How to Create a Theater Room in Your Home

On some days, we just want to stay inside, be cozy and watch a good movie. While we can play it on our phone or laptop, watching a movie from the comfort of our own home theater sounds like a much better option, doesn’t it? Luckily, nowadays personal home cinemas are not something unattainable. With the right plan, enough space and funds, you too can have a theater room in your home. Keep on reading to see how.

Decide on a budget

Working out the budget is the essential first step in order to know what you are able to afford. The great thing about home theaters is that they can be created on all sorts of budgets. Even if you don’t have a lot of money at your disposal, you can still make something, just on a smaller scale. You need to allocate your funds and see which elements are the most important to you. Maybe you will invest most in the A/V equipment, maybe it is the comfy seating – whatever the case, you need to plan properly to be able to finish this room and not leave it half-way done.

Choose the right room

Then, you need to decide on which room you will be turning into your home theater. If you have a spare room, this is an amazing opportunity. However, even if you don’t have a huge house, your living room can still serve as your home cinema with a few tweaks. Of course, the size of the room will matter a lot because the choice of seating and visibility will be affected by it. You do not want it to be cramped or to have a screen that is too big/small for the room.

Invest in insulation

The room you choose will have to be properly insulated in order to dull the noises coming from the theater. While packing the interior walls with insulation will help, you should also consider sound insulation to prevent the loud movie sounds from annoying the family members that are not watching it as well as your neighbors.

Get the right A/V equipment

The equipment you decide on will mostly depend on your preferences and the size of the room. First of all, you can get a projector and a movie screen. To save some space and protect it, the projector can be suspended instead of placed on a flat surface where people can accidentally bump into it. You can also install a drop-down screen which can easily be tucked away when not in use. On the other hand, for a more permanent solution, you can also look into the best TV mounts which will ensure your flat-screen TV is secure and flexible. Other than video equipment, you need to think about your sound system as well. Is a simple sound bar going to be enough or will you get a complex surround sound system? Also, you need to decide what kind of speakers you would like – whether it’s ceiling, wall or floor ones. Your choices here will impact the layout of the room’s wiring and how you will be able to conceal the cables.

Design the lighting system carefully

For the best viewing experience, you should use dark paint for walls and ceiling and limit reflective objects. This means that you should avoid shiny knobs and fixtures and opt for more matte options. Then, you will also need to consider the lighting system – you should use recessed lights, soffits and rope lights to ensure the experience is not degraded.

Find comfy furniture

Of course, you also have to feel cozy. This is why you need to find the best seating options possible. First, you need to think about how this room will be used. Will you be hosting regular movie marathons and watching sports games with your friends? Or will it be just for you and your family? Depending on the answer, you could get several comfy armchairs or a few rows of sofas that will fit more people. For a true cinema feel, you can even have one row of seating be elevated.

Decorate the space

Decorating the space is really where you get to have so much fun. If you’re a huge movie buff, you can frame various film posters and hang them up around the room. You can even add a popcorn machine for that real cinema vibe. Another option is to create a theme – for instance, you can have a space-inspired theater where you will have something like planets and stars painted on the walls and ceiling, or a Star Wars-themed room full of your collectibles and memorabilia. On the other hand, if you will be using the room for sports events, you can frame jerseys, put up signed merch and so on.

Creating a theater room in your own home might sound complicated but as you can see, if you plan everything well, you should have no problems. Consider the budget and space at your disposal, think of the equipment and furniture you will need and go wild when it comes to décor. Have fun!