After securing a residence in one of Sydney’s most exclusive enclaves, a long standing Denote client immediately reached out to the AV home automation experts to elevate their living experience. They wanted to recreate the high performance media experience they had delivered in their previous property, this time with the hope of a dedicated cinema space and Denote were the only people to trust with a project of this calibre.
The challenge was immediate as the house was carved into a sandstone cliff, leaving no scope for extending the footprint. After assessing the options, they identified the existing office as the only possible location. It was far from ideal acoustically, but with a complete re-design, precision and technical mastery, Denote knew they could make it work.
The solution began with gutting the room entirely and rotating its orientation by ninety degrees to allow seating away from the rear wall. This subtle shift opened up the space acoustically while also giving the client the unexpected bonus of a stunning harbour outlook. The catch was a wall of glass at the new “front” of the room, but rather than treating it as a compromise, they embraced it as a design feature. Heavy velvet drapes provided acoustic and light control, while sheer blinds preserved the view when the room was not in use.
The clients are music and technology enthusiasts with a passion for statement design, so concealment was never part of the brief. Instead, the system itself became the showpiece. A pair of flagship Meridian DSP8000SE speakers in a special order metallic blue set the tone, their colour echoing both the client’s McLaren and company branding. These, together with a full Meridian surround package and Storm Audio processor, defined the performance and inspired the room’s identity – the “Blue Note” media room, named in tribute to the iconic jazz label the client admires.
Functionality was as important as aesthetic appeal. The client asked that the room also serve as a working office, so custom joinery was integrated to accommodate a desk, computer and storage without encroaching on the cinema’s layout. Seating followed CEDIA guidelines, allowing three true reference positions in a single row, with additional end seats and beanbags providing flexibility when guests are invited. The Cineak leather chairs were selected for both comfort and presence, highlighted with precision lighting so that even in a darkened room the craftsmanship remains a feature.
Technically, the installation was complex. The ceiling-mounted Atmos speakers required custom brackets and recesses to achieve correct angles while still allowing for servicing. Acoustic isolation meant rebuilding wall and ceiling linings with barrier boards and seals, eliminating a redundant doorway, and ensuring noise leakage was kept to a minimum. A Sony 4K laser projector, fitted with an anamorphic lens and housed in a custom hush box, projects onto a 141-inch Severtson cinemascope screen recessed into the ceiling. A clever dual-position motor system even adjusts the screen height depending on whether viewers are upright or fully reclined, ensuring an ideal line of sight at all times.
The set up of automation commands to make the room easy to use. As an example in Cinema Startup mode the blinds and curtains close, lights slowly dim and the screen drops from the ceiling. At the touch of Intermission ceiling lights come on to a low level for bathroom and snack times and Show Time allows eleven custom LED scenes for colour and patterns for atmosphere. Air conditioning and other custom settings for screen preferences are all pre-programmed for whatever the room is used for making it fully automated and simplistic to save time and effort.
Lighting played a defining role in the atmosphere of this project, fitting, given the client owns a technical lighting company specialising in airport runways illumination. Alongside crystal wall sconces and subtle downlights chosen to accentuate the starscape of the Christian Lacroix wallpaper. Over fifty metres of pixel-mapped LED strips were integrated into the joinery and acoustic panels. These can be programmed into animated scenes that play in sync with music, adding another layer of drama and theatre. The result is a room that shifts easily from an elegant office to a lively entertainment suite. Although this system is prominent and makes a significant statement within the space, there’s no visible cabling and great lengths were taking within the workmanship to deliver it to the highest quality project without compromise.
Despite delays with equipment freight and the painstaking custom work required for brackets, panels and speaker recesses, the project was delivered on time for a planned unveiling. The final hours before guests arrived were spent polishing and testing, but the system came to life just in time. The client and their friends experienced the Blue Note room for the first time that evening, a moment that cemented the project’s success.
Today the room is used daily, whether for family TV time, music listening, or movie binge nights. For the client, it represents the perfect fusion of performance, technology and design. It’s a space that excites and impresses without losing the comfort of a living room. This outstanding project was proof that even in a challenging space, careful design and engineering that Denote can deliver a level of workmanship that is world class for an immersive cinema experience at home, exceeding expectations of the client every time, and custom designing an experience for for each individual home.
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