CHALLENGE:
Business executive Ed Zander’s home technology system needed updating. He and his wife Mona are active philanthropists involved in education, health, and social services. Their 13,000 square foot estate in a beautiful but remote area of Carmel Valley had its original wiring, electronics, and speakers from when they built the home in 2004. Ed wanted to update the system to include more current technology while maintaining the integrated features of the speakers, televisions, network, lighting, climate, cameras, and security system. In addition, the Zanders were building a vacation home in Palm Desert, and they wanted to have identical technology in that house.
SOLUTION:
Ed worked with managing partner Kevin Cook as his lead executive from the start. In Carmel Valley, the Amplified project team performed a detailed inspection of each room in the home to assess the scope of the job, then worked to develop a design and path forward that was agreeable for all parties. While technicians worked with the extant wiring and racks to upgrade and convert the systems, including conversion to a Crestron control platform, Amplified Lifestyles also upgraded the existing dedicated home theater, including all-new theater seating. A year and a half after the project completion, Ed and Kevin stay in touch and maintain their relationship.
Amplified Lifestyles liaised directly with the local home electronics firm in Palm Desert to duplicate the user interface and features of the Crestron Electronics control system. Once Ed introduced the two companies to each other, they collaborated, and he did not need to get further involved with the project. The Zanders now have the same user interface, command signals, remotes, and phone applications in Carmel Valley and Palm Desert. “It is a great feature for someone with multiple homes.,” Ed said. Speaking of multiple homes, when asked if he would use Amplified Lifestyles if he were building another residence, Ed responded, “Obviously, yes, we had a really good experience.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
CLIENT: Ed Zander
SCOPE: Update Crestron Electronics System, New Media Room, Duplicate Crestron Electronics System
LOCATION: Carmel Valley, Palm Desert
Did you know that Amplified Lifestyles has an Automated Shade Division? In March, window covering expert David Arbogast joined the Amplified team bringing over thirty years of experience developing shade solutions for interior designers, architects, and general contractors. David has designed automated shade solutions for skylights, curved windows, slanted windows, and crooked windows; he is up for any challenge.
AL: Congratulations on joining Amplified Lifestyles as Shading Project Manager! How did you get your start in Automated Shading Systems?
DA: Back in 1990, I answered an ad in the newspaper. I previously worked as a metal fabricator, doing welding, forging, machining, and foundry work. I was planning on purchasing a small machine shop but couldn’t reach a fair deal with the owner. On my first day installing shades, I discovered a new way to apply my skills of precision fabrication and the joy of clean hands at the end of the day! The variety of job sites over the years keeps things interesting. Each window I hang a shade in provides a new view of life!
AL: What are the benefits of having automated shades as opposed to manual?
DA: I would say the primary benefit would be ease of use. For most windows, the shades are only needed for part of the day. They don’t need to be deployed all the time. With automated shades, you can have your view back at the push of a button, saving you the chore of going around the house and manually lifting the shades. Automated shades can also be set to operate on their own at pre-programmed times. Not only is this helpful for regular day-to-day life, but it also helps keep the house looking lived in while you are away on vacation.
AL: At what stage in the project should the automated shading expert be brought in and why?
DA: It’s best to bring us in as the floor plans are being laid out. For automated shades built in, to conceal the hardware, we sometimes need a thicker wall than normal. Being involved early on helps the shading system look like part of the original, intentional design instead of an afterthought.
AL: What have been some of your most challenging window solutions?
DA: The ones that come to mind are windows that don’t have right angles or have curved sections. These are even more challenging when they slant in or out (not plumb). Thankfully, it seems my life experiences have provided me with an advanced degree from the “MacGyver” Institute. I enjoy being able to design unique window shading solutions. One of my more memorable projects was in an operator’s cab of a large crane in the Port of Oakland. I was lifted up on top of a container!
AL: How have you seen shading solutions change over the last 30 years?
DA: Traditional draperies and blinds have stayed pretty much the same, with some improvements to the durability of the fabrics. The most significant changes have been on the automated side of things. Electronic drives have become smaller, quieter, and much more robust. Battery-powered shades have come a long way, too, for those projects where it is not feasible to go behind the walls to run wiring. Some of these battery-powered shades can go 3-6 years before replacing the common “D” cell batteries. It has also become easier to pair automated shades with the various digital assistants in the market today.
AL: How do you collaborate on a residential project that can include a systems integrator, GC, architect, and interior designer?
DA: I’ve gotten used to the new “normal,” with zoom calls, emails, and texts. And I quite often resort to the “before time” habit of site visits!
AL: When you are not shading the Bay Area, what do you enjoy doing?
DA: I enjoy spending time outdoors, whether hiking, mountain biking, playing golf, or sailing. While indoors, I enjoy cooking and watching old movies (the kind where the dialogue is more entertaining than the special effects!).
AL: Vintage or new?
DA: I lean more towards vintage classics with original patina.
AL: A book that everyone should read?
DA: I would unapologetically recommend the best-selling book of all time, known as The Bible. If it’s your first time, I suggest starting with the Gospel of John.
AL: What is one thing no one knows about you?
DA: How much I treasure the personal connections made with others!
In March, Amplified Lifestyles welcomed veteran Senior Technology Advisor Robert Gilligan to the team. Robert brings over twenty years of experience in audiovisual, automation, and security technologies. He is adept at collaborating with interior designers, architects, general contractors, and lighting designers to find the best technology solutions that blend seamlessly into their high-end residential projects.
AL: Congratulations on joining Amplified Lifestyles! What attracted you to the company?
RG: Thank you! I’ve previously worked with many Amplified team members at a company that pioneered the home automation world. Tim Johnson, Amplified’s award-winning chief engineer, was my mentor and taught me almost everything I know about incorporating high-quality A/V systems into an estate home’s aesthetics. So, this feels like both a homecoming and the beginning of something exciting and new. I firmly believe that estate-level projects are best served by locally owned and operated firms, so I’m thrilled to join Kevin Cook, Casey Webster, Jeremy McKenzie, and this fantastic team that’s performing at the top of their game.
AL: What drew you into the world of home technology design?
RG: My background is in recording studio engineering and special event production, like symphony galas and tech conferences. As luck would have it, the company I worked for at the time was doing a significant private event for a client in Atherton. We needed to tie in our event audio systems into the audio system of the house. I was thrilled to learn that the technologies we used in the live and studio production worlds were starting to be incorporated into Silicon Valley estate homes! This discovery coincided with my eldest daughter being born. It quickly became clear that the event world’s schedule was not family-friendly.
So, I needed to take stock of my skills and find a way to leverage them for a career that would allow me to stay in the Bay Area and be home for dinner. These were the early days of home automation, with only a couple of companies providing those systems. So, I cold-called Engineered Environments, who were creating a dedicated Service Department for the company. Randy Stearns, the firm’s founder, took a chance on me and thought I would be great at leading that new team. The rest is history, but as I’ve grown in my career, I always keep coming back to that critical issue of customer service.
AL: How have you seen technology solutions change over the last 20 years?
RG: The primary change has been the transition of all A/V Home Technology systems to function over data networks rather than proprietary wiring or controls. This change enabled mobile app-based controls of these systems so homeowners could have complete control over their environments at a fingertip or voice’s reach. I think the next 20 years’ focus will be on leveraging these technologies into systems focused on health and well-being as much as entertainment. (Though I still look forward to the day when we have full, 8K holographic smell-o-vision!)
AL: Who is your ideal client?
RG: We’re fortunate to usually be introduced at the beginning of a project with the other design consultants. My ideal experiences are with clients and project design teams that are both inquisitive and decisive. They want to learn about Home Technology options but are self-aware enough to know what they want. My best experiences are with clients and design teams who are also empathetic to the rest of the family and staff’s needs. With the technology systems we design, everyone involved uses the audio, video, data networks, lighting and shades, surveillance, and access control systems. So, proper planning for multigenerational users and staff becomes a beautiful game of 3D chess.
AL: If you were not in home technology design, what would you do?
RG: My default answer to that question is always Astronaut! However, I’d more likely be involved in the production of films or music.
AL: What are some of the podcasts you listen to and why?
RG: The Daily, The Moth, and 10% Happier usually are in rotation to keep me informed and inspired. Still, I tend to listen to new music when I’m not on the phone, which is most of my waking hours. I’m constantly on the lookout for the next Radiohead or Beyoncé.
AL: What’s your current TV obsession?
RG Schitt’s Creek and The Mandalorian got me through the Pandemic. (That’s an interesting Venn diagram that describes me more than any Rorschach test could). I’m also planning not to watch anything on TV for the next year 🙂
AL: Song you can listen to on repeat?
RG: That’s constantly changing, and I tend to get obsessed with whole albums. The current rotation is “Razzmatazz” by IDKHow and the new Foo Fighters album “Medicine at Midnight.” I can also enjoy anything by Sarah Vaughan or Elbow at any time.
AL: Favorite app?
RG: The popular home automation apps from companies like Lutron, Savant, Sonos, and Nest are always at my fingertips. Still, apps like Calm and Noom helped me navigate the personal challenges of the last year. (And with all due respect and appreciation, I look forward to using my Zoom and Amazon apps much less in the immediate future!)
AL: What’s inspiring you in life right now?
RG: The reconnection of human relationships, both personal and professional, I’m currently talking to my friends and industry partners to schedule face-to-face get-togethers (when everyone is vaccinated and feeling safe). These calls fill my days with hope and optimism for the future. We’ve all just gone through an experience that will fundamentally change the way we think about home. I can’t wait to engage in this conversation with our fantastic design and building partners to help leverage technology to improve the quality of our client’s lives.
