An Unexpected Callback (AKA The Home Cinema Plan Moves Forward!)

By Lapel Stick

Just when I’d resigned myself to never getting a call back, my phone rang.

I almost didn’t pick up. At this point, I’d accepted that chasing contractors in Ibiza was like yelling into the void—pointless. But I glanced at the screen and did a double take. Christian?

Now that was unexpected.

We hadn’t spoken in years. Used to hang out in school, lost touch, went separate ways. And now, out of nowhere, he’s calling me.

“Didn’t know you were in the market for high-end automation,” he said after a quick hello. “Saw your post about the villa. What are you thinking?”

I laughed. “Thinking? At this point, I’m just trying to get someone to actually show up.”

“Well,” he said, “if I’m calling, I assume I might be able to help.”

Now, this was a turn of events.

Turns out, he runs ClearlyAutomated, a company that specializes in smart home setups—lighting, security, smart blinds, and, most importantly, home cinema systems.

That last part? That got my attention.

“Funny you mention home cinemas,” I told him. “Because right now, that’s the most contested space in the house. Leo wants a superhero Batcave, Eva wants fairy lights and soft pastels. I need something that won’t look like a fever dream.”

Christian laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. Send me the specs, and I’ll get you a quote.”

And just like that, after weeks of getting nowhere, I finally had something solid to work with.

From Chaos to an Actual Plan

The home cinema had been stuck in limbo—lots of ideas, lots of arguing, but no action. Now, it was actually happening.

Of course, now came the real questions:

  • Projector or high-end TV?
  • Built-in surround sound or a more flexible setup?
  • How do we balance ‘Gotham City’ with ‘enchanted forest’ without making it look completely ridiculous?

At least with Christian on board, I wasn’t making these choices alone.

Even better? ClearlyAutomated specializes in seamless smart home integration—meaning everything, from the screen to the lights and sound system, could be controlled right from my phone.

No more searching for remotes in the couch. No more fighting over settings. Just tap, adjust, done.

I sent him all the details, and he promised to put together a proposal.

A contractor who not only calls back but is actually excited to do the job? Unheard of.

Home Cinema = More Than Just a Big Screen

The more I looked into it, the deeper I went down the rabbit hole. Acoustic paneling, hidden speakers, automated lighting that shifts depending on what’s playing. Turns out, a properly designed home cinema is way more than just a fancy TV and a couple of speakers—it’s an entire experience.

A proper setup wouldn’t just turn movie nights into something next-level—it would actually add long-term value to the villa.

Now, I just had to make sure the rest of the house didn’t fall behind.

But for the first time in weeks? I actually felt like we were getting somewhere.

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