How to Design Your Own Home Threater

Create a space for home entertainment.

When you have your own home theater, you'll never have to leave the house to be entertained. Imagine inviting your friends and family over to share popcorn and watch movies in an authentic theater space. Convert your basement or extra bedroom into your own home theater. You can design this space yourself or hire a home theater consultant to advise you. Set your budget and carefully plan for your electronic needs, seating options and materials and finishes.

Things You'll Need

• Sketch paper and pencil
• Home theater electronics
• Theater seating
• Movie-themed decor

Instructions

1. Set a budget. Before you begin any design project within your home, you should establish parameters, both in terms of budget and scope. Create a wish list of your must-have home theater components, from an HDTV screen to surround sound or plush home theater seating. Tally up the projected total including electronics, furniture, labor costs and consultant fees.

2. Hire a home theater consultant. These consultants specialize in helping you select the right home theater equipment for your space, configuring the acoustics and even planning the design and layout of the space. If you are designing a simple set-up on a low budget, you may not require the services of a consultant, but if you plan to invest in a high-end theater system, the consultant fee is well worth the added cost to ensure a quality home theater experience.

3. Purchase electronic equipment. These systems include a television or projector with screen, audio system including surround-sound speakers, as well as DVD players and any other electronic components needed to create your home theater system. Take note of the dimensions of the equipment to plan for storage space and installation, as well as the power requirements so you can verify that outlets are located accordingly.

4. Design a layout and select furniture and finishes. Now that the technical components are taken care of, must decide which type of seating you would like for your home theater. Seating may take the form of sofas, loveseats and recliners, floor cushions, beanbags and plenty of throw pillows or specialized home theater seating complete with cup holders. Plan for storage space for electronics and your movie collection as well as other special features like a mini bar complete with a fridge to store drinks and snacks. Measure the dimensions of the room and furniture and use sketch or graph paper to plan the layout.

5. Decorate your home theater. Decide whether you want your theater to have a theme, such as old Hollywood or sci-fi. Frame posters of your favorite movies and hang them on the wall. Choose rich, dark colors such as red velvet with black accents for a more traditional movie theater feel. Cover windows with black-out shades or heavy drapes to block out natural light, and install fixtures to provide soft yet dramatic lighting. Wall sconces are an especially good choice for a home theater.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider purchasing used home theater equipment and seating from eBay or Craigslist to save on costs.

• Absorb echos by installing fabric wall coverings and using plenty of rugs and pillows.

• Provide a variety of seating options to ensure the comfort of your guests.

• Install dimmers on light fixtures for easy control.

References

• "Home Theater Design": How to's