Project Spotlight: Custom Audio-Video Upgrade at Cactus Restaurant

Known for its lively atmosphere and delicious Southwestern menu, Cactus opened its first eatery in the 90s and now has six thriving locations throughout the Seattle area. If you love tapas and hand-crafted cocktails, you’ll love Cactus. Plus, select locations are now open for patio and indoor open-air dining.

In 2016, the Cactus location in Kirkland chose Wipliance to design and install an integrated solution for AV, lights, and security. The result was an easy-to-use system that gave staff quick multi-zone control of their restaurant sound system and other technology so they could spend more time with customers.

But that’s not all Wipliance accomplished for the restaurant. Read below to learn more about the tailored solutions we created for Cactus and how they’ve benefited the Kirkland location.

SEE ALSO: Project Spotlight: Commercial AV Upgrade in a Historic Restaurant

Control4 Distributed Audio

Our team employed Control4 for Cactus’ distributed audio solution. Control4 gives the restaurant staff centralized management of all their audio zones to adjust music selection, volume, and more from one touch panel. Control4 excels as both a multi-zone music system and a full-fledged automation system, making it the perfect platform for Cactus should they want to integrate more technology within their restaurant and control it from the same touch panels with which they access their music zones.

Our team installed surface-mount speakers throughout the restaurant, including outdoors. Their discreetly mounted patio speakers not only withstand the elements but are designed with quality components like high-temperature voice coils and aluminum dome tweeters to deliver great sound no matter the circumstance. The speaker finishes blend beautifully with their surfaces so that they stay out of sight while offering rich, evenly-distributed sound for guests.

Custom Treatments for Sony TVs

As both a restaurant and bar, Cactus has several TVs throughout the establishment that are used to engage and entertain guests while they drink and dine. While TVs are a must for lively, family-style restaurants like Cactus, they can quickly detract from the ambiance if the installation is messy.

To maintain a cohesive design throughout the eatery, Wipliance created custom wood TV treatments for all Sony TVs so that their displays look like flush picture frames on the walls. Rather than clashing the ambiance, their TVs blend with their décor, and all components and wiring are neatly hidden from sight.

SEE MORE: What to Expect When You Upgrade Your Restaurant’s AV

Lutron Lighting Controls

Because this project was a retrofit, our team chose an integrated lighting control solution that didn’t require an invasive installation. Lutron RadioRA 2 is an wireless lighting control system that can control up to 200 connected devices and offers wireless coverage for up to 7,500 square feet of space.

With a Lutron RadioRA 2 lighting control system, Cactus staff can effectively manage lights in one or all zones simultaneously using customized wireless switches, dimmers, and keypads. They also have the ability to create new lighting scenes or schedules using the Lutron Connect app, which gives them remote access to all their lighting as well.

For 15 years, Wipliance has provided smart home and commercial automation solutions for clients in Washington and Arizona. We’d love to help you live and work smarter with tailored technology that meets your needs and budget. Learn more about our services by contacting us here or using the live chat box below!