As the price of a night out at the cinema continues to rise, more and more families are making the leap to create a media room in their own home. What is so fun about a project like this is that you can literally create the perfect setting in which to watch your favorite movies! As you begin planning, here are some ideas to use as inspiration.
Ideal Location
Many families are finding that the basement (if available) is an ideal location for their new media room. Not only is it easier to soundproof the basement, but this also gives you entertaining flexibility for kids’ and adults’ events. The basement is also typically a room where you don’t have to re-do existing decor, but rather just bring in what you like.
Noise Insulation ideas
TThe best noise insulation ideas focus on damping the sound (volume) while deadening vibration. The best approach to take depends on whether you are doing a full remodel to build your media room or simply adding the necessary elements to an already finished space.
For a full remodel, what you want to use is called “zero sound drywall.” Here, you will install this drywall in such a way that it literally detaches your room from the surrounding structure to keep any noise and vibrations self-contaiwned.
For adding to an existing room, the use of thick curtains and carpets plus acoustic panels hung on walls can dampen and deaden sound and vibration.
Optimal Arrangements
For many people, it can help to have some visual ideas to scroll through and consider. As you do this, you may find yourself picking out certain elements and putting together a room that is truly all your own.
Here are some elements to consider:
- Average number of viewers you plan to have.
- Age of viewers (i.e. play rugs over chairs for the littlest moviegoers).
- Placement of refreshment tables and bathroom facilities.
- Size and viewing angle of screen.
- Use of DVD or independent projector.
- Use of a screen or sliding blinds to hide the screen before/after showtime.
- Treatment of carpets, couches and other surfaces (to avoid damage from spills).
In Summary
Once complete, your new entertainment room will likely get plenty of use, and you may just discover you are now the most popular family on your block!
