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Archive for the ‘Home Theater Design’ Category

Installing a home theater is one way to add value to a home, giving it a dedicated place for watching movies, playing video games and listening to music. Home theaters range from makeshift media rooms to high-tech screening rooms with projectors and state-of-the-art stereo equipment. Home theaters can fit into a home’s decor through careful planning.

Use Color
A home theater is based around its audio-visual equipment, including a television, speakers, a cable box or satellite receiver and a DVD player.

Most of these devices come in a limited range of black, Grey and silver color schemes. This makes it all too easy to design a home theater in stark blacks and whites.

A home theater, however, can have as much color as any other room in the home. Dark tones are best, since they won’t reflect light, allowing the room to remain dark for optimal viewing.

Homeowners should also avoid glossy surfaces such as smooth plastic and stainless steel, which can cause unwanted reflections. A full range of dark, matte colors, however, is available for the home theater.

Use Basement Rooms
One way to add a home theater to a house is by installing it in a basement room. Basements usually have minimal natural light, making them ideal for viewing.

A basement home theater is also less likely to fill the house, or the neighborhood, with too much noise. Homeowners can hang drywall and install vinyl tile flooring for a quick solution to transforming an unfinished basement room into a home theater. Read the rest of this entry »

A home theater room is more than just a room with a big screen TV. The room allows you to create a movie theater experience in your home for friends and family members to gather and enjoy movies together. When decorating a home theater room, find inspiration by watching a few of your favorite movies or visiting a movie theater.

Seating
Consider purchasing furniture to give your home theater a fresh appeal. Include matching, single-person reclining chairs for maximum comfort, and a love seat or two, so couples can cuddle up during the movie. Comfort is key when choosing furniture.

Look for seating with built-in accessories like cup holders and cubbyholes to store remotes or movie cases. Position each seat with a clear view of the screen, so people do not strain their necks. Include distinct walkways between your seats, so people can get easily get up and sit down.

Lighting
Design a lighting scheme in your home theater room, rather than an overhead light with an on/off switch. Install dimmers on all lighting fixtures to set the mood. Some sophisticated lighting systems offer chair-side controls. Read the rest of this entry »

Designing and installing a home theater can be a complicated home improvement project. Take care to carefully consider your needs, budget and available space before beginning work. Depending on your needs, hiring a home theater installation expert may prove beneficial to maximize your money and space.

Sound and Light Proof the Room
Choose a room with few windows and doors, the less the better. Open floor plans or rooms with high vaulted ceilings make poor home media rooms or theaters as they will not contain the sound well. The ideal shape for a home theater is a rectangular room. If floors are bare concrete wood or tile, cover them with wall-to-wall carpeting.

An area rug will also help if wall-to-wall installation isn’t an option. Use upholstered furniture to help absorb sound, and incorporate heavy drapes to cover windows or large expanses of wall. The fabric will help to keep the room dark as well as absorb unwanted noise. Install dimmable lights so that you can keep the room dim but not dark, which will help to avoid eye strain.

Create a Multipurpose Room
Many homeowners are attracted to the idea of a home theater but do not have the extra room to sacrifice exclusively for media. Create a multipurpose media room to achieve many of the benefits of a dedicated theater space without sacrificing living area. Install custom cabinetry to create a multifunctional space with storage for all necessary electronics as well as books and other household items. Read the rest of this entry »