Case Study
Dilworth · Charlotte, NC
The Historic Dilworth Retrofit
A meticulous technology retrofit of a 1920s Dilworth bungalow — concealed speakers in plaster walls, period-appropriate keypads, an acoustic media room, and whole-home automation that preserves every architectural detail.
Project Overview
Charlotte's historic neighborhoods — Dilworth, Elizabeth, Plaza Midwood — contain some of the city's most architecturally significant residences. These homes demand technology integration that respects their character: no visible speakers bolted to crown molding, no modern plastic keypads next to original hardware, and no equipment racks in sight.
This Dilworth bungalow — a distinguished 1920s Craftsman on a tree-lined street — required a complete technology retrofit that delivered modern performance while preserving every architectural detail. Peters Audio Video worked with a historic preservation consultant to ensure every cable route, mounting point, and control device respected the home's original character.
The result: a smart home retrofit that most visitors don't recognize as a smart home at all. Music fills rooms from invisible speakers. Lights respond to elegant keypads that look like they've always been there. And a dedicated media room in the lower level delivers cinematic performance in a space engineered around the home's original stone foundation.
Retrofit Challenges & Solutions
Plaster-and-Lath Walls
Used specialized routing tools and existing HVAC chases to run cabling without opening walls. Where access was required, patches were made by a plaster restoration specialist.
Shallow Wall Cavities
Selected ultra-shallow Sonance speakers designed for retrofit applications. In rooms with insufficient depth, used surface-mount solutions concealed within custom millwork.
Historic Aesthetic Preservation
Every visible control point — keypads, thermostats, intercoms — was selected in finishes and profiles that complement original 1920s hardware. No modern plastic.
Foundation Constraints for Media Room
Engineered acoustic treatment around an exposed stone foundation, using the mass of the stone walls as a natural sound barrier while adding absorption panels for balanced acoustics.
Systems Designed & Integrated
Concealed In-Wall Speaker Systems
Custom flush-mounted speakers in plaster walls with grilles color-matched to wall finishes — invisible in every room including the original 1920s living room
Period-Appropriate Keypad Integration
Crestron keypads in finishes and form factors that complement the home's 1920s hardware — no modern plastic switches disrupting period aesthetics
Acoustic Media Room Design
Dedicated media room engineered around the existing stone foundation with acoustic treatment, 7.2.4 surround sound, and Sony 4K projection
Crestron Home Automation
Whole-home Crestron platform controlling lighting, audio, climate, and security with programming tailored to the homeowners' daily routines
Hidden Equipment Infrastructure
All electronics housed in a ventilated equipment closet engineered from a former utility space — no equipment visible in living areas
Security & Video Intercom
Discreet Axis cameras at entry points, video doorbell integrated with Crestron, smart locks on period-reproduction hardware
Structured Wiring Retrofit
Cat6A cabling threaded through balloon-frame walls and plaster-and-lath construction using minimally invasive routing techniques
16-Zone Distributed Audio
Sonance in-wall and in-ceiling speakers across 16 zones with dedicated amplification and multi-source streaming
The Result
The homeowners describe the integration as "invisible magic." Music plays throughout the home from speakers that cannot be seen. Lighting scenes transition automatically from morning to evening. The media room delivers immersive Dolby Atmos performance that rivals purpose-built theaters — all within a space that maintains the warmth and character of a century-old Craftsman home.
This project demonstrates that technology retrofit in historic homes doesn't require compromise. With the right expertise, planning, and respect for architecture, modern performance and historic preservation coexist beautifully.