If you love watching movies from the comfort of your home, have you ever thought about turning a room into a home theater? It’s easier – and cheaper – to get an incredible home theater experience today than it ever has been.
Today, we’re going to take you through everything you need to turn a spare room into the perfect spot for watching movies, without the need for buying a ticket, queuing up, and spending a small fortune on overpriced popcorn and candy. Let’s get started right away – here’s what you need for the perfect home theater experience.
The right space
First of all, you need the ideal space for your home theater. Basements are often perfect, but also think carefully about noise – you don’t want to annoy your neighbors with explosions, dramatic music, and incredible sound effects. If you can afford it, seek out some basic soundproofing to muffle the noise. Ultimately, the perfect room has a nice, large wall, and plenty of space for cushions, couches, or even old cinema chairs, and excellent viewing angles wherever you are sitting.
The perfect screen
An enormous TV is an excellent idea, but, ultimately, it can be expensive. And even a 60-inch TV cannot compare to the majestic size of a movie theater screen. There are alternatives, however. A projector and a screen – or even a white wall – is the best choice, as it gives you the chance to blow images up to any size you want. Ensure you find one with a high contrast ratio and the brightest bulbs you can find. It will give you gorgeous, vibrant images on your wall or screen. You will also need to find one with 3D, 1080p or 4K support, to ensure your movies are screened in razor-sharp detail.
A top-of-the-range home entertainment system
The sharpness and clarity of your movies will only be as good as the source you play them from. There are several choices to make, here. A Blu-ray player will give you Full HD, but a high-spec computer can also do a great job – just make sure you use a sound dampener to avoid the noise distractions most computers make. There are plenty of HD receivers out there these days, too, and a standard 4K player shouldn’t be too far out of anyone’s budget.
An impressive sound system
Of course, part of the thrill of going to the theater is the incredible sound stage. And the simple fact is that your TV screen or computer speakers aren’t going to get anywhere close to recreating the high definition audio you hear at your local theater. However, investing in a brilliant surround sound system – 7.1, ideally – will give you what you need. A system such as this will envelop you in sound, and make you feel as if you are in the movie, not just watching it.
A snack bar
Finally, what trip to the movie theater is complete without snacks – or the occasional drink? If you have some DIY skills, why not create a bar area in the corner f the room. You can buy a popcorn machine to recreate that lovely smell we all associate with the theater, and a quiet mini-fridge will keep your beers cold.