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4 Tips for Designing Home Movie Theaters

VWB Blog 2 years ago 9

The home theater industry is expected to grow by $2.87 billion by 2024. It’s one of the many unexpected cultural and lifestyle changes that evolved due to Covid. However, not all homeowners get their home movie theaters set up correctly, degrading the overall experience.

Keep these four tips in mind when designing your home theater and avoid the common mistakes that other people make.

1. Consider Size and Ceiling Height

The room you choose to be your theater room needs to be large and dark. Windows will have to be blocked off, or they will allow too much light in. The best room to turn into a movie theater is the basement.

However, not all homes have a basement. In this situation, you’ll have to consider other rooms, such as an oversized walk-in closet, spare bedroom, garden shed, garage, or pool house.

The room you choose must have a large wall to support a screen. The height of the ceiling is also crucial because a low ceiling can have a negative impact on screen size and sound quality.

2. Soundproofing

Once you choose your movie room, it’s time to soundproof. This will contain the sound so that you don’t disturb people in the rest of your home or even the neighbors. You can buy acoustic wall panels that you mount on the walls.

If you prefer a DIY option, add a layer of dense foam to the wall and then cover the foam with carpeting. These materials are thick with plenty of texture to absorb the sound waves.

3. Screen Size and Distance

As a general rule, your seating should be 1.5 to 2 times the distance from the screen as the screen’s diagonal size. For example, if your screen is 48 inches, then you should place your seating 72-96 inches away.

If you’re unsure of placement, work backward. Measure the size of the room and where you have to place the seating. Then use these measurements to determine the ideal screen size.

For most home theaters, front projection televisions are the best option. This is when the projector is in the back of the theater to project the image forward to the screen in the front of the room. This gives you the most flexibility in placement and screen size.

4. Comfortable Seating

The whole point of a movie room is to lounge out and enjoy a movie or two. You can’t do this if you’re constantly shifting in an uncomfortable seat. So when creating your home theater design, the seating you choose is crucial.

You could opt for an interior design that uses a large lounger sofa. Then everyone piles on together. Or you could line up individual recliners where everyone has their own seat.

Home Movie Theaters Are the Must-Have Home Upgrade

With home movie theaters becoming more common, it can be tempting to consider adding one to your home. Before you start planning your first screening event, consider these four tips. When you get the foundational elements right, everything else will fall into place.

Check out our other home improvement articles for more ideas on how you can upgrade your home.

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