The family that built this house were clients for many years. At their previous home I maintained the phone system, built their computer network, and managed their computers. When they decided to move closer to their kids' school, they asked me to handle all the systems in the new house.

I designed and managed installation of the security, camera, gate access, and phone systems, plus whole-house audio and entertainment for the guest house, pool area, and sport court. The standard systems were straightforward, but they had one unusual request.

They wanted a 120" screen in the family room, not a separate media room like their previous house, which was rarely used. In 2002, large flat-screen displays didn't exist, and video projectors couldn't overcome the light from the wall of windows at the back of the room. Even if a projector could work, they didn't want one hanging from the ceiling.

I collaborated with a friend in the business who had more experience with rear-projection systems, and we designed a concealed projection room, similar to what large auditoriums used. We sourced a narrow-angle projection mirror system and a bright DLP projector capable of filling a 120" screen from just 6 feet away. The screen was hidden behind bookshelves on hinges, giving them exactly what they wanted—a large display in the family room without compromising the space.

Due to a lot of hard work by a lot of people, the project turned out well. When I eventually relocated to Austin, my friend in the business took over servicing their systems.