May 01, 2007 | by EH Staff

Gold Winner: Commissioning a Theater Masterpiece When Marvin and Carol Schwartzbard retired and bought a condo on Williams Island near Miami, it was meant as an escape from the New England winters. It quickly became their primary residence, though. And why not? The ocean views from their 5,400-square-foot space on the 27th floor of Bella Mare are as magnificent as the Schwartzbards’ glasswork and paintings by famed artist Dale Chihuly. And the audio, video and automation system only cost a little more than the cosmopolitan couple’s prized Chihuly piece that was roughly $150,000.

Silver Winner: Push a Button, Pick a Screen The owners of this traditional home wanted to create a cozy family room that could be used for everything from listening to music to reading books to watching TV or movies. So there would be a home theater system, but with one catch: All the technology had to be hidden.

Bronze Winner: Kid-Friendly Home Theater It’s hard to imagine a home theater system being dangerous, but those heavy flat screens, blinking black boxes and protruding power strips can be a real hazard to curious 8-, 10- and 14-year-old boys. The owners of this media-equipped family room put safety first when they hired Surreal Systems of Placentia, CA, to design a system for their family of five. The 60-inch Pioneer plasma TV was mounted high on the wall where it would be out of reach, “at least until the kids grow a few more inches,” says designer and installer Matt Bernath.

Runner Up:
1930s Hideaway Gets Modern Twist
Keeping the classic interior in mind, this 1930s hideaway has a few modern surprises hidden inside.

Runner Up:
Empty Nesters Upgrade Entertainment System
After the kids went away, these empty decided to play around with a new entertainment system.

Runner Up:
Geek Goes Wild in Apartment
Not willing to sacrifice for his technology, this gadget geek packed a ton of electronics into a small space.

Runner Up:
He Wants Tech, She Doesn't
She didn't want to clutter their guesthouse with electronics, he did. They both got their way.

Runner Up:
Killer Entertainment Actually an Afterthought
Three years after this home was built, these homeowners brought in the entertainment.

Runner Up:
A Plethora of Plasmas to Pick From
This living room features a 63-inch Fujitsu fireplace-mounted plasma and dual 50-inch Sony plasmas.

Runner Up:
Plasma Mounted Over Fireplace Offers Clean Look
In-wall speakers and a plasma mounted over the fireplace keep A/V from compromising this room's design.