Want the Ultimate Home Theater Experience? Start with Design

SEE ALSO: How to Enhance Your Home Theater with Smart Lighting

Choosing the Room

Many homeowners may think that bigger is better when choosing a room for their home theater. And while size does matter if you want a fully immersive movie experience, the most important aspect of the room you choose is its dimensions. Square and oval rooms will distort your audio. The ideal room for balanced surround sound should be rectangular, with walls longer than they are wide, and high ceilings.

Placing the Display

Comfort and perception significantly enhance your viewing experience, which means your display must be placed in such a way that prevents eye or neck strain. The image on the screen should appear naturally as your eyes would see it in real life. While a general rule of thumb is to place your screen 24” to 36” inches above the floor and 1.5 to 3 times the screen height distance from your seating, the ideal measurement will be unique to your room dimensions, screen size preference, and seating options.

Arranging the Seating

As we hinted above, seating and display placement go hand-in-hand when creating a grade-A viewing experience. Every seat should have a clear and comfortable view of the image. Want rowed seating? You’ll need risers for seats behind row one. Want a nonconventional seating layout with couches and chaises? You’ll need to leave ample room between your seats and the walls for safe walkways. Additionally, all seats should ensure a balanced bass response and prevent localized surround sound.

Installing the Surround Sound

Speaking of surround sound, speaker placement will make or break your auditory experience. Let’s consider a 5.1 surround sound system. This setup consists of a center speaker, left and right front speakers, left and right surrounds, and a subwoofer. Each speaker plays a specific role in audio optimization and must be properly placed to create a balanced and enveloping soundstage. Of course, the ideal speaker placement will depend on your room dimensions and seating arrangement.

…and More

Beyond room dimensions, display placement, seating arrangement, and speaker installation, you must also consider system calibration, room acoustics, lighting, and more if you desire the pinnacle of home cinema. Crafting an immersive theater room is more than a skill—it’s an art. And Avidia is your painter.

As an esteemed home theater designer, we know the ins-and-outs of proper home theater design and would love to gift you with magical home entertainment for years to come. To schedule a free consultation, contact us here or send us a live chat below. We look forward to working with you!