Simplicity KC The Restrepo Group’s Plains Partner
Simplicity KC is Kansas City’s premier Crestron-certified integrator. 17 years of luxury new-construction delivery, two official Crestron case studies, Forbes and Residential Systems recognition, and a founder with 15 years of telecom engineering and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt discipline behind every project.
About Simplicity KC
A telecom engineer who built a Crestron specialist firm from the ground up.
Joe Acree founded Simplicity KC in May 2008, shortly after a corporate layoff from Sprint. His immediate motivation was practical: he needed to cover out-of-pocket costs for his son’s autism therapy. His long-term motivation was structural: after 15 years of designing and implementing cellular infrastructure and high-technology systems. progressing from field technician to engineering division manager through roles at Sprint, Comcast Cable, Clearwire, and Clear Inc.. he saw that residential automation was a market where an engineering discipline background produced better outcomes than the dominant AV-installer approach. He built Simplicity around that thesis.
Acree holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt from Villanova University. That is not an incidental credential. Lean Six Sigma is a process discipline designed to eliminate waste and reduce variance in complex operational systems. Applying it to smart home integration means the firm tracks failure modes, documents commissioning steps, and trains technicians to a consistent standard across every project. not just the ones where the lead tech happens to be on site. It is the same process discipline that telecom infrastructure firms apply to cellular tower deployments. Acree brought it to luxury residential AV. Simplicity transitioned to a full-time enterprise in 2012 as technology advances and industry demand created sustainable growth.
Simplicity KC operates two Kansas locations: a design center showroom at 6700 W 121st St, Suite 103, Overland Park, KS, and a Stilwell, KS operational base. The firm carries an A+ BBB rating (not BBB-accredited, per the BBB profile) and a 5-star aggregate rating across 56 reviews on DispatchCore. the top rating among Overland Park AV integrators in that directory. Joe Acree’s personal principle, stated publicly: “Our company won’t put anything in a client’s home that we have not tested ourselves.”
What Makes Simplicity KC Different
Single-platform depth, engineering discipline, and a personal mission that shapes every project.
- Crestron-exclusive platform depth. one platform, full fluency. Simplicity KC is not a multi-brand generalist. The firm’s entire technical team trains on Crestron platforms exclusively. That means any technician dispatched for a weekend service call has full platform fluency. no platform ambiguity, no referencing documentation, no waiting for the “Crestron guy.” In the luxury new-construction segment, where a system failure during a client’s weekend at their estate is a genuine service failure, single-platform depth is a meaningful service differentiator that multi-brand flexibility cannot match.
- Two official Crestron case studies. a level of manufacturer recognition most regional firms never achieve. The Shapiro Residence (Kansas City, MO, 2022) was published as an official Crestron case study PDF. It is a 9,200 sq ft contemporary new-build with full home automation, a 133-inch home theater, Josh.ai voice control, a self-playing piano with distributed audio, a landscape audio system with six amplifiers, and radiant floor heating in the car collection garage. A second project was featured by Crestron on their official blog. Crestron does not publish case studies for dealers who merely sell equipment; both publications reflect a firm operating at a level that the manufacturer finds worth documenting.
- Josh.ai voice integration on flagship projects. Simplicity deploys Josh.ai as the voice layer on top of Crestron Home, not Alexa or Google. Josh.ai is a privacy-focused, AI-powered voice control platform designed specifically for luxury residential automation and is positioned as a premium-tier alternative to consumer voice assistants. Its deployment signals a firm that specifies based on what is best for the project rather than what is easiest to explain to a client.
- Special-needs and elder-care specialization driven by personal experience. Joe Acree has a teenage son with autism. This personal mission directly shapes a documented firm niche in accessibility technology. custom voice profiles for low-ambulatory users, two-way video communication for non-verbal clients, custom security sequences, and user profiles designed for autism-spectrum household members. Crestron featured this work on their official blog in July 2022. This is not a marketing niche for Simplicity KC. It is a genuine competency rooted in the founder’s own household, and it has produced documented client engagements that most luxury AV firms have never encountered and do not know how to approach.
Specializations and Coverage
Kansas City luxury new-construction, hospitality, and accessibility technology.
Simplicity KC’s primary market is the greater Kansas City metro spanning both the Kansas and Missouri sides of the state line. The firm’s new-construction project model. which makes up the majority of its revenue. means deep relationships with architects, builders, and developers who specify technology at project inception, not as a retrofit afterthought.
Luxury New Construction
Whole-home Crestron automation, distributed audio and video via DM NVX AV-over-IP, dedicated home theater including Dolby Atmos 4K installations, automated lighting and shade control, smart security, and whole-home Wi-Fi. Project scale ranges to 9,600+ sq ft estate builds. Documented projects in Overland Park and Kansas City proper.
Accessibility and Special-Needs Technology
Custom voice profiles, two-way video intercom for non-verbal household members, access control with autism-specific user sequences, and parental controls. Featured in Crestron’s official blog (July 2022). Driven by Joe Acree’s personal experience with his son’s autism therapy needs.
Outdoor Theater, Pool, and Landscape Audio
Documented in both Crestron case studies: automated shades on 17-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, automated sliding glass doors and screens, poolside entertainment, outdoor theater, and landscape audio with multiple amplifier zones and path sensors.
Commercial and Hospitality Crestron Projects
Confirmed commercial projects include a Country Club Plaza installation described as “one of the hottest new places” in KC, tagged with #crestronhospitality on Instagram. Simplicity supported four projects featured at a DesignKC event. Commercial work runs alongside the primary residential practice.
Two Kansas City Locations
Design center showroom: 6700 W 121st St, Suite 103, Overland Park, KS. Operational base: Stilwell, KS. Simplicity KC serves the KC metro including Johnson County, Overland Park, Kansas City proper, and the Country Club Plaza corridor.
Brands and Certifications
Verified platform depth and trade press recognition.
The following brands and credentials are documented through Simplicity KC’s public website, Crestron case studies, and trade press. The firm’s single-platform Crestron focus means the list is deliberately narrow. depth over breadth is the firm’s stated competitive position.
- Crestron. Certified Dealer, active in two official manufacturer case studies. Crestron Home OS, 4-Series CP4-R, DM NVX AV-over-IP, DM NAX audio distribution, Horizon Keypads, TS-770R touch screens, TSR-310 handheld remote. all confirmed in the 2022 Shapiro Residence Crestron case study PDF. Active participant in the Crestron Design-Build program.
- Josh.ai. Confirmed premium voice layer on Crestron systems. Documented in the Shapiro Residence case study and Design KC Magazine June 2023 feature. Privacy-focused AI voice control designed for luxury residential environments.
- Dolby Atmos. Confirmed 4K home theater offering. Listed on Simplicity KC services page.
- Streaming integrations. Apple Music, Netflix, Pandora, XM/Sirius. Documented on services page as active integrations.
- Control4. Prior use possible; current platform is Crestron-only. A 2019 CE Pro job posting for a predecessor firm name listed a Control4 Programmer role. Current website and all press materials reference only Crestron. No Control4 work is represented in current public materials.
- Lutron, Savant. Not independently verified. No Lutron dealer locator confirmation or press mention found. No Savant evidence in public materials. Not claimed for Simplicity KC independently.
Press recognition: Forbes (May 2022), Crestron Blog (July 2022), Crestron Case Study (2022), Residential Systems (December 2023), Design KC Magazine (June 2023). Acree was featured in Residential Systems alongside Crestron’s EVP of Marketing as a peer-level dealer voice on supply chain operations. an unusual level of trade press elevation for a regional firm.
Inside The Restrepo Group
Why Restrepo refers Plains region projects to Simplicity KC.
The Restrepo Group’s architecture pairs technical depth with geographic reach. For the Plains region. Kansas, Missouri, and the broader Midwest. the right partner is a firm that can meet the Crestron engineering standard that Restrepo Innovations applies to every Group project, and that carries the credibility to represent Restrepo’s quality standard to clients who expect it. Simplicity KC meets that bar and then exceeds it.
Two Crestron case studies is not a credential that a volume installer accumulates. It is the result of executing flagship projects at a level that the manufacturer decides is worth documenting and publishing. When Crestron’s marketing team chooses to write a case study about your work, they are making a quality judgment. Restrepo’s decision to partner with Simplicity KC reflects the same judgment from the Group’s side: this is a firm whose output consistently represents what the platform is capable of when deployed with genuine engineering discipline.
The working relationship between Simplicity KC and Restrepo Innovations is documented and active. Restrepo staff have visited and filmed Simplicity job sites. Both firms cross-reference each other in social media. This is not a nominal listing in a partner directory. it is a peer relationship between two Crestron specialists who have mutual respect for each other’s work and who refer to each other because the fit is genuine. For Restrepo clients with properties or projects in Kansas City, Overland Park, or the broader KC metro, Simplicity KC delivers the same standard of care they received in Bergen County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Simplicity KC and The Restrepo Group Plains partnership.
Who is Joe Acree and what is his background?
Joe Acree is the founder and CEO of Simplicity KC. Before founding Simplicity in May 2008, he spent 15 years in telecommunications infrastructure. progressing from field technician to engineering division manager through roles at Sprint, Comcast Cable, Clearwire, and Clear Inc. He holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt from Villanova University, and founded Simplicity after a corporate layoff, initially running it alongside out-of-pocket costs for his son’s autism therapy. He transitioned it to a full-time enterprise in 2012.
What Crestron credentials does Simplicity KC hold?
Simplicity KC is a Crestron Certified Dealer with active platform depth across Crestron Home OS, including the 4-Series CP4-R processor, DM NVX AV-over-IP, DM NAX audio, Horizon Keypads, TS-770R touch screens, and TSR-310 handheld remotes. all confirmed in the 2022 Crestron Shapiro Residence case study. The firm participates in the Crestron Design-Build program. Two official Crestron case studies have been published featuring Simplicity KC projects.
What is Simplicity KC’s signature project?
The Shapiro Residence (Kansas City, MO, 2022) is a 9,200 sq ft contemporary new-build for Crestron Design-Build member David Shapiro: full home automation, 133-inch theater, self-playing piano with distributed audio, Josh.ai voice control, Crestron DM NVX, landscape audio with six amplifiers, and radiant floor heating in the car collection garage. Published as an official Crestron case study. A 2023 Design KC Magazine feature covered a 9,600 sq ft Overland Park estate with a 155-inch basement theater with 13 speakers and nearly 10,000 watts of power.
Has Simplicity KC been featured in national press?
Yes. Forbes.com (May 2022), Crestron Blog (July 2022, bylined by Acree), Crestron Case Study (2022), Residential Systems magazine (December 2023, Acree alongside Crestron’s EVP of Marketing), and Design KC Magazine (June 2023). Simplicity KC carries a 5-star rating across 56 reviews on DispatchCore.
Where is Simplicity KC located and what areas does it serve?
Design center showroom at 6700 W 121st St, Suite 103, Overland Park, KS. Operational base in Stilwell, KS. Serves the greater Kansas City metro spanning both Kansas and Missouri, including Overland Park, Kansas City proper, and the Country Club Plaza corridor.
How does Simplicity KC fit within The Restrepo Group?
Simplicity KC is The Restrepo Group’s Plains region partner. Restrepo staff have visited and filmed Simplicity job sites, and both firms cross-reference each other on social media. For Restrepo clients with properties or projects in the Kansas City area, Simplicity KC delivers the same Crestron platform depth under a single-platform specialist who has trained his entire team exclusively on Crestron. Reach Restrepo Innovations at 201.405.2022 to discuss a Plains region project.
Kansas City luxury project or Midwest new construction?
Simplicity KC is The Restrepo Group’s Crestron-certified Plains partner. 17 years of luxury new-construction delivery, two Crestron case studies, and a founder with telecom engineering and Lean Six Sigma discipline. Reach Restrepo Innovations at 201.405.2022 or office@restrepoinnovations.com.
Engineering anchor: Restrepo Innovations • Plains delivery via Simplicity KC • office@restrepoinnovations.com