Winter never really settled in to our area, so homeowners ALREADY are in the mood to upgrade their homes.  Perfect time to visit your local Home & Garden show!

We'll be at two and would love to have you visit us there and check out some of the most fascinating technology available.  Not only do you get to meet some of the area's top contractors and suppliers, but extremely educational seminars are available to all who attend.  Learn some of the latest trends in home improvement and adding comfort to your lifestyle and value to your investment!

Naturally, we'll be at the Habitat Home & Garden Show in Baton Rouge, March 2-4.  This one is presented by the Capital Region Builders Association.  They always do a great job!  Each year, Habitat has a specially-featured aspect of home ownership showcased for the event.

This year, Habitat is showcasing technology for the home and Acadian Home Theater and Automation has the distinction of  being a featured exhibitor along with LALED, Wireless IQ, and Shield Security & Monitoring.  We'll be located fairly central to the exhibition area so be sure and look us up!

But one week prior to that show, we'll be in Lafayette, February 25 and 26, for the Lafayette Home, Garden & Lifestyle Show at the Cajundome Convention Center.  This one is hosted by the Acadian Home Builders Association and in addition to exhibits, offers demonstrations, seminars for do-it-yourself projects and the bonus of the Healthy Living Pavilion sponsored by Regional Medical Center of Acadiana.

Even interior designers are forced to work within the limitations of their own residences.

You know the drill.  You'd love to arrange your room "this way" but the combination of your existing furnishings and the door or window openings on your walls just won't allow it.  One designer's problem was their bulky TV/entertainment center in a tiny living room.  You have to have a TV and, in the case of designer/blogger Erin Loechner, her husband just had to have crystal audio clarity to go along with a superb picture.  Frankly, she didn't care as long as she could see it and hear it.  Here's how she put it:

Televisions and entertainment centers are often the biggest eyesores in any space, and our bulky, ten-year-old TV was certainly no exception.... Still, it was functional and I happen to live with a man who would marry function if he could. Me? I choose form to a fault.

But how do you get sparkling quality like that while hiding ugly speakers and (worse) speaker wire?  After all, most set-ups usually involve some sort of cabinet that houses speakers with a screen to mask their appearance.  But when you're dealing with a small space, ANY kind of built-in just gobbles up precious space.

Here's the solution they came up with...replace it all with the Bose VideoWave, a 46" LCD flatscreen with speakers built-in but nowhere to be seen!  That's because the speakers are actually located behind the TV viewing screen, so no ugly speakers in every corner of the room and no messy wiring.  Despite their location, the speakers produce brilliant sound.  Plus the single remote control not only controls the TV and sound but her iPod and Blu-Ray as well.  So "goodbye" remote control clutter!

by Bryan Naquin.  Follow Bryan on Twitter @ACIexperts.  And you can always contact him at 225.906.2589 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Bryan Naquin is president of Acadian Home Theater and Automation based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  CEPro Magazine ranked Acadian in the top 100 consumer electronic companies in the U.S. coming in at Number 87 for 2011.

Nothing helps "get you home" from your day in the trenches better than by filling your home with the music you love.  But whether you're in an apartment or even a dorm room, you need portability while getting major impact from a simple system.

For simplified sound with robust tones, we want to recommend to you the SoundLink by Bose.  This little beauty is a mobile speaker which delivers amazing sound quality while weighing in at a mere 2.9 lbs!  Not even the size of a textbook, SoundLink is Bluetooth compatible meaning you can wirelessly connect to this handy delivery system from your phone, computer, tablet or other Bluetooth device from up to 30 feet away!  Cnet.com calls it "the best portable Bluetooth speaker on the market."  Click here to see how they get such LOUD, distortion-free sound in such a small package!

Open the cover to turn it on and continue folding it back to serve as its own stand.  And because its battery holds a charge up to 8 hours, you can fold it up and carry it with you to enjoy outdoors as well!  For $299.95 you get the fantastic technology you expect from a Bose product.  Click here for a one-minute video to see it for yourself.  If you order from us, you save on the shipping charges plus get local, dealer support for it and all your Bose products or upgrades.

Our next recommendation from Bose is a beefy package for the apartment when you're looking to have a complete entertainment center that you can handily take with you later.  Its the Bose VideoWave Entertainment System.  It begins with a 46-inch flatscreen HD TV.  What's truly incredible about this TV is that it delivers cinematic sound while it eliminates the need for extra speakers.  The speakers are BUILT-IN BEHIND the screen!  The Bose technology fills the room throwing sound more deftly than a ventriloquist.  Its practically eery to have sound coming at you even from behind!  So your "surround sound system" is compressed right into the flatscreen.  Watching the big game or your favorite movies doesn't get more exhilarating!  Click here for a look "under the hood."

Now to that, add your portable music via the dock included in the package to launch from your iPod or iPhone.  That wrap-around sound is now bathing your home in your favorite tunes.  So when its time to have the friends over, you're ready!  And what a great time awaits when you bring out your Xbox or Wii.  Check out this review of a VideoWave set up in an apartment.