Written by: Noah Nelson
A house is a reflection of those who call it home. It can be customized for aesthetics, function, or homeowners’ particular combination of the two. Automated window shades, lighting control, and audio/video systems are just a few of the tools Omega Media Solutions uses to enhance their clients’ homes. Beauty and convenience are paramount in a home. Matt Haferkamp, owner of Omega Media Solutions, explains how “we employ a ‘design first’ approach to technology,” by first understanding overarching needs that shape the solutions for the home. The most universal of these are shades and lighting in Central Oregon’s ever-changing weather conditions.
Designed Integration, Built On Experience
Matt and the team at Omega Media Solutions have spent years developing a fully immersive showroom, designed to give customers a real-world experience of nearly every technology option that might end up in their own home, and how it can be beautifully and seamlessly integrated into their space. The Omega showroom is a beautifully designed example of the possible uses of technology in a client’s home.
Luxurious shade fabrics set the tone for a home’s design aesthetic, adding softness and privacy to the large windows that many homes feature while granting the convenience to almost silently open and close at the touch of a button. Modern Lutron Palladiom shade brackets can be a beautiful addition to many modern or contemporary homes. In other homes, “shades can even be concealed in the ceiling or wall space to keep the walls uncluttered,” says Matt.
Another challenge can be how to replace a wall full of light switches with something more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Lighting control systems free up precious wall space with simple, laser-engraved keypads while offering energy savings opportunities. They also provide the extra benefit of being backlit for safety.
“WE EMPLOY A ‘DESIGN FIRST’ APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY.”
Modern Ketra lighting fixtures change the entire ambiance of a room with the touch of a button, going from the most natural LED lighting available to vibrant colors effortlessly. Unlike most lighting systems, Ketra fixtures maintain consistent color temperature at every level of brightness. Omega is one of the few Lutron certified Ketra showrooms in Oregon, which allows them to demonstrate a truly unique look at some of the best residential lighting available. Ketra, which is made possible by more than 70 patents, also gives clients the flexibility to highlight art for museum-quality viewing.
Design gems like a tongue and groove wood ceiling call for a discreet, but surprisingly powerful small aperture speaker. “That smaller speaker houses a subwoofer, a mid-range driver, and a tweeter, representing the vocal range,” says Matt. “That means homeowners get three-way, full-range sound with a speaker in their ceiling that visually is no more than a few inches in diameter.”
In the walls, speakers and subwoofers can also be hidden beneath the drywall for an uncluttered aesthetic.
“Interior designers love that we offer solutions like the Frame TV, which looks like artwork, and the matching Leon Framebar, an unobtrusive soundbar,” explains Matt. “Most clients don’t like the look of a big, black box on the wall.”
“OUR PHILOSOPHY FOCUSES ON GETTING TO KNOW THE CLIENT AND ANTICIPATING THEIR NEEDS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE BEST SYSTEMS TO MAKE THEIR HOME PERFECT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.”
Easy access to music throughout the home and even outside can change the atmosphere. What would a celebration be without the music to go along with it? Tension will melt away while relaxing in the hot tub, and enjoyable holidays can be achieved with whole-home music systems.
Smart home systems bring all the components of today’s home, like security cameras, smart thermostats, music systems, and more together in one convenient app. “With one button, we can control everything, from the lights and shades to the TV, the audio equipment, and more,” Matt explains. “We can program a button that says ‘home’ and when the customer comes home, they can hit that button and watch the magic happen as everything in their home sets itself to the ideal level.” All systems can even be programmed to come on together at a particular time or set to appear as though someone is home. Even when a home is empty, it’s never more than a click away.
“Our philosophy focuses on getting to know the client and anticipating their needs,” remarks Matt. “We want to make sure that they are getting the best systems to make their home perfect now and in the future.” Omega’s design team plans for technology updates and typical usage patterns, so clients won’t have to wish they had anticipated a future scenario.
“THAT SMALLER SPEAKER HOUSES A SUBWOOFER, A MID-RANGE DRIVER, AND A TWEETER, REPRESENTING THE VOCAL RANGE. THAT MEANS HOMEOWNERS GET THREE-WAY, FULL-RANGE SOUND WITH A SPEAKER IN THEIR CEILING THAT VISUALLY IS NO MORE THAN A FEW INCHES IN DIAMETER.”
Omega’s team frequently works with architects and interior designers during the initial design of the home to make sure that technical details like the hidden window shades are planned properly. “If you’ve never built a home before, you would be amazed at how one or two small changes can have a huge impact down the road,” says Matt. Depending on the systems being installed, Omega coordinates with other trades like HVAC, electricians, and tile installers during the construction process. It’s a “measure twice, cut once” approach that saves customers time and money.
In homes with intricate finish work and wide-open rooms, meticulous planning is essential. That means Omega obsesses over the details of everything from the fit of components in their gorgeous media consoles to the alignment of wall touch panels. They even plan for the maintenance and protect a client’s investment by ensuring equipment is kept cool to prolong its life.
For the Omega team, the collection of technology in a home should be as individual as the people who live there. “We love the challenge of taking a unique home and unique clients and delivering them something that was created to address the challenges in their lives,” says Matt. He believes that quality homes—and quality people—deserve the best solutions available, and that design and functionality should always be prioritized over simply selling products. For 18 years, Omega has been listening to clients’ needs and tailoring solutions to their individual priorities. They have curated a selection of all these different systems in their showroom to give clients the ability to envision the possibilities for their homes.
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