Build Your Dream Home Theater With These 5 Design Ideas

If you’re planning a new or upgraded home theater, the options may look daunting. There are so many aspects to consider: the location, seating, the screen, the sound system, the acoustics, and lighting to name a few.

First, ask yourself what you want out of your home theater. Will you mostly watch films in an immersive cinematic atmosphere, or will you use the area as a multipurpose space for media and entertaining? AVL Pro has many years of experience in Fort Myers and southwest Florida with numerous home theater designs and installations. We take your vision and turn it into reality.

Keep reading for five critical areas to consider before designing your next home theater.

SEE ALSO: Take Your Home Media Room to the Next Level 

Room Location

An old adage in real estate is location, location, location. The location of your home theater is critical. First, place the home theater where you'll use it most often instead of a faraway room you’ll rarely visit. A home theater can even be part of a living room, family room or a library if you don’t have an extra room in your Florida home.

Second, consider the controls for light and sound. For the best experience, you should be able to easily control the environment. Projectors work best in darkened rooms, and you may also want to limit outside sound entering your theater; you may need additional lighting customization, window coverings, or speakers and acoustic treatments for the best experience, wherever you decide to place your home theater.

Physical Requirements

Home theaters have equipment that may draw significant amounts of power, so wiring for the correct electrical capacity is important. Speakers, whether freestanding or built-in, require precise wiring. You won’t want visible cables and wires, either, so route them through walls, ceilings, and under flooring as necessary.

The control of light is another essential element. If the room has several windows, you may need blackout window treatments for a fully immersive experience and the best picture performance. One way to do this is through motorized shades coordinated with overhead lighting and AV equipment; this gives you the ability to control outside light when it's showtime. Precise dimming capability and pre-programmed lighting scenes can also set the mood for your entertainment experience.

Audio and Video Equipment

The type and size of the screen will depend on the home theater’s dimensions, design layout, and seating distance from the screen. If the home theater is a dual-purpose media room for daytime viewing, you may consider adding additional flat screen TVs for sports, plus a drop-down screen and ceiling-mounted projector from our brand partners Screen Innovations and Sony for movie nights. It all depends on your preferences and what’s possible within the limitations of the space.

For sound, the choices are manifold. Some smaller theater rooms work great with a high-end soundbar. Others home theater designs include a 13 speaker Dolby Atmos setup with built-in speakers from James Loudspeaker and are powered by Yamaha’s Aventage processors and amplifiers for an immersive surround experience. The room’s dimensions and layout can also affect the sound system and installation options.

Seating

Today’s theaters not only feature plush recliner seating from specialized vendors like CinemaTech; they add amenities like bar areas with additional higher seats off the side and rear. For sports and other entertainment, standing room and fewer formal seating arrangements allows for more flexibility. The location of the seats affects screen size and type, speaker placement and sound quality. Regardless of your preference, we can determine the best placement, fabric materials, and other implementation ideas so the audio and video quality are perfect.

Control and Acoustics

If your home theater is difficult to control, you’ll likely end up frustrated and avoid using it to its full capabilities. All the features of your theater should be intuitive. For example, with the right control system from Savant or Control4, one touch or voice command can dim the lights, lower the motorized shades, and cue the video and audio source inputs and levels. The last thing you want is to juggle multiple remote controls and switches to get the entertainment started.

Depending on the size, layout, and décor of the theater room, you may need to consider acoustic treatments. This helps keep the loud sounds of the theater from bleeding into adjacent spaces and keeps noise from coming inside the home theater. Acoustic treatment can also help tame harshness in the sound system from wall reflections. Lastly, professional calibration of the sound system is key to coax the best possible audio performance from your home theater design.

Are you ready to design your dream home theater in Fort Myers Beach? AVL Pro can guide you through the entire process. Contact us using our online form or click the chat box below to connect instantly with one of our experts.