CE Pro has been touting for some time now the potential for integrators working in a home’s kitchen and primary bathroom, traditionally the most popular and profitable spaces for owners to renovate. Indeed, the clients in this case had plans to completely transform their kitchen through a remodel, one that Gramophone played a major part in and shared for this year’s awards.
The original kitchen was small, dated, and poorly lit with all the original appliances, according to Gramophone’s Leticia Blundi, eCommerce marketing manager, in their entry.
“We removed a partition wall and relocated a garage door, which were the key components to creating a much larger space with a grand cooking appliance wall, large island, and lighting control that gives our client various layers of light to create different cooking/socializing scenes,” she explains.
Cabinet selection, countertop, flooring, and layout were created by Gramophone’s design team; lighting design by its lighting designers; and construction and installation by the dealer’s build team.
The kitchen remodel featured an open concept, but with limited wall space. Expansion of cabinetry left nowhere for banks of switches, “that frankly, no one wants to see in the first place,” Blundi notes.
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An existing brick fireplace wall, a structural element placed directly across from the island, presented challenges and opportunities for Gramophone. The team turned lemons into lemonade for that kitchen amenity, however.
“Our design team viewed it as the perfect place for accent and art. [The homeowner] saw [the fireplace] as the perfect place for TV viewing while he prepared meals,” Blundi remarks. “A 32-inch Samsung Frame TV offered us solutions to both.”
The addition of a Sonos amplifier and Totem Acoustic in-ceiling speakers, nestled in Dynamat Dynaboxes, brought the last bit of ambiance into the space. To make everything work seamlessly, Gramophone installed a Luxul XGS network switch.
Meanwhile, during the project, the owner purchased a new electric vehicle. Because Gramophone is licensed for high-voltage electrical, its team was able to add a level 2 EV charger during the construction process.
“A game changer for the [homeowners],” Blundi says, “and another example of the advantages of being able to offer design, construction, wiring, and integration under one roof.”
Equipment & Systems
- Samsung 32” Frame TV
- Totem Acoustic in-ceiling speakers
- Dynamat enclosure
- Sonos amp
- Luxul network
- AudioQuest audio
- Furman power
- ICE cabling
- ChargePoint charger
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