We Answer Frequently-Asked Outdoor Entertainment Questions

Days without winter coats may feel like distant memories, but warmer weather will return to Northern Virginia before we know it. And when it does, are you hoping to spend more time outdoors at home? 

You can make the most of your backyard, patio, porch, and poolside with weatherproof outdoor entertainment. From outdoor TVs to audio and landscaping lighting, we install outdoor technology systems that blend seamlessly into your landscaping. 

But how do outdoor TVs and speakers work? Are they safe to keep outside when it rains? We answer all your outdoor entertainment questions below so you can get inspired for your McLean, VA, home! 

Discover What’s Possible From Your Security & Surveillance Setup

If you’ve been looking for a way to keep your loved ones safe without adding more things to your daily to-do list, then it’s time to consider upgrading your home security systems. Not only can you keep an eye on your property, but you’ll have the ability to control everything from the convenience of your smartphone or tablet.

Read along below to find out what components and features are essential if you’re looking for a new or upgraded security setup for your property in the McLean, VA, area.

The Right Home Theater Setup Produces the Ultimate, Immersive Cinematic Experience

Imagine opening doors that reveal your own private home theater. For some people, that may mean tiered recliners, a large, all-encompassing movie screen, sconce wall lighting, and a starlit fiberoptic ceiling. Others envision plush chaise lounges, an 85-inch flat-screen TV that emerges from the ceiling, and a popcorn machine in the corner. 

The good news is that our team of expert designers and integrators at Innovative Audio and Video will create the home theater of your dreams, no matter your vision. With the latest solutions for brilliant lifelike images, immersive surround sound, and luxurious seating, you enjoy the ultimate cinematic experience without ever having to leave your home. 

Let’s explore today’s AV solutions and how they’re transforming rooms into a state-of-the-art home theater setup in Arlington, VA.

The Lutron Lighting System Brings Beauty, Well-Being, and Effortless Control of Light

While lighting offers a way to see in the dark and enjoy everyday activities long after the sun has set, it also plays a critical role in a home’s interior design. Good lighting enables us to make delicious meals in the kitchen, ensuring we see well enough to avoid injury. Great lighting sets the home's mood, creates depth and warmth, and draws attention to the home’s finest features and architectural elements. 

At Innovative AV, we specialize in tailored, smart home solutions that enhance our clients’ lives. To accomplish this, we partner with the leaders in their field to ensure the highest caliber of products and performance. In lighting, that brand is Lutron. 

Let’s explore the incredible beauty and benefits Lutron lighting offers your home in Arlington, VA.

A Well-Designed Media Room Gives You More Entertainment Options 

Everyone loves movie night. Good friends, a great movie and, of course, popcorn! Admit it though, sometimes you would like to try more active pastimes or feel free to strike up a conversation. This is the advantage of a media room as opposed to a home theater. You can still enjoy great movies on a large screen with comfortable seating and surround sound, but you can do other things as well. 

A media room provides you with all the benefits of a high-quality home theater while giving you the option of entertaining in other ways. The trick is finding the right media room design. Innovative Audio and Video has the knowledge and expertise to create and install the best media room at your home in McLean, VA. Keep reading for more below!

The Latest Technology Creates Greater Safety and Security

We’re fortunate to live in a beautiful city with a relatively low crime rate and a friendly community. Unfortunately, several recent events have left people wondering what they can do to keep their homes and businesses safe. 

For instance, in August 2022, four men were arrested in connection with a home invasion in McLean, VA. Another neighborhood in the area experienced five burglaries in 2019, one in 2021, and stolen property from a vehicle. As a result, about 12 homes decided to take matters into their own hands, installing cameras that scan the license plate of cars entering their neighborhood. According to the community, it's working and has served as a crime deterrent since it was installed in August 2021.

We shared these statistics to let you know that you can take a proactive stance and that there are steps you can take to keep your home and family safe. One of these steps is installing a smart home security system.

Find the Perfect AV Solutions from Innovative Audio and Video

If you’re renovating your home or building a new house, now’s the perfect time to think about an audio-video installation. Waiting until after-the-fact means you might have to deal with unsightly wires or less-than-reliable wireless connections. During construction, we can install wires and hardware within the walls for a clean aesthetic. 

Even if you aren’t undergoing a home renovation, there’s always a way to upgrade your home entertainment. So if you’re a music or movie lover, explore these five home audio-video ideas we offer in McLean, VA. 

Partnering with a professional lets you experience a cinematic feel in the comfort of home

Movies are engaging pieces of art that submerge you into new worlds. But that magic goes to waste when you watch them on a regular TV with an ordinary sound system. If you truly want to experience a cinematic feel at home, you need high-performance solutions that are truly immersive.

But home cinemas aren’t only about the displays and speakers. The entire room’s features from lighting to decor play a part in elevating the movie-watching experience. Instead of a DIY installation, consider hiring a professional home theater company to do the job.

Read on to discover how a pro can help you create a picture-perfect home theater in your McLean, VA, residence.

Use Automated Lighting to Keep Your Home & Family Safe 

When most people think of “smart home security,” they imagine cameras, alarms, and automated door locks. While these technologies are all important, we also believe that no security system is complete without smart lighting. 

How does lighting protect your home against burglaries? It may not seem obvious, but in our humble opinion, automated lighting is essential to any security system. 

If you’re looking to improve the safety of your McLean, VA home, read on to learn how smart lighting can help protect your family and property. 

See How Smart Lighting Control Can Enhance Your Home & Daily Life 

If you’re undergoing a home renovation or building a new house, now’s the perfect opportunity to switch to lighting automation. 

What’s lighting automation? We’re glad you asked! It’s the ability to intelligently control lights at both the individual level and by rooms and zones. When you own a smart system like Lutron or Savant, you can fine-tune the color and brightness of your lights, saving your preferences to experience at any time. 

But lighting automation isn’t just for playing with colors. There are real, handy benefits it can provide your home and family in McLean, VA. Read on to discover five advantages you may not have expected from lighting control! 

Everything You Want to Know About Smart Home Living 

What does it mean to live in an automated home? That’s what we’re here to share! 

Innovative AV is a smart home automation company that brings smart solutions to homes across the McLean, VA, area. While some may think owning an Alexa speaker makes their home "smart," others still think smart homes are robotic science fiction.

In reality, smart home systems offer luxury and convenience while blending seamlessly into your home’s interior. Below, we answer eight commonly asked questions about home automation to help you get started.

Why Stay Indoors When You Can Take Entertainment Outside? 

Most people have a television and sound system in their living rooms, bedrooms, or home theaters. But not everybody owns or is even familiar with outdoor entertainment technology. Unless you’ve seen outdoor AV at a friend’s house, you might not know what’s possible. 

If you’re hoping to renovate your patio, porch, or outdoor areas this season, consider adding these five outdoor entertainment technologies for the ultimate backyard experience.

Innovative AV in Arlington, VA designs and installs outdoor systems that blend naturally into landscaping. Here are the outdoor technologies we’re most excited about this year! 

New to Outdoor Lighting? Start Here.

Are you ready to add beauty and warmth to your home’s outdoor spaces? Landscape lighting can do wonders to any property, turning patios, fireplaces, plants, and architecture into a spectacle.

But for the best results, you need to approach the project with an intentional landscape lighting design. Not all outdoor lights create the same effect, and you’ll need to consider things like a transformer, wiring, and where it will all go.

Whether you’re set on DIY or could use the help of a professional, read on for our landscape lighting advice. You’ll see your Arlington, VA home in an all-new light.

Guard your home against internal and external threats with smart home security.

When you think of “home security,” you may think of surveillance cameras and house alarms. Smart home security includes those things and so much more to protect your McLean, Virginia home. The technology experts at Innovative AV can install a state-of-the-art system that can protect your home from a variety of dangers.

Read on to learn more about why this security system is superior to others in its class.

Enjoy an Ultra-Realistic Theater Experience InThe Comfort Of Your Home

A home theater offers the best of both worlds – an entertainment experience without the fuss of leaving your home to make the journey to the cinema. If you're intrigued by the idea of a personal theater in your home, you might also be considering making it a DIY project, but there are some things you should take into account before you reject any professional help. Take a look at some of the reasons why you should work with a professional home theater company in McLean, VA. 

EXPERIENCE THE LUXURY AND CONVENIENCE OF A SYSTEM THAT INTUITIVELY FITS YOUR LIFE. 

Technology is an ever-growing part of our modern lives with products that enhance how we work, play, and live. A professionally installed smart home automation system does more than offer idle distractions. Instead, you get to experience the luxury of a home fit to your needs and desires. 

Your home is more than a collection of devices; it is an intimate ecosystem that sustains, entertains, and invigorates you. The control system you use should be built from the ground up to cater to your comfort. Savant utilizes intuitive interfaces and a network of interconnected systems to regulate your home’s operation, from heating and cooling to multiroom AV and human-centric lighting.

Are you looking to make your McLean, VA home more connected to your lifestyle? Then continue reading below to find out how. 

A brief guide to understanding how audiovisual technology can improve your work experience – right at home.

AV systems are a sophisticated type of technology; these days they’re as flexible and customizable as the people who use them. When it comes to office space technology, a new innovative audiovisual system transforms the way you work from home.

Learn How Your Home Can Benefit From Distributed Audio

The right music alone can add something truly special to your Washington D.C. home or event. But the right music playing from the right sound system is truly priceless. If you wish there was a way to seamlessly play your songs from every room, even outside on the porch or patio, a whole home audio system may be right for you. Home automation systems not only allow for you to stream music with great quality, but you can keep your friends entertained with very little effort.

Read on for additional benefits of whole home audio systems.

ENHANCE COMFORT AND WELL-BEING WHILE ADDING TO THE AESTHETICS OF YOUR HOME

Lighting influences your perceptions, sets your comfort level, and even determines your general well-being.

The illumination of your house is often seen in practical terms, where the function is simply a means to an end. However, a well-designed lighting control system gives you the ability to match the environment to your lifestyle. For example, create some ambiance in your home theater, or have the automation and motorized shades wake you gently to start the day.

Your home is a personal ecosystem, and we see lighting as a vital part of the integrated experience. The pieces work in concert with each component enhancing how you work, play, and relax.

Are you intrigued by how personalized lighting benefits you and your Arlington, VA home? Continue reading to learn more.

Take Your Home Entertainment to the Next Level

It’s not quite a home theater, but not just a living room either—it’s a media room! A media room is the perfect space to entertain friends and family, watch a movie, play pool, or listen to music over dedicated loudspeakers. It’s flexible, versatile, and doesn’t have to fit a specific mold.

Whether you’ve decided to finally put the basement to good use or are moving into a new home, create a media room that your family will love and use all the time. Below, we share our media room design ideas to get you inspired for your McLean, VA home.