Planning a Media Room

Now that the holidays are over and while the weather is still chilly or downright cold, this might be a good time to plan a media room or a home theater. With its cold temperatures and blustery weather, January is a month that inspires creative ways to nest, keep warm and hibernate in style. If a home theater or media room sounds appealing to you but you're not sure where to begin, here are a few ideas.

Location: The ideal place for a home theater is its own room. But if you don't have the space for a dedicated media room don't despair. You can easily incorporate one into a family room, living room or a basement room.

Purpose: You might think this is a no brainer, but before you get too far along in your medio room planning, decide what the main purpose of the media room will be. If you're only using the room to watch television and movies, then a home theater interior design plan will be more useful to you. However, if you want a comfy place to listen to Coltrane or your kids want their own spot for gaming, then you will need to accommodate these activities in your media room plan.
Focal Point: The television, of course will be the focal point of your media room, home theater or media area. Measure the width of the TV's viewing screen. Home theater furniture such as recliners, the sofa, etc. should be positioned double width of the TV's viewing screen. For example, if the screen is 47 inches wide then any home theater seating should be at least seven feet away from the television for an optimum viewing experience.



Lighting: You will want to be able to see the name of the title on the DVD but have the option of dimming the lights when the movie is about to begin. Adjustable overhead lighting such as track lighting or canned lights are ideal for a home theater or a media room.



- E.L.