As residential integrators gathered at CEDIA Expo/CIX in Denver last week, many attendees were looking to grow their businesses by expanding into commercial projects. They weren’t alone: Industry experts agree the convergence between residential and commercial integration is experiencing substantial growth.
Jason McGraw, group VP and show director of CEDIA Expo/CIX, said there is strong data behind the trend. “Both CEDIA and show organizers survey attendees annually, and we’ve consistently seen an increase in the number of commercial projects being installed by traditionally residential-focused integrators,” he explained. “This reflects a broader market shift where the lines between residential and commercial spaces, and the technologies used in them, are continuing to blur. Resimercial is not only growing, it’s accelerating.”
CEDIA put a greater focus on resimercial opportunities at the show, including education sessions, manufacturer product training, and more commercial brands on the CIX show floor. “To be clear, the show’s core will always be rooted in the residential integration channel,” McGraw said. “But we’re evolving with the market and helping integrators tap into the fast-growing opportunities at the intersection of residential and commercial, because that’s where a lot of exciting business potential lies.”
Kathleen Thomas, head of custom install for Sony Electronics North America, said the convergence of residential and commercial is a “natural progression” in the maturation of the custom integration business. “It is definitely a growing channel for Sony,” she added. “About 30% of our residential dealers purchased a commercial product from Sony last year, whereas a few years ago it was a very rare occurrence.”
Sony has seen a big increase in display products, including panels and projectors, overlapping between markets. In fact, Thomas said the company’s CLED commercial video wall has found a spot in the residential market.
Familiarity and Relevance
ADI | Snap One’s VP of product management, Matt Kamp, said a number of the company’s product categories are becoming increasingly relevant for both residential and commercial applications. “We’ve seen strong overlap in the audio product area, where residential and light commercial work has significant overlap,” he noted. “Additionally, high-quality outdoor products—designed for homeowners looking for durable televisions, audio, and networking—translate well to light commercial work.”
Luke Heckel, Sonos commercial sales lead, said his company is seeing a “significant and growing” overlap, particularly within its existing customer base. In fact, much of the company’s commercial growth was organic, as residential clients started installing Sonos products in their offices, gyms, and restaurants.
“Many business owners already experience the benefits of Sonos in their homes and want to bring that same intuitive, high-quality audio experience into their commercial spaces,” he explained. “That familiarity makes the transition almost effortless for integrators, because they’re not introducing a completely foreign platform; they’re extending something the client already knows, trusts, and loves into a new environment.”
Crestron has also seen growth in the crossover between residential and commercial spaces, according to Brad Hintze, the company’s EVP of global marketing. “We see light commercial spaces leveraging technology to deliver a compelling experience,” he explained. “These projects need pros who know how to deliver that experience while maintaining that it is super easy to use. That’s precisely what CEDIA integrators have been doing with Crestron. Given the growth opportunity and the experience within luxury homes, these spaces are a natural fit.”
Contributing Factors
McGraw said the convergence trend was significantly amplified during the pandemic. “With the rise of hybrid work, remote learning, and connected lifestyles, people started demanding commercial-grade tech performance in their homes,” he noted. “At the same time, commercial spaces such as offices, university dorms, hospitality environments, and even corporate lobbies began adopting more home-like design and comfort elements, including residential-style audio, lighting, and furnishings.”
Since then, several factors continue to influence the resimercial trend. “Part of it is organic development, as a lot of their residential customers are business owners and the customer wants to do business with someone they trust,” Thomas offered. “Some integrators have pursued the business to help diversify their customer base to ride out challenging periods in the housing industry.”
Heckel agreed trust is a major driver of the resimercial trend. “When a client has already seen how well their integrator delivers in the home, it’s a natural leap to have that same team handle the business environment,” he said. “We often hear about integrators gaining substantial commercial business from existing residential customers who also own or manage businesses in need of technology integration.”
As residential installers are beginning to do light commercial work, Kamp said education is a key factor. “At ADI | Snap One, we not only provide products that can translate from residential environments to light commercial environments, but also the training and support for installers to best know how to adjust the products for commercial environments,” he explained. “This support allows installers to capitalize on new streams of income and revenue opportunities.”
A Positive Trend?
Of course, manufacturers are challenged to balance the aesthetic needs of the residential space with the performance requirements of the commercial space. Kamp argued that strong automated control systems are central to finding that balance.
“With products like Control4 X4, which offers a sleek interface and is designed for enhancing the smart living environment for homeowners and business owners alike, users can easily adjust settings, routines, and controls through an updated mobile app, T4 touchscreens, or a web interface,” he added. “Meanwhile, reliable networking ensures that these systems perform seamlessly in both residential and commercial environments. By providing consistent connectivity and simplifying deployment and maintenance, robust networking solutions allow the technology to fade into the background, so users experience both high performance and a clean, uncluttered space.”
So, is the resimercial trend a good thing? “Absolutely,” Heckel declared. “For integrators, diversification isn’t just smart, it’s essential. Resimercial work offers a natural, low-barrier way to expand service offerings without having to retool an entire business model. It allows integrators to strengthen relationships with existing clients, tap into new revenue streams, and remain busy during economic shifts that might slow purely residential or purely commercial work.”
For Sonos specifically, Heckel said the resimercial trend helps the company partner with integrators in a broader range of projects. “It’s a win-win: Integrators grow their portfolios, and customers enjoy consistent quality whether they’re at home, at work, or anywhere in between,” he added.
Thomas also sees resimercial as a positive trend. “Anything that diversifies the custom integration business and leverages the relationships that the integrator has with their customer to drive business is a good thing,” she noted.
