Lake Geneva Theater

Talk about escapism!  While only a few short hours north of Chicago, Lake Geneva, WI is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, and has been a favored get away for wealthy Chicagoans for more than a hundred years.  The word idyllic can sometimes be overused, but certainly not when describing the luxury and splendor which lines the shores of this magnificent resort community.  

Lake Geneva is known for its mansions, and while not every home is a mansion, there are many, many very large homes where those who are fortunate enough to call the lakeside their “front yard” reside.  From our perspective, one of the many benefits of having a large home, with a large lower level, is that it creates perfect spaces in which we can create large theaters.  After the sun sets on a full day of lake activities, what better form of escapism could there be than to retreat to one’s own private cinema, and enjoy a movie.

And so it was, when this amazing home, designed by renowned Chicago architect Michael Abraham changed hands in 2021.  The one thing this magnificent property did not have was a dedicated theater room, and although there was not much unfinished space remaining in the home, the new owners tasked us with finding a way to create a best-in-class theater.

In partnership with, and many thanks to Joey Leicht Design, we evaluated the lower-level storage space, and found just enough room to create what we believe could arguably be the finest home theater in Lake Geneva.  Reclaiming storage space is always a challenge, which is why we always prefer to work with architects and carve out proper spaces on the front end, but we are highly experienced in taking what the room gives us.

The highlights of this room include a 7.2.6 surround array, featuring Triad Speakers, powered by Acurus and Marantz amplification.  The video elements in the room feature a Sony 4K laser projector and an acoustically transparent screen from Seymour-Screen Excellence, along with the indispensable Kaleidescape Strato 4K movie server as the primary content source.

As with any room that has this level of surround array and amplification (5,000 watts), the inclusion of the ARS acoustic system from Cinema Tech is an absolute must have.  The ultra luxurious, sumptuous seating is the Angelo chair, also from Cinema Tech.