When a design-savvy homeowner and her technology-enthusiast husband set out to build their dream residence in Corona del Mar, California, they shared one bold vision: to infuse it with every high-tech innovation imaginable without letting any of the technology show. Newport Home Theaters rose to the seemingly impossible concealment challenge, delivering a $1.5 million smart home masterpiece that hides 17 miles of communication cabling and hundreds of connected devices within just 4000 square feet — a compact footprint for such a plethora of smart products.
A vital element of the ambitious project was Wall-Smart flush mounts, which allowed critical user interfaces like Savant touch panels and keypads, along with Josh.ai Nano voice assistants, to sit perfectly flush within the home’s walls and cabinetry. The result is a beautiful, comfortable, and efficient home that marries technical sophistication with visual serenity, proving that even an extraordinary amount of technology can remain beautifully unseen yet deeply appreciated.
Concealing the Complexity
The home’s single-story construction on a slab foundation with a flat roof offered no attic or basement space. Traditional wiring pathways didn’t exist, forcing Newport Home Theaters to coordinate closely with every trade to share ceiling and wall real estate. Every inch of space mattered.
Related: Ask the Interior Designer
At the same time, the homeowners’ priorities couldn’t have been more different. The wife, an interior designer and art gallery owner, prioritized aesthetics and visual continuity, while her husband wanted cutting-edge capabilities. “The mission from the beginning,” explains Newport Home Theaters president Courtney Tiziani, “was to fit a crazy amount of tech and conceal it as much as possible.”
Every visible element, from outlets to temperature sensors, was purposefully chosen to align with this objective of concealment, cohesion, and visual elegance, yet still be fully functional. “Wall-Smart gave us the bridge between design and technology,” Tiziani says. This was Newport Home Theaters’ first experience installing Wall-Smart solutions, and the impact was immediate. “The product is beautifully thought-out and manufactured,” Tiziani remarks. “There was a learning curve, but once you understand the installation process, the results are flawless. It won’t be our last Wall-Smart project. We’re already planning to use it again.”
Enabling Effortless Control
Nearly every Savant keypad and touch panel was installed using a combination of Wall-Smart’s custom flush mounts. Uniquely engineered for drywall installation and tailored to each specific device, including Savant Ascend keypads and 5- and 8-inch touch panels, these trimless, recessed mounts achieve a seamless transition between technology and architecture. Even the few control points integrated into custom millwork, along with the specialty circular mounts used to recess the quarter-sized Josh.ai Nano microphones, virtually disappear into their surroundings.
Although the homeowners rely on these devices to manage architectural lighting, climate control, AV systems, and more, each interface feels like an organic part of the home’s design rather than a technological intrusion. Whether through voice, mobile app, or tactile control, every interaction feels intuitive and unobtrusive. In a residence where every detail, from speakers and thermostats to outlets and sensors, was chosen for aesthetic harmony, Wall-Smart delivered the invisible elegance that brings it all together.
Personalizing the Experience
Because the family’s needs were diverse, including accommodating a child with autism, a “one-size-fits-all” control approach simply wouldn’t work. Therefore, Newport Home Theaters developed a layered, adaptive control system combining:
- AI voice control for natural, hands-free operation
- Savant Home Automation for deep customization and scheduling
- Custom-engraved Savant keypads and touch panels for tactile, intuitive control
- Savant handheld remote controls for convenient control from the couch
- App-based control for home management from individual smartphones and tablets
Each family member can interact with the home in their preferred method, but without juggling an unruly, confusing, visually disruptive assortment of user interfaces.
Reaching a Lofty Goal
This project proves that challenges such as a home’s size, design, or even differing homeowner priorities are no match for innovative solutions like Wall-Smart’s custom flush mounts and the installation expertise of Newport Home Theaters. With clear objectives, close collaboration among designers and architects, and a thoughtful selection of products, Newport Home Theaters seamlessly integrated an extraordinary amount of technology into a complex architectural framework, all while maintaining the home’s clean, refined aesthetic.
Equipment List
- Wall-Smart flush mounts
- Savant home control
- Savant climate control
- Infratech outdoor heating system
- Lutron lighting and shade control
- DSC security
- 2N security
- IC Realtime surveillance
- Sonos distributed audio
- Sonance amps
- James Loudspeaker speakers
- Sony AV receivers
- Sony displays
- Samsung The Frame TVs
- Future Automation motorized TV lifts
- WattBox surge protector/power conditioner
- SurgeX uninterrupted power supplies
- Middle Atlantic racks
- Netgate, Araknis, Ruckus, and Netgear networking
