Create the Soundtrack for Outdoor Summer Fun

We've probably said it before, and we'll say it again. Music is one of the most potent elements in setting a mood. Whether you want to get up and dance, tap your toes to a beat, or fall asleep to the dulcet tones of a favorite artist, music is the perfect accompaniment and catalyst.

Your music doesn’t have to live within the walls of your house, either. With an outdoor speaker system, your Barrington, IL home can extend the power of music throughout your patios and backyard. Keep reading to see how your outdoor sound system helps you get outside for much needed fresh air this summer and seasons beyond.

Get a Custom Sonos Experience Like No Other

If you’re familiar with Sonos – and many people are – you might be wondering why Sonos and professional installation are mentioned in the same breath. Sonos is indeed a popular consumer audio product, and generally, for simple applications doesn't require a professional integrator like Avidia to set up if you're comfortable with smartphone apps.

While Sonos is deceptively simple, you can do more complex things with the system. One of the things we love about the Sonos system is its ease of use, but it also has some custom capabilities that aren't as simple as plugging in a wireless speaker and connecting it to your network.

Recently, Sonos introduced two products that bring in other audio systems, like an existing stereo that you love, and extend them throughout your house. Those products are the Port and Amp. The Port lets you bring an existing audio system into the wireless streaming world of Sonos. The Amp adds even more capability. It adds a powerful amplifier to bring Sonos streaming to any set of speakers – bookshelves, towers, built-in, or even outdoor. Its various configuration options are one reason we offer Sonos professional installation services.

If you didn’t know that Sonos had all these custom capabilities for your Northbrook, IL home, we hope you’re intrigued. And there’s more. Please keep reading.

Create the Perfect 3-Season Indoor/Outdoor Space

On these pages, we've often discussed the virtues of motorized shades; they bring a variety of real benefits and luxury to any home. But have you thought about outdoor motorized shades? They’re not just for sun-soaked restaurant patios or homes in California. They work to help you get more use of your patio here in Illinois too.

You might be thinking that the outdoor season in Illinois is shorter than in the South and West, and of course, that's correct. That's one reason why we think outdoor motorized shading can make your patio more of an indoor/outdoor space, letting you stretch your outdoor use in good weather days in spring, summer, and fall.

Let's look at five ways outdoor motorized shades let you do more with your Barrington home's outdoor spaces. After all, can't we all use a little more time outside these days?

How a Professional Home Network Installation Can Help

Given the concerns about health in the current environment, you might be thinking – now I have to worry about something else? The short answer is no. But scientific research has shown that there can be adverse health effects with too much exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR). You may already know that, as many people choose not to buy a home that is too close for comfort to high-current powerlines.

Just as there are people that are highly sensitive to gluten and other foods while others have no issues, some people may be more sensitive to the effects of EMR. We need to be clear – low levels of EMR, such as the radio waves used in wireless technologies, are not proven to have harmful effects on humans. But just as gluten has a real impact on some people, other research has suggested that we don't know everything. In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an extensive, multidisciplinary research effort to study the effects of EMR.  While current evidence does not confirm any health issues from exposure to low levels of EMR, it also noted that more research is needed as many gaps in knowledge exist.

What does it all mean? As a professional home network installer, Avidia designs and installs many wireless networks in Wilmette and across the Chicago area. If you are concerned about the effects of EMR, we can help. Read on for more.

At Avidia, we’re celebrating our anniversary with a feature in CEPro and exciting plans for the future

Since our doors opened in 2010, we’ve undergone tremendous change and growth here at Avidia. Our evolutionary path has taken us from a start-up company performing basic installation jobs and product development to a first-class home automation company specializing in custom integration projects in Northbrook, IL.

This year, we rang in our 10-year anniversary with a featured cover story in CEPro about how far our company has come in the last decade. Today, we’d like to take some time to reflect on our company vision, mission and goals, and where we see ourselves in the future. Keep reading for an inside look at Avidia’s journey.

Discover a Stylish Solution: Crestron’s Elegant Horizon Keypads

If you're building or remodeling a house, chances are you are adding many different types of built-in lighting. One of the issues with numerous lights is the banks of switches required to control all the loads. Those switches often take up lots of wall space, are confusing (especially when they are multi-way), and need several steps to illuminate the area just the way you want.

Of course, there’s an easy solution to managing lighting in your Lake Forest, IL home – a residential lighting control system. Lighting control can consolidate switches, offer wireless capabilities for flexible installation, and simplify getting the lighting right for any time of the day.

If you value design and aesthetics, some lighting technology solutions may leave you wanting. However, Crestron's sleek Horizon keypads break that mold. Supremely stylish and highly configurable, it's the keypad that savvy designers love to specify. And they do much more than control the lights, too!

Read on to learn why Crestron Horizon keypads are the choice for the design-conscious home.

Avidia will stay open as a federally mandated essential business

As businesses close throughout the country to aid in social distancing and halting the spread of COVID-19, we have been designated by the government as an essential business that may remain open to support our community during this time. That being said, we’re not conducting business as usual. Your safety is of the utmost importance to us, which is why we’ve implemented special steps to protect clients and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak in the US. You can explore the steps we’ve taken here.

Why Stay Inside for Your Entertainment?

Once the cold recedes and flowers start to bud, any time spent indoors during beautiful weather feels like a waste in Illinois. But because of busy work schedules and routines, we still spend most of our days between walls. When you’re at home, why not spend as much time as possible in fresh air? You’ll elevate your mood and receive more vitamin D. An outdoor speaker system can help you get there.

Whether you’re doing an at-home workout, having a barbeque with family, or sunbathing with a book, it’s all best with your favorite music in the warm air. Plus, outdoor TVs can bring fun TV shows and movie nights into your backyard. To learn how the weatherproof technology will work in your Northbrook, IL yard, read more below.

The team at Avidia is keeping an eye on all the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and around the world, and we are taking all necessary precautions to keep our employees, clients and community safe during this time. Health precautions and protocols in line with WHO and CDC directives are taking place throughout our organization to reduce the spread of disease. Every day our team reviews up-to-date recommendations to ensure we’re doing everything we can to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Mantel Mounts & Hidden Technology Make the Most of an Audio Video Installation

There’s something so aesthetically pleasing about installing your TV above the fireplace. It looks neat, organized, and ties your décor together into an inviting atmosphere. But depending on the height and dimensions of your fireplace, it may be uncomfortable to crane your neck upwards to watch your favorite shows and movies above the fire. And while convenient, you might not always like the appearance of a large, black rectangle in your living room when the screen is off.

Luckily, we have the technology to address this and more. Continue reading to learn how mantel mounts and hidden technology can make the most of your space, making your audio video installation blend seamlessly with your Northbrook, IL home.