Technology should transform the way a room works—not dominate the way it looks.
Mirror Edge Networks designs hidden AV solutions for private homes, apartments and dedicated cinemas across Cape Town and the Western Cape. Televisions can lower from cabinetry, projectors can move silently into position, projection screens can disappear into architectural details and loudspeakers can be concealed without sacrificing performance.
Every solution begins with the room. We work with clients, architects, interior designers and specialist fabricators to decide what should be visible, what should disappear and how the technology should behave when it is needed.
AV that appears only when you want it
A hidden system is successful when the mechanism, control and supporting infrastructure feel effortless. Press one button and a screen descends, a projector moves into position, blinds close and the room changes character. Switch the system off and the architecture returns.
Achieving that simplicity requires early planning. The mechanism needs adequate space, ventilation and structural support. Power, signal and control cabling must reach moving components safely. Sightlines, throw distances, speaker positions and service access all need to be resolved before cabinetry and ceilings are closed.
Hout Bay: everyday living to home cinema
The same open-plan room changes character when the concealed screen is lowered. Use the control below to move between the two views.
Hidden home cinema and projection
Projection is one of the most effective ways to create a cinematic image without leaving a large black television permanently visible. A motorised screen can retract into a ceiling or custom enclosure, while a projector can be concealed in joinery or moved into its exact viewing position by a purpose-built mechanism.
Our Hout Bay hidden cinema transforms an open-plan living room with a motorised projection screen housed inside a custom enclosure that also conceals the front loudspeakers. The room remains bright and relaxed during the day, then becomes a high-performance cinema when the screen is lowered.
At the Hermanus hidden cinema, a motorised acoustically transparent screen allows the loudspeaker system to remain out of sight while preserving correct placement behind the image. Projection, audio and Control4 operation work together as one experience.
The Oranjezicht home cinema takes a different approach. A custom motorised drawer, engineered with Definition Automation, moves the client’s ultra-short-throw projector into the precise viewing position. When cinema mode begins, the projector extends and the motorised blinds close to conceal the illuminated bar behind the room’s glass wall.
Motorised televisions and bespoke furniture
When a television must be completely absent from the room until it is needed, a motorised lift can place it inside cabinetry, an ottoman, a ceiling detail or a custom architectural enclosure. The correct solution depends on the room, the display size, the available depth and the direction in which the screen needs to travel.
In the Val de Vie whole-home installation, Definition Automation created a motorised drop-down television solution for the main bedroom. The display remains concealed when not in use, protecting the visual calm of the space without limiting the room’s entertainment system.
Val de Vie: a television that disappears
Other possibilities include televisions that rise from ottomans or cabinetry, screens that descend from ceilings and mechanisms that slide equipment horizontally into its operating position. We coordinate the electronics, moving parts, safety controls and automation so that the finished feature feels like part of the architecture rather than an accessory added afterwards.
Mirror televisions
A mirror television places the display behind specially engineered reflective glass. When switched off, it reads as a mirror; when switched on, the picture becomes visible through the glass. This can be particularly effective in bathrooms, bedrooms, dressing rooms and formal living areas where a conventional television would interrupt the interior.
Mirror television: reflection to entertainment
Products such as ad notam mirror televisions allow the display, glass, ventilation and mounting arrangement to be designed as one integrated element. The result depends heavily on correct specification: screen brightness, glass type, ambient light, viewing angle and access for future service must all be considered.
Samsung Frame televisions
Samsung Frame televisions are worth considering when the objective is visual softness rather than complete concealment. A slim wall-mounted display, carefully positioned with concealed cabling and set to show artwork when idle, can sit more comfortably within a living space than a conventional black screen.
It is not the same solution as a motorised lift or mirror television—the screen remains visible—but it can be an elegant and cost-effective choice where building work, depth or budget makes a fully hidden mechanism impractical. We treat it as one option within a wider design conversation, not as a universal substitute for true concealment.
Control that completes the illusion
The physical mechanism is only one part of a hidden AV system. A carefully programmed home automation platform can coordinate the lift, screen, projector, audio system, lighting and blinds from one remote, keypad or app.
Sequences are designed around real use. Cinema mode may lower the screen, position the projector, close the blinds, select the source and fade the lights. Turning the room off reverses those actions in a controlled order and returns everything to its concealed position.
Designed early. Supported for the long term.
The best hidden systems are considered during the architectural and interior-design stages, but retrofit solutions are also possible. We survey the room, test existing infrastructure where appropriate and work with trusted specialist partners to develop a practical design.
- Motorised projection screens and concealed projectors
- Acoustically transparent screens with hidden loudspeakers
- Television lifts, drop-down displays and custom moving mechanisms
- Mirror televisions and flush architectural displays
- Samsung Frame installations with concealed power and cabling
- Integrated lighting, blinds and one-touch room control
- Ventilation, service access and structured AV infrastructure
- Commissioning, calibration and ongoing technical support
Begin with the room, not the equipment
A hidden AV system should feel inevitable once it is complete: technically precise, visually quiet and easy for everyone in the home to operate. Whether the brief involves one discreet television or a complete private home cinema, Mirror Edge Networks can develop the concept, coordinate the specialist work and commission the finished system.