The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made many somewhat bored and clueless about what to do while on self-quarantine at home. With this free time on your hands, how about you keep yourself busy by looking for ways to upgrade your entertainment room by designing and creating your dream cinema at home?
With the stay-at-home directives, the closure of most businesses and suspension of public gatherings, there are no more trips to the cinema, hereby encouraging people to find alternatives and choose the ever-appealing option of a home cinema.
Installing a cinema at home can be far less complicated and more affordable than it seems. With widescreen TVs, projectors and sound systems becoming more affordable, the possibility of replicating the experience of a cinema at home is more attainable than ever.
Whether you choose to create a minimal or lavish area, here is how to design your own dream cinema;
Whether you choose to transform an existing space, use a spare room or build a designated area from scratch, choosing where you will put your cinema is key in the process as it will determine the end result.
Before making a choice, consider how many people will use the space — is this going to be a family room or will you be entertaining guests? This will determine the amount of seating that you should have and how spacious it should be.
Is it solely for the purpose of viewing the latest blockbusters or is it a multipurpose room capable of being a charming living room area, or for instance, a man-cave — a multipurpose room will require some degree of compromise, thereby plan wisely.
Although prices seem to vary according to size, choosing a slim-line television means that it can be easily mounted on the wall, giving the cinematic effect you are aiming for, whilst still offering the same benefits as usual.
With a TV you are not restricted by light, as you can watch comfortably in a light-filled room, making it perfect for a multi-purpose room, if it’s what you wish for.
However, if you want a truly cinematic experience with a larger screen, then the wise choice would be a projector.
Making sure that the cinematic sounds do not disturb others throughout the house will be a key element to consider, therefore ensure that soundproofing is done with lightweight acoustic boards, as well as upholstered walls throughout the room, and acoustic tiles for the ceiling.
If you aim to solely transform your living room into a home cinema then the most important element to consider will be your sound system.
You can purchase and recreate by placing speakers around the room with a subwoofer for sound boosting.
Whilst you may feel that the room has to be extravagantly decorated, remember that if you are simply using it for cinematic purposes then the room will normally be dark, thereby the decor can be kept minimalistic.
If you are choosing to make it multi-purpose then consider what you want — it could be the perfect man cave, where you can also entertain your friends with a bar, pool table, dartboard, and then gather around your cinematic screen to watch the football in style.
If you decide to transform it into your playroom, then why not choose dark tones that will absorb light during your viewing parties or social reunions, thereby creating a luxurious feel.
Remember that decorating is the fun part, so enjoy the process — choose a theme and whether you want it to be sophisticated or comforting.