Designed Around How the Family Lives

With so much happening on one lower level, space planning became a major part of the design.

Instead of treating the theater, game areas, golf simulator, and gym as completely separate destinations, the lower level was designed with an open flow that allows the family to move naturally from one activity to the next. Just as importantly, each area needed enough breathing room to function the way it should.

The custom pool table is a great example. Its placement was carefully considered to provide plenty of room to play without interfering with people moving through or enjoying another part of the space. Adjustable architectural lighting above the table can be precisely aimed to illuminate the playing surface while minimizing shadows and glare.

Whole-home audio extends into the lower level as well, allowing music to become part of the experience without adding visual clutter.

A Home Theater Made for Movie Night

At the heart of the lower level is a dedicated home theater, but unlike a traditional dark, enclosed cinema, this room was designed to feel connected to the rest of the space.

A high-performance laser projection system produces a bright, detailed image while giving the family greater flexibility with ambient light. When it’s time for a true movie-night experience, room-darkening shades and integrated lighting help transform the environment.

The theater’s perforated projection screen allows the front left, center, and right speakers to sit completely out of sight behind the image. Additional surround and overhead speakers extend the sound throughout the room, creating an immersive experience without allowing the technology to dominate the design.

Comfort was equally important. Motorized recliners with adjustable headrests provide the primary seating, while custom millwork behind them creates a pub-style counter with an additional row of chairs. It makes the room just as well suited to a packed family movie night as it is to a few people settling in for a film.

A perimeter soffit with integrated LED uplighting completes the space, adding another layer of atmosphere that can change with the occasion.

Bringing the Golf Course Home

Just beyond the theater is one of the lower level’s biggest attractions: a dedicated golf simulator.

The challenge wasn’t simply finding room for a simulator. Ceiling height, the golfer’s swing path, projector placement, and the surrounding architecture all had to be considered together.

The finished system makes efficient use of the available space with a retractable impact screen and protective side curtains. A dedicated computer and monitor power the simulator experience, giving the family access to virtual courses from around the world.

When golf isn’t on the agenda, the system can roll away, allowing the area to remain part of the larger entertainment space.

A Gym That Doesn’t Feel Disconnected

The home gym continues the open architecture of the lower level rather than feeling like an afterthought tucked into another room.

An integrated display and sound system give the family easy access to entertainment and music while they work out, with the audio connected to the same broader streaming ecosystem used throughout the home.

It’s a relatively simple part of a much larger system, but that’s exactly the point. Everything the family needs is there when they want it, without making the room feel overly complicated.

Technology That Stays in the Background

There is a tremendous amount of technology working behind the scenes throughout this lower level. Projection, surround sound, distributed music, lighting, shades, displays, and multiple entertainment systems all have to work together.

But the family shouldn’t have to think about any of that.

The control experience was designed around simplicity, bringing the different systems together through an intuitive interface. Starting a movie, adjusting the lights, listening to music, or getting another entertainment space up and running shouldn’t require a lesson in how the system works.

A few simple commands, and the room responds.

That’s ultimately what makes a project like this successful. The technology supports everything the family wants to do down here, but when they’re actually enjoying the space, it gets out of the way.