A well-designed home theater can significantly increase your home's value. Not only that, your family and friends will enjoy coming over for an authentic movie theater experience. If you've wanted to build a home theater, there is no reason not to. The following tips can help you to get started.
Location
The optimum sized room for a home theater is 13 feet by 20 feet. A basement or a garage could make the perfect home theater. But, whatever room you choose must be well insulated; this will help keep the noise down and avoid complaints from the neighbors. You'll need to add insulation to the inside of the walls, as well as place acoustic foam tiles on the ceiling and walls. Also, black or another dark color will work best for the acoustic tiles.
Work With a Reputable A/V Company
Not only can an A/V company help you to design your home theater, but they can also provide recommendations for the audio/visual equipment you’ll need. At a minimum, this includes a screen, home theater projector, a speaker system with subwoofers, a blu-ray player, and an AV receiver. Staying within your budget, while building your dream home theater is not an easy task. However, a reputable A/V dealer can help you stay within your budget while building the perfect home theater.
Wiring Your Home Theater
You'll need to wire not only the speakers and the projector, but also the room lighting. The theater lighting needs to be thoughtfully planned, for an authentic movie theater environment. Unless you're very familiar with home wiring, you will probably need to hire an electrician to do the lighting. The typical home theater includes seven to nine speakers, and these must be placed for optimum sound. Your A/V company can advise you on the proper placement of the speakers.
Furnishings and Carpeting
A plush, thick, well-padded carpet will improve the sound and provide additional insulation. For furnishings, you can go with a comfortable sofa or loveseats, as well as with real theater seating. Comfortable reclining chairs are another option. Carefully arrange the furnishings so that everyone will have a great view of the screen. You can also add a refrigerator for beverages and a popcorn machine as a finishing touch.
Once your home theater is complete, invite your friends over to enjoy the show. You can also rest assured that your home theater has increased the value of your home.
