For those who have always dreamed of having a movie theater in their homes, there has never been an easier, cheaper, or less disruptive time to realize that dream.
With the amount of technology available today, you will be able to find everything you need, and all it will depend on is the budget you have the space available. Here’s how to get started.
The Screen
Perhaps the most important element of any home cinema has to be the screen that you choose. This is what will make the difference between having a large TV in a room and having an actual home movie theater. You will need a screen that takes up as much of one wall as you can to really get the experience, but you should also be careful if the shape of your room isn’t square, or if you choose to put the screen on the longer rather than shorter wall of an oblong, or it will be uncomfortable to watch. The screen is something you should certainly speak to an expert about, or at least research beforehand, because if this element is wrong nothing else will work either.
Photo: Rhonda Vandiver White
Where To Put The Cinema
You have two choices when it comes to where your home movie theater is going to go – it can either be put into a room that already exists, or you can build a new room specifically for it. What you need is a room that is at least 12 square feet to give you the viewing and sound quality that you want. Ideally you want to choose a room with no windows, which is why a basement or attic can work well (or why you would decide to design your own cinema room from scratch).
Photo: Houzz
The Speakers
As well as a great screen, great speakers are a must. One of the joys of going to the cinema is the great quality of sound – it makes everything a lot more exciting and intense, and if there is music to be heard you will be able to pick it up more easily. Of course, the speakers you get and how much sound they produce will depend somewhat on how well soundproofed the room is. If you’re worried about upsetting the neighbors, or even disrupting other people in the house, you could use headphones instead. For the ones that will give you the best cinematic experience search ‘best headphones for plane’ and you should be shown a wide range.
Furniture
If you want to really have a cinematic experience from home, you’ll be on the lookout for actual cinema style seats, but these may not be easy to find, plus they’re not always the most comfortable. You might instead look for comfortable leather recliners which can be set up individually, or perhaps a large reclining sofa so that the whole family can sit together. Cushions are always an extra element that many people forget, but they can add that additional layer of comfort and will also help to absorb sound as a bonus.
