Strateres, one of New England’s leading manufacturer’s representative firms, has officially opened the doors to its long-anticipated Design Studio, a 5,000-square-foot immersive residential technology showroom in Norwood, Mass. that is already transforming how architects, designers, builders, and integrators engage with home technology.
Unveiled in September, the Strateres Design Studio offers a curated, real-world environment where visitors can see, hear, and experience cutting-edge solutions from some of the industry’s most influential brands, including Lutron Electronics, Sonance | James, Sony, Josh.ai, Leon, Just Video Walls, and others.
For Strateres Founder Peter Dyroff, the new showroom represents both a personal and professional milestone.
“This has been a long time in planning, and while it took a lot of thought and unfortunately a lot of money, we couldn’t be more proud,” Dyroff said in remarks at a grand opening event. “This showroom is for you—our extended family of architects, designers, builders, integrators, and end users. This is your home now, and we want to see you here.”
Designed to look and feel like a modern residence, the studio includes a fully functional kitchen, living room, bar, outdoor courtyard with landscape audio, and even a dedicated home cinema. Each space demonstrates how technology blends seamlessly into everyday living, from immersive lighting and shading control to hidden audio and framed displays.
Partnerships Powering the Experience
The Strateres Design Studio showroom was artfully designed with Lutron lighting and fixtures from Niche Modern. Image/Zachary Comeau
The project would not have been possible without the deep collaboration of Strateres’ manufacturer partners. Dyroff was quick to highlight the pivotal role of Lutron, Sonance, Leon, Sony, Josh.ai, Just Video Walls and others.
“Lutron are our biggest partner and so, so important to this space. We wouldn’t have built it without Lutron,” Dyroff said.
He also credited Sonance as “the best audio company out there” and praised Leon for elevating dealer installations over many years. The entire showroom runs on Josh.ai, which Strateres staff programmed themselves—an endorsement of the platform’s flexibility.
Representatives from these partner brands echoed the importance of collaboration. Dave Weinstein, Vice President at Lutron and a former Strateres president, described the opening as a full-circle moment.
“Strateres’ commitment to Lutron has never wavered. It’s not just about selling products—it’s about building trust, solving problems, and helping people create environments that are beautiful, functional, and inspiring,” Weinstein said.
Hilary Giggs, Lutron’s Vice President of Residential Luxury Sales, called the studio a “shared vision” brought to life through intentional collaboration: “This is a space for community—for connecting, building relationships, and working toward such a great future.”
Other brand partners like Sonance and Leonalso praised Strateres for setting a new standard in experiential representation.
Mike Cleary of Sonance called it “the nicest rep space in the country,” underscoring the authenticity and partnership the space embodies.
Blending Art, Design, and Technology in a Community Hub
The space is a perfect example of the intersection of art, design and technology, a theme that has dominated industry events and programming of late. In short, luxury homebuyers increasingly place a premium on seamless architecture and integration of technology, but also technology that can elevate design.
For example, several Leon products help elevate the Design Studio, including audio sconces, TV frames, and more. Niche Modern, a maker of custom hand-blown glass lighting fixtures that come Ketra-ready, is also present via design-forward lighting fixtures throughout the space.
For Noah Kaplan, founder of Leon Speakers, the Strateres Design Studio represents more than just a new showroom—it signals a cultural shift for the industry.
Kaplan reflected on how far the market has come since he entered it over 25 years ago, recalling days spent visiting stereo shops and building relationships with longtime dealers. Today, Leon’s mission has evolved to focus on merging art, design, and audio in ways that elevate both lifestyle and creativity.
“Walking into this space changes everything,” Kaplan said. “This is really where design comes from—it comes from collaboration, it comes from community. And right now we are building a brand-new culture, and it all starts right now.”
He described the Design Studio as more than a showcase of technology; it’s a community center where multiple brands come together in ways that mirror how clients actually experience their homes.
“You don’t walk into any house and see just one brand,” Kaplan noted. “Imagine if you saw just one brand of sofas in an entire space. That ain’t it. Just watching how all these things interact—and the palette of new lifestyle experiences you can have—is really transformative.”
According to Kaplan, the industry is finally onboard with the idea that technology must not compete with architecture or interior design. Rather, it should all work in harmony.
“There was a time when I was worried about this industry and if we were going to push forward,” Kaplan said. “I have to hand it to everybody in this room. You push forward and are pushing beyond, because bringing technology to a house is not easy.”
The Strateres Design Studio is deliberately positioned as more than just a showroom. Its mission is to serve as a hub for education, collaboration, and inspiration across all trades involved in luxury homebuilding.
Dyroff compares the concept to Clark Distribution, a well-known appliance showroom in the region where clients, architects, and builders select high-end appliances without being pressured to purchase on site.
“When a homeowner is building a luxury home, they go to Clark to pick out appliances. We want this space to do the same for technology,” Dyroff explained. “We’re not selling—we’re educating. The intent is to help them understand how they live, what solutions fit, and then take that knowledge to their integrator.”
With a full kitchen, bar, and large courtyard, the facility also doubles as an event venue. Strateres plans to host architect nights, builder gatherings, and industry training sessions—bringing 40 to 50 professionals together at a time in a setting designed to spark dialogue and ideas.
Early Success Stories
A Just Video Walls video wall is a key feature of the Strateres Design Studio. Image/Zachary Comeau
Though the official ribbon-cutting took place in late September, the showroom has already been paying dividends during its soft-opening phase. New England integrator Boston Automations co-founder Adam Zell shared how the space has directly generated business for his company.
“We had a Facebook campaign for home theaters, and a client reached out saying he wanted to see one built. We brought him here, he sat in the theater, stood up, and said, ‘Can you build this exact theater for me in my basement?’”
Within a week, a contract was signed for the home theater project.
In another case, a prospective client discovered Boston Automations through an online search and toured the studio. After experiencing the lighting demo, he halted construction on his home mid-project to integrate a full Lutron system. That single visit led to an additional six-figure sale.
For integrators like Zell without a brick-and-mortar showroom, the value of the Strateres showroom is clear. Building showrooms is expensive, as Dyroff said during the event multiple times. Oftentimes, that expense is more than a small integrator would be willing to swallow.
“As products change over time, they can easily be swapped out here,” he explained. “For a small integration company, it would cost a fortune to keep bringing in new products. Here, it’s dynamic.”
Beyond the technology itself, Zell pointed out that the experience of visiting the studio is unlike anything clients would find in a big-box retailer or appliance store.
“When they come here, they understand it’s our space, and it’s a private tour,” he said. “They feel more special versus walking someone into Best Buy where there are 100 people around. Here, they can put their name on the welcome signs, offer a glass of wine or beer, and give them two or three hours to hang out and really explore.”
He shared an example of a recent family visit where they sat down together, looked through shade books, and chose brackets for their Palladiom shades right on the wall.
“That’s something you’ll never get in your own showroom unless you can invest $3 million,” Zell said. “For us, this space is transformative.”
