Home Technology
The Gift That's An Investment
Unlike Chevy Chase’s enrollment in the Jelly of the Month Club, a home cinema truly is the gift that keeps on giving.
BY
Diana Lambdin Meyer
PHOTOGRAPHY
Steve Sanders

A tradition in many Kansas City homes during the holiday season is watching the must-see television classics, ranging from “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Frosty the Snowman” to “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas.”

Think how much more wonderful that family and entertaining experience would be this holiday season in a specially designed home theater.

Guests of Ann and Gary Fish of Loch Lloyd, Mo., discovered the pleasure of such a home feature last year when the couple hosted a holiday party for 55 employees of Fishnet Securities, where Gary is CEO. 

“It just really adds to the ambience of the holidays and opens up a new dimension of entertaining year-round,” Ann says.

Holiday guests mingled in the lower level, which features a bar area complete with two 46-inch plasma screens.  The theater is a separate brick red room with chocolate carpeting and tiered seating for eight in reclining leather chairs, complete with cup holders.  The 100-inch screen and surround-sound stereo surpasses any experience to be had at local multiplex theaters.

During the party, Ann programmed holiday music through the whole-house stereo system, but “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” was looped, muted and playing on the various television/video screens on all levels of the home. The system is designed so that all screens in the house may play the same or separate programs.

Other times in the year, Ann and Gary enjoy watching DVD concerts, such as U2, the Eagles and Harry Connick, Jr.  She also leaves one of the upstairs plasma TVs set to the Discovery Channel HD, which displays real time images of migrating sea lions and other wildlife.

“We both love movies and he loves gadgets, so this is a great way to spend time together,” Ann says. “You can really lose track of time here.”

During the construction of the Fishs’ home, the system was installed by a team led by Steve Stucky, a systems designer at Accent Sound in Overland Park. Those interested in a home theater system can see four different DLP (digital light processing) systems on display at the company’s 135th and Metcalf store that range in price from less than $3,000 to more than $20,000.

“The popularity seems to be front projection systems in areas where light can be controlled, and plasma or LCD (liquid crystal display) products where outside light is a factor,” says Stucky, who prefers to make a site visit to the home early in the selection process so that he can recommend the best range of options for each client.

An ideal ceiling height for home theater is 8 to 12 feet. Higher, vaulted ceilings and open room design greatly impact the audio selection and video projection options.

“With the falling prices on High Definition Plasma and DLP products, we see higher-quality integrations for even modest budgets,” Stucky says.

Depending on budget, environment and personal taste, a quality home theater system can cost less than $5,000 on the low-end to a sky-is-the-limit price tag. The budget should be equally balanced between audio and video elements, which combined, create the total theater effect. 

Special features to consider include soundproof panels, lighting systems and décor that can be as simple as bean bags and over-stuffed chairs to popcorn machines, soft drink dispensers and theater-style candy counters.

Todd Sandler’s company, Naturally Wired, in Overland Park, displays a variety of such fun features, including a wide selection of movie posters. Naturally Wired specializes in all aspects of custom electronics ranging from security and home monitoring to home theater in new construction as well as in existing homes.

“The decision to invest in a home theater is really a personal lifestyle decision for families,” Sandler says. “It’s really a rational, sound investment when you look at the price of gas, the cost of movie tickets, popcorn and the whole package.”

Chandler and Sandy McCray planned on a home theater component when they built their Mission Hills home eight years ago, but didn’t have Sandler complete it until    this past summer. The 100-inch screen is built into the wall and includes a real time sports ticker and two 27-inch televisions on the side for watching more than one game at a time.

“We hosted our first Chiefs party in September and had about 40 people down there,” Sandy says. “My husband is a sports nut, so he’s thrilled with it all.”

Sandy admits she wasn’t particularly excited about HD TV until she started watching it, and now she finds that doing ironing and other household chores are more enjoyable with the quality television as company.

 The McCrays chose a sectional couch and café-style tables to accommodate as many guests as possible, recognizing that theater-style seating is not as conducive to large numbers.

However enjoyable entertaining in their home theater is, Sandy says the investment is paying off in the improved family time with the couple’s three children, who range in age from eight to 12 years old. She estimates the family spends about six to eight hours watching movies and special programs together each weekend.

Sometimes those hours stretch out so she sets boundaries by limiting programming, and she also stocks the room with puzzles and board games so that the children may socialize while watching a movie. By hosting a number of slumber parties and other events, the children are the hit of the neighborhood, and with a pre-wired intercom system, Sandy, Chandler and adult guests can stay in touch with the downstairs happenings without the appearance of intrusion.

“It’s just great to know where your family is and what they are watching, so this is an investment in peace of mind as well as our children and our home,” Sandy says.
So if your holiday gift-giving list includes CDs and DVDs, maybe your New Year’s resolution should be to take home entertainment to a new level.