With summer temperatures across the southern U.S. setting records in some areas, we know we’re in for some scorchers in Georgia and Milton. But even if it’s a little hotter than usual, it’s not a surprise. However, wouldn’t it be nice to save a little money on energy costs in the current economic climate? 

You can with the help of a home automation company. A smart home system can synchronize your lighting, window treatments, and climate control for a cooler, more comfortable, and efficient summer season. Keep reading below to see how!

Are you still on the fence about home theater? Did you buy a house with the perfect bonus room for it but can’t decide between converting it into an exercise room or home theater? We’re not going to dissuade you from exercising more, but we can make the case that you will get a lot of use from your home theater. 

There may have been a time when home theaters made more sense for movies than anything else. But that was long ago, when TV was low resolution, surround sound wasn’t common, and the only content that really took advantage of big screens and great audio was movies. Today, we have 4K streaming, Dolby Atmos surround sound, and incredible video processing that makes older content look like it’s ultra-high definition too. 

A home theater can be your entertainment central for everything related to audio and video. And summer is a great time to enjoy it, with kids on vacation and families kicking back to enjoy more fun together. All you need is a knowledgeable home theater company like GHT Group to design and build it! To help you get off the fence and get started, here are three ways you and your family can enjoy your home cinema in Sandy Springs, GA.

Lutron is a name that is synonymous with lighting control. Your familiarity with Lutron might only extend to seeing the brand on a dimmer in the electrical aisle at Home Depot, but the company does so much more with lighting and the control and management of light. That dimmer, by the way? They invented the solid state dimmer decades ago. 

While light controls are something the company does spectacularly well, we’d like to tell you about a few other things that Lutron lighting control can do that you might now know. If you’re looking for lighting solutions for your Alpharetta or Atlanta, GA home, one of the first brands you should be considering is Lutron. Keep reading below!

Most of us say we want to spend more time outside. Want to put that thought into action? It’s likely you’ve already invested a significant amount in the outdoor amenities and landscaping of your Buckhead, GA home. Add an outdoor sound system, and you’ll have a way to make all of it that much more fun. 

To linger longer outdoors, we have just the solution for you. Sonance outdoor speakers let you add stellar sound to your patios and landscape for rich, even, full sound throughout your space. Explore more about Sonance outdoor solutions below!

Good lighting is an essential part of life. Simply put, the functional aspect of light allows you to see what you’re doing, whether preparing a meal in the kitchen, getting ready for the day in your bathroom, or traversing your hallway. That’s the “what.” But the “how” makes a big difference in your life, creating a mood or atmosphere, adding an aesthetic dimension, and making everyday activities more enjoyable.

Some people leave lighting to homebuilders or interior designers. While many of them understand lighting well, others do not. Lighting designers are a specialized trade, and it can pay to work with one to get a customized lighting plan that works for your lifestyle and sense of style. Keep reading below for four reasons you might want to work with a professional lighting designer for your Atlanta, GA, home project.

While laser light source projectors have been around for some time, affordable is not an adjective that typically goes with laser. But lately, that’s changed, and if you’re looking for a new or upgraded high-quality projector that won’t break the bank, Sony’s got just the product - the VPL-XW5000ES.

Why would you want a laser light source for your home theater in Atlanta or Marietta, GA? It’s simple; laser light engines last far longer than lamp-based ones. These lasers can last up to 20,000 hours of use, which makes for a lot of movies and entertainment over many years. But there’s more to this wallet-friendly laser-based Sony 4K projector. Explore the details below!

Florida’s temperate year-round weather is perfect for an outdoor-oriented lifestyle. Ok, so you might be wondering, what if I want a little TV entertainment on my patio and outdoors? Can I just use a regular TV outside? The short answer is you can, but it may not be safe or last long. Regular TVs simply aren't made to withstand the heat, cold, humidity, and wetness of outdoor environments. Did we mention insects? We all know we have those in Florida too, and they might want to camp out in an unprotected TV set. 

Fortunately, there are great outdoor TV options for your Rosemary Beach, FL home. One of our favorites is the recently introduced Samsung Terrace TV. Read more about it below!

The name Marant has always been associated with high-performance audio. And while the company has put its name on a number of audio components over the years, it’s always been known for its excellent receivers. Even today, iconic Marantz stereo receivers from the 1970s and 80s with the classic thumbwheel radio tuners are prized by lovers of vintage audio. 

Receivers are the workhorse do-it-all components in today’s home audio installations. While stereo receivers are still available, including from Marantz, multichannel receivers for home theaters are the most popular today for their sheer versatility. They form the heart of a home theater or media room system, offering every audio and video connection and audio format you need for a modern entertainment experience. GHT Group is proud to offer these hi-fi home audio components. Keep reading below to learn more about the exciting new Marantz receiver lineup!

Focal is an audio company that marches to its own tune (pun intended). The 40-year-old Saint Étienne, France-based company carries an influence in the audio world that goes far beyond the company’s size. First, most of their products are built in France in an era where audio equipment is usually designed in one country but manufactured in the far east. They also develop their own machines for manufacturing and handbuild 80% of the cones for their speakers. 

Ten years ago, Focal joined forces with Naim, a British boutique audio brand known for its excellence in audio engineering. To celebrate this “tin” anniversary, they’ve put together a Focal home speaker system powered by Naim components featuring a unique style. Read more about it below, and see how this new system could be the visual and aural centerpiece of your Marietta, GA, listening room. 

If you’re fortunate enough to live in Buckhead, GA, widely thought of as Atlanta’s premier neighborhood, life is better than in most places. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take some routine and monotony out of life with the help of smart home automation. They say work smarter, not harder, right? Smart home technology lets you live smarter! 

There is a long, long list of what you can do with home automation to make your life easier and have time for things that matter. In the interest of brevity, we’ll detail six of our favorites below for better living through automation. 

Thanks to LED technology, lighting has undergone a significant transformation in the past ten years. Incandescent lighting was fixed and inflexible, and the compact fluorescent technology that followed, while more energy efficient, was also limiting in various ways. LED technology has ushered in a new era in lighting with tremendous benefits. 

By now, you might know the basic benefits of LED technology. It's incredibly efficient, long-lasting, and can be molded into different lighting bulbs and fixtures not feasible with incandescent and fluorescent technology. But there's more. LED technology makes lighting dynamic, capable of varying the color of white light and displaying a rainbow of color. When you couple these capabilities with smart lighting control, you get a whole new way of illuminating your home. That’s what Lutron’s Ketra is all about. Available only from professional interior lighting design companies like GHT Group, Ketra dynamic lighting is a gamechanger in residential lighting. Keep reading below to learn more!

Are you thinking about a new or upgraded home theater? You are likely thinking about the speakers for it. The choices are endless, more than we could possibly cover in this post. But we’re going to get you started in the right direction. 

First, you have a choice of freestanding or architectural speakers. Architectural speakers are built into walls and ceilings. How do you choose one over the other? Mostly it comes down to aesthetics. Some people like the look of speakers, but some don’t want to see them at all. Some don’t mind the powerful look of a front speaker array (left, center, and right), but like the rest of the surround sound to be integrated into walls and ceilings. 

As a longtime home theater company, there is one myth we want to dispel here from the start. You can get the same performance level from architectural speakers as freestanding ones. If you think large, bulky speakers are the only way to get exceptional sound in a home cinema, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the amazing choices in architectural high fidelity speakers for theater – and even music, for that matter. Now that we have that out of the way let’s go deeper into how to choose architectural speakers for your Roswell, GA, home theater. 

What’s involved in putting together a smart home? Is it just a matter of connecting some smart devices to your home network and downloading a few apps? That might be a way to add some smart conveniences to your Destin, FL home, but it won’t necessarily be the smart home of your dreams.

As a smart home company, we think there’s more to home automation services. Notice the word services, as these are key in achieving the integrated experience you want from an intelligent home that complements and enhances your lifestyle. Here are four key services to look for when crafting your smart Destin home.

Florida's balmy year-round weather is perfect for an outdoor-oriented lifestyle. Whether you enjoy swimming in the pool, a soak in your spa in cooler months, grilling in the outdoor kitchen, or cocktails and conversation under your pergola, your Destin home is the perfect place to enjoy al fresco activities all year long.  When adding or upgrading any of your outdoor amenities, be sure not to forget about the importance of lighting. The right lighting plan will let you take full advantage of all your outdoor features and set the ideal ambiance for any occasion. The best way to add functional and beautiful lighting to your outdoor areas is to work with a professional landscape lighting company. Keep reading for three of our favorite ways to add outdoor lighting to elevate your outdoor features.

In Florida, every home needs a solution for managing the sun. Years ago, it wasn’t uncommon to see interiors that looked dark as homeowners drew drapes, closed shades, and lowered blinds in an effort to keep the heat out of their Santa Rosa beach homes. Today, we have better, less cave-like ways to manage the sun and enjoy it, too! One of those ways is with custom motorized shades, which you can automate to take advantage of natural light when you want it and keep the sun out when you don’t.

When it comes to motorized shade options, it’s hard to beat Lutron. The company offers eight different powered window treatment styles and a host of control options. But the designer choice is the Palladiom line, which exudes panache from the shades to the elegant control keypads. Learn more about this stylish motorized shade line below!