TV mounting, smart home and Wi-Fi in Essex County, NJ

Essex County holds some of New Jersey's best-known older housing. Montclair, Glen Ridge, Maplewood and South Orange are full of Victorians, Tudors and early colonials with wide porches, plaster walls and lots of original woodwork. Newark has brownstones, rowhouses and a growing number of apartment towers downtown. Further west, Livingston, Millburn, Short Hills, West Orange and the Caldwells have larger suburban homes, many on hilly lots near South Mountain or the Watchung ridge.

In the older homes, hidden wiring takes patience. Wide plank floors, plaster ceilings with decorative medallions and original built-ins are worth protecting, so we look for routes through closets, back stairways and attic kneewalls before suggesting any opening. Wireless speakers and Sonos systems are useful where cutting is not a good option, and slim TV mounts or art-style TVs keep a period living room from looking like a showroom. Big front porches are another feature of these houses, and they are a natural spot for a discreet video doorbell, a couple of weather-rated speakers under the ceiling and lighting on a schedule. Old knob-and-tube or two-prong outlets sometimes turn up during this work, and we will point them out so your electrician can update them before new equipment goes in.

Hilly lots in the western part of the county often mean walkout basements, long driveways and homes stretched across several levels. A lower-level media room with a projector or large TV, Wi-Fi that reaches the back deck and pool, and outdoor cameras that cover sloped driveways are common requests. Commuter households here also tend to need dependable home offices, since many residents split the week between home and the city.

Apartments and condos in Newark, Bloomfield and the Oranges bring building rules into the plan, including approved work hours and elevator reservations. Small businesses throughout the county, from Bloomfield Avenue restaurants to professional offices, need reliable Wi-Fi, cameras and audio. Whether you are in a Victorian or a high-rise in Essex County, we start with a walkthrough so the plan fits the building.