A home theater is a great addition to many homes that can increase resale value. In many cases, the best place to put a home theater is in the basement. Basements are often darker and quieter than the rest of the house. Dark, quiet spaces are paramount for movie watching. Here are some tips for turning a previously unused basement into a great place for entertaining guests and unwinding after a long day.
Choose the Location
Start by deciding what your theater needs and determining where you want to put it. If you have a place away from windows or sliding glass doors in your basement, that place is probably the best. Make a diagram of the space and keep track of what you can do yourself and what you will need to contract out. A seasoned electrician will be an important resource. If there is a large window in your basement, it does not make the space unusable. There are various types of curtains and blinds to help with lighting control.
Carve out the Space
Plan for any walls you need to construct or rooms you need to separate. Ideally, a home theater is its own room and will be separate from any basement utility room. If you require a large utility space, don’t worry. Many home-owners with home theaters use their utility space to free up areas in their home theaters by storing theater equipment, such as surround sound terminals, DVD players, and video game systems, in the new utility room and wiring the devices in the utility room into the theater through the walls with inconspicuous tubing.
Sound
Decide what you need in terms of sound proofing. Sound proofing can be rudimentary or highly technical. In houses where the theater will be out of the way or sound disruptions are not a concern, a home theater can likely be made with minimal regard to sound proofing. However, understand that theaters can be loud, and sound does travel. Test the walls for STC, or Sound Transmission Class. Sound insulation is purchasable, and it is designed specifically to help with sound transmission. Further, adding extra layers of drywall helps control sound. Understand that there is sealant made with special properties to limit sound transmission. In many cases, what are called impact resilient channels help with large bursts of noise.
Furnish
Allow a theater’s size to tell you what furniture you should buy. Rather than trying to fit an enormous screen into an intimate theater, or using a love-seat as the only seating for a large theater, make purchases based around the room. It may be best to delay some purchases until construction is complete or to build your theater with certain types of furniture in mind.
Tech
Make final plans about devices you want to include. Tablets are wonderful inventions with immense capabilities. There are apps that allow tablets to act as a type of hub for your theater. In addition to tablets, you may decide you want remote controlled lighting, fans, or heating. All of this is doable in the right budget, and many of these remote aspects of your theater can be wired to a central control or a tablet.A home theater is a wonderful addition to your home. Be sure to check online for more ideas. Let your imagination run wild.
