A home theater is a significant investment, which is why you should plan carefully. It’s easy to overlook the many details that go into room design and picking the perfect gear. Below are common pitfalls and ways that you can avoid them.

What Not to Do When Designing a Home Theater

1. Choosing the Wrong Size of TV

The TV is the focal point of any home theater. It should fill up at least 30% of your visual field, and you can determine this by simply pasting a large sheet on the wall and then sitting on your sofa. If the sheet seems small, move the seating forward or choose a larger TV until you’ve achieved the 30% minimum.

2. Placing Speakers Incorrectly

No movie-viewing experience is complete without quality sound, so choose the right speakers. A common misconception is that soundbars produce theater-quality sound, but the ideal options are tower, bookshelf, and in-wall speakers because you can position them correctly.

Typically, front bookshelf speakers should point inward toward the seating area so they deliver clear sound directly to the listener. A center speaker can go above the TV and tilt toward the listener. For surround-sound systems, place the two or four rear speakers in a crescent shape behind the seating area so that the listener is encapsulated in the sound field.

3. Forgetting About Lighting

Many people assume that there should be the least amount of light in a home theater as possible since it will create a movie theater-like atmosphere. However, you may need lighting to navigate from time to time or if you simply want to hang out in the room.

If you’re designing ambient lighting for movie-watching, sconces and rope lighting facing away from the screen are the most versatile and effective. For entertainment lighting, opt for recessed ceiling fixtures. These provide plenty of light and won’t take up space.

4. Not Soundproofing

You don’t want sounds booming inside the home theater to echo throughout your home, so prioritize soundproofing. Many homeowners forget to leave wall space for acoustic panels, allowing sound waves to travel through wall studs and into other parts of their houses. Worse, subwoofers and larger speakers could send vibrations into adjacent rooms and rattle decor.

Add acoustically engineered drywall and carpet padding or floor mats that will capture the sound and keep it in the room. These materials need to be installed before you do anything else since the room has to be stripped down, so plan ahead.

For ideal results with your home theater, schedule a consultation with the design professionals at Resolutions – Sights, Sounds, Simplicity in Cincinnati, OH. Founder Jeremy Emrick is committed to helping homeowners achieve all their theater goals. He and his team will carefully assess your needs and recommend speakers, home automation, and other solutions that you can explore on their website. Call (937) 985-4364 to schedule a consultation.