We're thinking about creating a Home Theater room. What should we consider about design and construction?

Having a dedicated room for your Home Theater gives you the ability to optimize audio and video performance while creating an interior design that suits your taste. As you begin your planning there are three very important considerations.

First is the shape of the room. Rooms that are rectangular will have better acoustics than rooms that are square. And it's even better when the dimensions of length, width, and height, are not divisible by a common factor (e.g. 21' x 16' x 9' is better than 24' x 16' x 8').

Next is ambient light control. Light falling directly on the screen washes out the picture. Ideally, your plan for window treatments and lighting should provide enough ambient light for people to comfortably move around and operate controls, yet prevent bright light from falling directly on the screen.

Finally, the actual construction of walls needs to be considered. If you want to prevent the sound of your Home Theater from reaching other rooms, special sound absorbing and insulating techniques can be used.

After these basic considerations, there are many other things that need to be planned: wiring, speaker locations, furniture and cabinet layout are just a few. We love having the opportunity to work with clients planning a dedicated Home Theater. The results are always worth it.