“There are some pretty unique builds out here in the mountains,” says SAV technology advisor Stephanie Gilboy, who led the Lakelodge interior design effort, noting the vast development the region has seen in the last fifteen years. “Our job is to integrate state-of-the-art home technology that enhances the experience of a space without detracting from its design. A lot of what we do is actually hiding technology. The simpler the space appears, the harder we’ve worked.”

Partnering with local design firm, Open Studio Collective, SAV sought to create both a showcase and a practical living environment, infused with an atmosphere of ease and enjoyment for all the senses. They set to work on the space with an integrated solution that was also light touch and in complete harmony with the interior aesthetic.

“This project was about blending technology, design, and art in a space that prioritizes comfort and usability—without changing the architecture or infrastructure,” adds Gilboy. “SAV is driven by design, and we have an affinity for art. For this project, we worked with Open Studio Collective who helped select and procure housewares, bedding, and wall treatments; placed artwork through Courtney Collins Fine Art and Echo Arts; and partnered with Studio Como for furnishings.”

The team identified Meridian as the audio brand to help them achieve their goal – it was as much an aesthetic selection as a performance choice. A Meridian system would allow the team to showcase high quality two-channel sound in the open plan living, kitchen and dining area, whilst also ticking the box of bringing color and style into the space, as a counterpoint to the dramatic mountain views visible through the floor to ceiling windows.

SAV was also drawn to Meridian as its system is able to demonstrate high performance audio with no infrastructure to speak of since its Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology eliminates the need for external amplification. Without the need of a big AV rack, SAV maximized the square footage to the delight of the design team, who resent losing living space for the sake of a rack room.

Wanting this multifunctional space to be used as a listening room and for enjoying TV, SAV specified a pair of Meridian Special Edition DSP7200 Loudspeakers, a 218 Meridian Zone Controller for streaming sources and to act as a Roon end point and a 251 Meridian Powered Zone Controller to allow for additional speaker zones.

The floorstanding loudspeakers – which were custom colored to match the chartreuse Husk dining chairs – sit alongside a 65” Samsung screen and fireplace on one side of the open plan area and deliver a powerful and expansive sound for the space, enhanced by the room acoustics and reflections.

Integrated with Roon and controlled via Control4 on an iPad, rental guests and visitors are encouraged to interact with the system to experience high-quality audio. With this set up, the SAV team can demonstrate the difference between playing a compressed track through Spotify compared to an uncompressed version of the same track through Roon. Flipping back and forth allows listeners to appreciate the detail, nuance and clarity of the music as they experience great sounding audio through the Meridian speakers over Roon.

The result is a beautifully balanced environment where the colors, textures, furniture and audio-visual technology complement each other perfectly. This project appeals both to those clients who demand a high fidelity, premium quality experience and to those interior designers who may be wary of compromising their design with too much technology.