So, you’ve decided that
it’s time to have a home theater. Which kind of
home
theater
rooms appeal to you?
Are you going to convert your living or
family
room with a few components for a nice surround sound experience? Are
you getting involved in major construction and knocking down a couple
of walls or adding an extra room?
Or are you one of the few lucky ones
who are working with new construction, so you can basically do whatever
you like?
Whichever situation you’re dealing
with, you have
the opportunity to create a fabulous viewing experience. So what do you
need to create your home theater space?
- A room. As I mentioned above, you will
have a dedicated room for your home theater, whether it’s a
sound-proofed room in the basement, or simply an enhanced living room
situation. If you’re building from scratch, you will want to
do research into the best shape for the acoustical experience you want.
Of course, this will vary based on what
you’re using your
home theater rooms for. The more complicated room designs and shapes
probably aren’t necessary for a basic family movie room or
for a theater dedicated to watching your favorite team play every week.
- A screen. You have a choice
here… you can either go for a big screen television, or a
projector and a screen set-up. Both have their place, and your choice
is going to depend on the lighting in your space, your budget, your
intended use, and – of course – your personal
preference.
- Seating. If you’re going all-out
and creating a true theater experience, you have some great choices.
You can purchase rows of seating and place them on graduated platforms
for an amphitheater effect, or go for luxurious recliners with coolers
in the side. The choices are practically limitless.
- Lighting. Will you have ambient light
along the floor while you’re viewing films? Or do you prefer
total darkness? Are there windows in the room you’re
converting? If so, you’ll definitely want to find some total
darkening curtains.
There are a number of things to consider when creating home theater
rooms, and it’s worth the effort to make all of the pieces of
the puzzle work together.