4 Tips for Your Perfect Home Entertainment Area

Home entertainment spaces are more popular than ever and high-quality home theater experiences are now easier and less expensive to build.  Especially for you or your loved one aging at home, an entertainment room is a wonderful way for multiple generations to spend time enjoying each other’s company while everyone’s favorite films and shows play on the big screen. Follow these four tips for designing the best home theater for you and your family during your next living room remodel.

Choose the Right Furniture for Your Home Entertainment Room

First, assess your space for what kind of furniture will be able to fit in it. Although some people like to set up their home entertainment spaces with individual seating like you would find in a movie theater, those who are enjoying their entertainment at home often find more spacious seating cozier and more comfortable.  There are some sensational sectionals available now that have reclining seats at the ends so that you can have an individual seat that reclines like a traditional recliner but still get cuddles from grandkids beside of you. Many even have cupholders and side pockets built-in to allow for easily accessible movie drinks and snacks.

If space is an issue, consider getting portable seating for the children that can be brought in when it’s family film time and stored elsewhere when not in use. Bean bags, miniature stuffed chairs and even tiny sofas are available in every design and size for your little loved one’s movie-viewing pleasure.

Select the Best Screen for Your Home Theater

It’s the golden age of in-home viewing. Display capability is greater than ever, with unmatched picture quality available in the comfort of your home. To achieve the perfect home theater room, you now have two terrific options to choose from: TVs and projectors. Each of these has benefits and drawbacks.

TVs can be pricier than a projector, but they generally don’t need any repairs, whereas projectors can sometimes need bulbs replaced. As time goes on and technology improves, the cost of very large-screen televisions continues to fall, making them more affordable for those on a budget. TVs also tend to have brighter screens and better contrast, which makes viewing easier when a room must have some light. They’re also familiar territory and easy to understand since even great strides in technology have left TV viewing inherently the same.

HD projectors win out on screen resolution. The picture can sometimes appear less detailed on TV screens than it does on larger projector screens that are vast enough to allow more details to shine through. Because of the inherently large size of projector screens, projector picture is easy viewing for those who have difficulty seeing. They also are big enough that many people can easily view the picture from wherever they are in the room, much like in a movie theater.

Although using them might be unfamiliar at first, the in-home projectors available now are extremely easy to use. You attach them to the cables you would use for any TV, and they simply project the picture onto the projector screen. You can even use a plain white wall as your screen, although the picture will not be as good as it would be with a screen specifically designed for viewing. If space is an issue, projectors can be an awesome option since they can be put away when not in use, whereas TVs can take up more permanent space.

It should be noted, though, that not all projectors come with built-in sound, and often the speakers that are built into projectors are not of the best quality. Regardless of whether you choose a TV or an HD projector, it can be a worthwhile investment to acquire a quality sound system.

Get Great Sound for Your Entertainment Room

The kind of high-quality surround sound experience once limited to movie theaters is now available for your home entertainment centers. Options abound with a variety of sound systems available for every situation. There are excellent wireless surround sound systems for those who worry about the safety of children or other family members tripping over or otherwise negatively interacting with long wires. You may need a transmitter or Bluetooth enabled projector to use this technology.

Smart sound systems are becoming more prevalent and financially accessible these days. Smart systems are voice-activated, allowing you to use voice commands to interact with your home entertainment system. This can be especially helpful to those aging in place as they won’t have to worry about moving around or keeping track of remotes to have the viewing experience they desire. Smart technology for the home is a huge help for those aging in place.

Perfect Your Home Theater’s Lighting

When putting your home entertainment room together, one of your main priorities should be your lighting. It’s important to eliminate natural light from interfering with your picture viewing since the darker the room is, the better the picture will appear onscreen. Light-blocking or blackout window shades and curtains are an excellent investment when trying to perfect your light quality. With many of these, you can easily allow light in when you are not actively using your entertainment center and can simply pull them closed when you want to darken the room to maximize your viewing experience.

There are also many easy-to-install dimmable lighting options available to help enhance your experience. If some light is desirable during viewing to keep an eye on grandchildren or for the eating of snacks, for instance, using dimmable lamps instead of traditional ones can ensure you only employ the amount of light you need. This way, there is less light to interfere with picture viewing.

Designing the best home entertainment room for your family doesn’t have to be difficult. Choose the best furniture for you and your family and decide whether a TV or an HD projector is right for you. With the right sound system and light setup, you and your family will be sitting together enjoying your favorite family features in the comfort of your own home in no time.