The Ultimate Guide to Designing a Top-Tier Home Theater
Discover the Essentials in Home Theater Design
Once you set your sights on the home theater of your dreams and start researching the many details, it can feel more than a little overwhelming. From the room size and layout to the audio system, projector, movie screen, and aesthetic design, a long list begins developing. More often than not, the project goes into the “someday” pile, only to be revisited a few times before the idea turns into a physical reality.
Like many things in life, it’s that first step that’s the most daunting. Here, we’ll explore some of the essentials in home theater design for your home in The Woodlands, TX. Before all else, it begins with the room.
SEE ALSO: Whole-Home Audio Systems: A Breathtaking Auditory Experience
The Room Size and Layout
If you’re designing your home theater from scratch, you’re in the fortunate minority. Most must work with an existing space within their home. A room 20 feet long and 15 feet wide with a 9-foot ceiling is a good starting point. If you plan on tiered movie seating, 9 feet is the minimum height.
The layout consists of the distance from the seating to the screen and from the projector to the screen. Generally, the horizontal measurement of your screen times two equals the minimum distance. For instance, if your screen is 100 inches across, the first seats need to be at least 200 inches away from the screen.
If you’re considering tiered seating, you’ll also need to consider the space between rows, the height of the riser, the viewing angle, and any obstructions.
The Movie Screen
Movie screens have come a long way from their predecessors. Today, they are handcrafted and designed for unique properties and purposes.
Some are ideal for rooms with ambient lighting. Others, like acoustically transparent screens, support the sound system by enabling speakers to be placed behind them. Ideally, the screen should fill at least a 30-degree field of vision. In most cases, bigger is better for the immersive cinematic experience.
The Audio System
We recommend a Dolby Atmos surround sound system for the most realistic audio available. For optimal audio, high-fidelity speakers should be placed at about ear level and angled about 120 degrees from the listener.
Height channels are essential to the all-engulfing experience and can be obtained with in-ceiling speakers or Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers that fire upward toward the ceiling.
The Aesthetic Design
This is where your interior designer takes hold, envisioning your dream home theater. Some homeowners want their theater to seamlessly blend in with the aesthetics of their home, whether modern, art deco, or Southwest. Others want to open the doors and feel like they’ve entered a whole new dimension, a space revealing fiber-optic star-filled ceilings, otherworldly acoustic paneling, and plush sectionals or chaise lounges.
Working with Relative Home Systems
As you can see, a myriad of minute details are involved in crafting a home theater that rivals a commercial venue. At Relative Home Systems, our designers and engineers create customized home cinemas that transport you to another world and leave you awestruck.
To learn more about home theater design or to schedule a complimentary consultation, contact Relative Home Systems today.
