Are you planning to build an entertainment center at home? You never would have considered it before, but since the pandemic hit, it’s been getting more and more difficult to satiate your entertainment needs. After all, you spent most of your life with access to movie theaters on a whim. The current repercussions involved in socializing outside and staying in public places make this investment a practical one.
That’s not to say it won’t cost you money. Maintaining your family’s safety, happiness, and maybe even your sanity at this stage requires a bigger budget. This is why you’ll want to guarantee that you’re making the right decisions every step of the way, especially when it comes to big factors. This includes your choice of room size, screen, wall color, lighting, and seating. The better you handle these aspects, the bigger your likelihood of success.
Mind Your Room Dimensions
It matters where your entertainment center is situated in your home. Unless you’ve had yours built with this in mind all along, you’ll find that carving out space for it is more challenging than you expected.
If you’re going to make a decision based on acoustics, the worst possible choice would be a room that is a perfect cube with 10 feet of wall on each side. It’s preferable to go for a minimum of 20 feet in length and 15 feet in width. Anything smaller will feel too cramped for most families, particularly if you plan to have some friends and family over sometimes.
Mind Your Screen
One of the worst things you can do is to put this at the very bottom of your list. Remember that it’s the main attraction, and its specifications will determine the efficiency of your other decisions.
Perhaps you plan to go big by purchasing from reputable companies such as McCann Systems. You’ll want to make sure that the type you buy is actually suitable for the room you’re converting. Luckily, purchasing from a company that performs installations will simplify this task. The challenge is if you’ll be doing it yourself and acquiring equipment separately. Opt to buy complete packages for the best results, both in quality and price. If you can have your theater inspected by a specialist first, then go ahead, as their recommendations will prove critical in buying the correct equipment.
Mind Your Wall Color
You’ll notice that commercial theaters never use light or bright colors for their walls and decors. Neither do they use glossy finishes? This is because they could affect the colors projected on the screen, and the fine finishes will create distracting reflections.
If you’re not a fan of plain black walls, then here’s the good news for you: it’s not the only option you have. You can go for a deep gray, red, brown, and navy. Patterns? Yes, you may. As long as they’re all made with a matte finish, and they won’t affect the screen, then you have the liberty to mix and match as you wish.
Mind Your Lighting
As a rule of thumb, all lighting in home theaters should be dimmable and remote-controlled. This not only boosts the convenience, but it also helps you enjoy your theater experience better. Your best choices in terms of lighting type are wall sconces, recessed lighting, ambient lighting, and even fiber optic strips to illuminate your floor.
The specific type and quantity depend on your room size and needs. Think not only of aesthetic and convenience but also safety. If someone will be moving around during a screening, how do you prevent them from tripping? If anyone in your family is sensitive to the glare of certain lights, what options are available to you, and how should you position them in the room?
Mind Your Elevation
Here’s the part that a lot of homeowners tend to neglect. Unless you plan to put just one long couch in front of the screen, you need raisers. This will allow the two or three rows of people behind the first one to view the movie with ease. Fortunately, raisers aren’t expensive, and you can DIY them if you have spare wood at home. You’ll be received to invest in one when your family starts racing you to the first row of chairs.
Before you get too caught up in the type of speakers and chairs you want for your home theater, focus on these decisions first. Covering the basics will give you more freedom to make purchases without fear that they’ll either be useless or unsuitable to your space.
