In high-end residential construction, complexity is often a given. But on this Cherry Hills estate, complexity became the proving ground for a design-first approach to technology integration by Quality Audio Video (QAV).
Wrapped entirely in stone, wood and custom finishes, this 8,500-square-foot residence makes every surface intentional. QAV was brought in to ensure the home’s lighting, shading, AV, networking, security, and wellness systems matched the same architectural rigor, with what followed being a lesson to all in restraint and coordination.
Cherry Hills Architecture Creates the Rules of Engagement
Connor DeMott
From the outset, the home presented one of the most refined levels of fit and finish QAV has encountered.
Non-drywall construction left no margin for error: no cavities to hide late-stage wiring, no opportunity for post-install correction and zero tolerance for visible hardware.
“There is virtually no drywall in the home—every surface is stone, wood, or custom-finished—raising the bar for how discreetly technology could be integrated,” explains Carly Bitz, Marketing Specialist for QAV.
All technology had to be planned early. Motorized shades were fully concealed within custom tongue-and-groove ceiling details. Lighting was layered and architectural, designed to enhance natural materials rather than compete with them. Control interfaces were reduced to the essentials.
When general contractors changed mid-project, QAV worked to re-establish workflows to preserve system integrity and ensure that
As general contractors changed that technology decisions already embedded into stone, wood and millwork remained uncompromised.
A Case Study in Restrained Technology Delivery
Connor DeMott
Lighting and shading control is handled through Basalte’s capacitive metallic keypads, chosen as much for their tactile elegance as their architectural compatibility. There are no plastic switches anywhere in the residence.
Audio and video systems were designed as sculptural elements rather than technical fixtures with Leon custom speaker enclosures and TV housings blending seamlessly into the surrounding millwork, while Bang & Olufsen Harmony displays serve as intentional focal points.
Behind the scenes, a fully integrated Crestron control system unifies lighting, shading, AV, security, and networking into a single, effortless user experience.
The residence ends as a place where technology is omnipresent yet invisible not defined by the sophistication of its systems alone, highlighting how, in a home where nothing is ordinary, the greatest achievement is often that nothing feels technological at all.
“Nothing in this home is ordinary—and nothing announces itself,” says Bitz.
Connor DeMott
Systems & Equipment
- Automation & Control
- Crestron
- Audio
- Origin Acoustics
- Leon Speakers
- Sonos
- Video
- Samsung
- Sony
- Bang & Olufsen
- Lighting & Shading
- Crestron
This project is part of our coverage for the 2025 CE Pro Home of the Year Awards. Presented annually at CEDIA Expo, the Home of the Year Awards represent the best of the best smart home innovations within the CEDIA channel. If you have a project you would like to submit to the Home of the Year Awards, consider following CE Pro if you aren’t already for when we announce the next submission round.
Connor DeMott
Connor DeMott
Connor DeMott
Connor DeMott
Connor DeMott
