How many times haven’t you sat on your couch to watch television and realized that the glare on the screen distracted you and made you change positions and urged you to find methods to eliminate glare?
Now, imagine building your very own home theater room only to discover that something in the design was all wrong and instead of enjoying, you get annoyed.
Planning the home theater design is hardly easy. No doubt. No wonder you need an experienced home theater designer by your side. What’s difficult about such projects is that there’s a lot to consider – distances, sound isolation, good seating, attractive style, good equipment, and much more. It’s all about boosting your cinematic experience and so many things should be taken into account.
Now, when it comes to the actual design of the home movie theater, the considerations go beyond equipment. It all has to do with your overall comfort. So, let’s take a closer look at all these things that could turn a supposedly great experience into a small nightmare – one you pay to get.
Wrong home theater seats and arrangement
When it comes to the home theater seats, they must be extremely comfortable and arranged in a way so that all viewers can watch without any difficulty. If your home theater design follows that of the public cinemas, your seats are placed in rows – one behind the other. If this is the layout in your home, you also need riser platforms so that all people will have a clear view of the TV screen.
As for the home theater chairs, they should be comfortable and it wouldn’t hurt if they had drop-down tables.
Wrong size TV screen
The TV screen shouldn’t be too large and certainly, it shouldn’t be too small. It should be proportional to the room. Its size is also subject to the seating arrangement. One common mistake is failing to measure the distance between the screen and the first row of seats. At the same time, those sitting in the rear row should also watch with ease. Your decision should be based on the size and shape of the room which affects the seats and their arrangement, and also the distances from the seats to the screen.
Forgetting to soundproof the home movie room
Home theater acoustical wall paneling is one way to control sounds but not enough. Your intention is to enjoy a movie without listening to the rest of the family. And the rest of the family members (and neighbors) want to do what they do without listening to your movie. So, it’s best to discuss some soundproofing solutions with your home theater designer – like damping, mass, and decoupling.
Putting the speakers in the wrong place
Choosing speakers that will make your experience unique is one thing. But to get the most of them, you need to put them in strategic parts of the room – and definitely not inside cabinets.
Using hard materials that distort sound
Everything about sound matters in this room. And while the idea is to isolate external noises – and vice versa, keep the home theater room noises from traveling outside, you also want good sound from the speakers. To have no distortions, avoid hard materials. It’s not a coincidence that commercial cinemas have carpet floors and soft wall materials. This is to avoid distortions created when the sound waves hit hard materials.
Neglecting the importance of home theater room lights
To enjoy a movie, you need the right lights – not only to create the required ambiance but also to avoid glare. You also need to make sure the lighting fixtures are placed at spots, where they offer sufficient illumination without bothering your eyes. This is often behind your back and it’s easier when the lights are dimmable. You will have the chance to lower them to watch a film or make the room brighter if you want to get up or chat.
In a project as difficult and as important as building a home theater room, there’s no room for mistakes – especially if you consider the cost. And so, this is something you should plan in great detail from the start and always with the help of a professional and very experienced home theater installation company.
