synergy between technology and interior design. Our thoughtful technology runs seamlessly in the background behind a home’s beautiful design features.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and art.
