Once the preserve of Cribs episodes, the home entertainment room has seen a real boom in popularity in recent months. With staying in very much the new going out, homeowners have been focusing on making their domestic lives as entertaining and appealing as possible, and rooms dedicated to r’n’r have been the natural progression of this focus.
Your home entertainment area can be a sanctuary from the chaos of everyday life and allow you somewhere to relax and unwind; something we all need right now, don’t you think? Whether you want to sit back and watch the big game, enjoy a romantic night in with your partner or have a family cinema night, having a room devoted to the art to unwinding will provide the perfect framework for this.
To create the perfect home entertainment area, you will need to give some careful consideration to how you use the space you have available. Don’t worry if you only have a room which estate agents would generously term ‘cosy’; you can still make this thing happen. All you need is a little investment and a lot of imagination, to make the most of these 4 essentials of any home entertainment room.
THE SCREEN
No matter how big or small your entertainment area is going to be, the focal point of the space, undoubtedly, is the screen. We’re here to watch movies and sports, not have a civilised conversation! That is reserved for the rest of the house. Here, we’re talking entertainment and escapism, so the screen needs to be right.
Whether you choose to purchase a large flatscreen TV and place it on a TV unit, or you go for the full projector and screen experience, a good quality screen in HD is an absolute must. Whilst you wouldn’t want to dwarf the room excessively and look gauche, remember that this room has been declared a space of viewing pleasure; your screen needs to be a statement or family members will just retire to the safety of their other screens in protest.
A good rule of thumb is to measure the distance between where you’ll sit and the TV in inches. Then, divide that number by two. The result is the maximum size of TV you should buy for your apartment. Or, you could opt for a projector; many are no bigger than a TV remote, so do little to daunt a room, and you could use your blank wall space or hang up a bedsheet to give you the best viewing options.
SEATING CHOICE
The type of seating you choose will depend largely on how much space you have and how many people you plan on entertaining at any one time. While some homeowners opt for a standard living room sofa, others will add recliners for that additional theatre-feel. Personally, if you’ve got the money and room, it has to be the latter option; there’s something about settling into that comfy chair and reclining which really puts you in the right mood to relax.
Should you be short on funding but still want a space high on comfort, another popular option is on the floor seating, using a selection of beanbags, large cushions, and blankets. This is a great option for large groups, kids parties and family movie nights.
REFRESHMENTS AND SNACKS
No home entertainment area would be complete without a selection of refreshments and snacks; you don’t want to be constantly pausing your film to fetch another cold one or crisp, right? Your home entertainment area should be a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself, only emerging at the end of a long evening to hit the hay, and this means plenty of food and drinks.
Consider installing a small fridge to keep your drinks cold, or if you are an ice-cream fan, why not add a small freezer to accommodate your treat of choice. Popcorn makers are also a popular addition and help to add that unmistakable movie theatre smell that we all love. Just imagine the nostalgia you could evoke!
SOUND SYSTEM
Nowadays, you can have a sound system for your home entertainment system that would rival any small venue. On the other hand, a simple soundbar or wireless speaker setup can be more than sufficient should you have a tight budget to work towards. Choosing the right sound system relies on a clever balancing act between space available, funds at your disposal, and how much emphasis you want to place on sonic pleasure.
Personally, we believe a home entertainment system would be nothing without sound; it’s amazing what a crisp, clear sonic environment can do to your viewing experience, and much of the quality of aural input depends on the layout and positioning of your speakers.
When it comes to sound, there are generally two main options: 5.1 surround sound and 2.1 surround sound. The former means you’ll need five additional speakers spread out around the room while the second calls for just two. To go layman on you, in a smaller space, two speakers do the trick perfectly but in a large room designed specifically as an entertainment space or dedicated completely to film watching, a 5:1 will do that dedication justice.
Alternatively, a soundbar does a similarly good job of projecting music around the room in an immersive way. One of the most affordable for its quality on the market right now is the Majority Snowdon ii soundbar, which we just love. With an output of 120 watts, it can even be hung on the wall, making it an ideal choice for those short on flat surface space in their home entertainment room.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to creating a home entertainment system. Everyone has a different amount of space to work with, a different budget, and different intended uses for the room. To create your perfect home entertainment room, be sure to carefully consider the space you have to work with, how you will maximise that space and your budget. With these things considered, you will be able to choose the best screen, seating, sound system and refreshment area for your needs, and the rest will simply fall into place.