Movie theater in houses

Tips for Building the Perfect Home Movie Theater Room

Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

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Updated on 11/29/22

Reviewed by

Deane Biermeier

Reviewed by Deane Biermeier

Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

Fact checked by

Jessica Wrubel

Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel

Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

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Building a home movie theater room can often be the true endpoint of home remodeling. Once you have concluded the utilitarian work of fixing windows and installing floors, it's time to turn your attention on more critical matters: your entertainment needs.

A home movie room is not a sofa and a screen in a room. If you want to do this right, you'll want to meet some bare minimums, like controlling outside light and casting a large enough picture. Follow these tips for creating a movie room in your home.

Click Play for Tips to Build the Perfect Home Movie Room

01 of 16
Make Your Movie Room a Dedicated Space
A dedicated home movie room is a space solely dedicated to watching videos on a big screen. This means that little else happens in that home movie room except for screening-related activities. And today, screening means far more than it ever did, with streaming services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu in addition to Blu-ray movies, video gaming, and conventional cable TV.
When the home movie room shares space with other activities, the cinematic experience is lessened. When the non-dedicated home theater shares open floor plan space with the kitchen, cooking sounds and smells invade. When the movie room is the living room, other people may interfere and light is difficult to control.
Spare bedrooms work fine as dedicated movie rooms. But they do need to be long enough to maintain a proper distance from the screen, especially with video projectors. At the extreme end, a projector needs roughly a 14-foot throw distance in order to cast a 150-inch diagonal picture, though short-throw projectors are available.
02 of 16
Control Ambient Light
Ambient light is unwanted light. Ambient light means light from sources outside of the movie room, like light coming from windows, under and around doors, and from artificial light within the room.
With most home remodeling, you're always trying to add more natural light. Home movie rooms are spaces where you want to do the exact opposite. You want less light, not more.
Light-bleed kills video projection images. Even flat screens, which are far brighter, benefit from lower room lighting.
On the video projector side, you will need a projector with a high lumens rating if you have some ambient light that you cannot control. But the best way to deal with ambient light is simply to stop it before it starts, by choosing a space that already has little light, such as a basement. If you cannot do this, limit the light with light-blocking curtains and shades.
With its multitude of flashing and static light displays, your movie room's A/V stack is often the main source of ambient light. Building a closed-off, ventilated A/V room will take care of all of that unwanted light.
03 of 16
Control Ambient Sound
Ambient sound is the unwanted sound coming from outside of your home movie room. Even if you do manage to find a dedicated space for your home theater, sounds from outside of that space often ruin the viewing experience.
The dishwasher, clothes washers and dryers, people in other rooms, kitchen noises, plumbing noises, and sounds from outside the house are just a few examples of ambient sounds that can crash in and destroy your home theater's audio.
Establishing a dedicated space is the first step to controlling outside noise. But you do need to take it a few steps beyond that:
- Soundproof your room by adding a second layer of drywall or replacing it with special sound-reducing wallboard like QuietRock.
- Replace your hollow-core doors with solid doors.
- Put up thicker curtains that both block light and absorb sound.
- Seal cracks with caulk.
04 of 16
Build a Proper A/V Component Rack
The audio-visual component rack, or A/V rack, is the central point for your source components. Consider the A/V rack to be the central brain that controls all entertainment-related activities in the movie room.
Source components such as a Blu-ray player, cable box, network media streaming box (like Roku), and home theater tuner will operate from here.
The A/V rack (or stack) must be located near an electric outlet and you should be able to bring in an Ethernet source wire for a reliable, unbroken connection. It may not be best to put the A/V rack components on a GFCI outlet unless required by electrical code.
05 of 16
Properly Ventilate A/V Rack
The A/V component rack should be well-ventilated since components create heat and can be damaged if the heat build-up is excessive.
Metal A/V racks are available for purchase that are open-air in front and back. You can build your own A/V rack, as well.
The rack needs to be sturdy enough to hold the electronics. It also should be open in front, back, and even the sides, if possible. Use a metal grid as a platform for the electronic devices to promote ventilation.
06 of 16
Make the Movie Room Look Like a Cinema
What is your vision of a home movie room? For some homeowners, it's the classic movie theater with red velvet walls, sconce lights, tiered seating, and a popcorn maker.
Older commercial theaters have sloped floors and contemporary ones have elaborate, steeply tiered seating.
Home cinema seat tiering is relatively simple to build with a framework of joists of 2x6 or 2x8 boards set on edge. Three-quarter inch interior grade plywood forms the top, and carpeting goes on top of the plywood.
07 of 16
Plan a Robust, Flexible Lighting System
Cinema light control means the ability to turn lights on and off or to graduate that light within the cinema space.
Soffits, rope lights, dimmers, and recessed lights form the backbone of many owner-built home movie rooms. Soffits are long trays near the ceiling that run around the room's perimeter and are often inlaid with rope lights.
Small recessed lights may be added to the bottoms of the soffits or in the ceiling to shine downward to form the classic home theater look. Keep the majority of these lights behind the viewer to avoid degrading the viewing experience.
08 of 16
Limit Reflective Objects
Anything that isn't the screen itself and which reflects light back at the viewer should be minimized or avoided.
This means that your paint should be kept to flatter sheens, preferably matte or flat. Shiny doorknobs, hinges, light fixtures, recessed light trim kits, countertops, heating registers, and fireplace inserts should all be avoided in the crucial zone between the screen and the viewer.
If you do have reflective objects, consider reducing their shininess by spray-painting them with dark-colored matte paint. With outlet and light switch wall covers, lightly sand them with fine-grit sandpaper to reduce the glossiness, then clean them off well. Follow with two light coats of matte spray paint.
An even easier idea is to sand the wall covers and not paint them. Sanding removes the visually troublesome gloss.
09 of 16
Plan for Proper Viewing and Seating
No one in the movie room should have their view of the screen blocked or be too close or too far away. Tiered seating is a true luxury and one that can only be accomplished in a dedicated cinema space. The problem of blockage is solved by raising rear seats on a platform. Even a modest 6-inch boost can be enough to clear the sight lines.
Distance from the screen is determined by room size in conjunction with the size of the picture you want to display. For flat-screen TVs, your small converted bedroom space might be able to accommodate up to a 55-inch screen before the closest row of viewers begins to feel overwhelmed.
Seating does not need to be specialty home theater seats costing thousands. Any comfortable seat that faces forward, without a high back to obstruct viewers behind you, will do the job.
10 of 16
Control Sound Within the Home Movie Room
Home theater audio bounces around the walls, ceiling, and flooring. Limiting that bounce is key to achieving the perfect home movie room sound.
- Even if wall-to-wall carpeting isn't your thing, you'll love it for your home theater since it reduces audio-bounce.
- Draperies and other soft materials can be installed on the walls.
- Soft, cushiony seating absorbs sound better than furniture with hard elements.
- Picture frames with glass bounce back sound. Consider framing those pictures and posters without glass.
11 of 16
Plan for the Flow of Signals
Your entertainment experience depends on the flow of data. This data is carried by wires and through the air.
The days of the entirely self-contained home theater are gone. You may retain your Blu-ray player to show discs.
Still, more and more entertainment is delivered through hard-wired connections and Wi-Fi signals. Wires need to be hidden as much as possible. Wires that extend to the front and sides of the home movie room can be hidden in the soffits. Some home theater audio systems throw signals to the speakers wirelessly.
12 of 16
Add a Drop-Down Movie Screen
If you have a video projector, one perk is that you can tuck the screen away when you are finished watching your show. Flatscreen TVs, on the other hand, cannot be hidden away.
Movie screens can be manually lowered and raised. Or you can invest in an electric movie screen that lowers and raises at the touch of a button.
13 of 16
Keep Your Home Movie Room Simple
Avoid the temptation to load up your home movie room with curios and tchotchkes near the screen. You may have purchased those movie posters at auction and want to display them, but they are only a distraction when they are mounted near the screen.
Where can you display your vintage movie posters? In the back of the movie room, where they aren't visual distractions.
14 of 16
Suspend the Projector
To protect your expensive video projector purchase, suspend it from the ceiling rather than placing it on a flat surface. Generic suspension kits are available that attach to most video projectors.
Projector suspension mounts have gimbals that allow you to tilt the projector to perfectly fit the image on the screen.
15 of 16
Use a Dark Paint for Walls and Ceiling
Home movie room lighting can be controlled by using dark-colored paint for the walls.
Home movie rooms even benefit from darker ceilings near the screen. White is usually the color recommended for ceilings because it reflects maximum light. But with home movie rooms, light reflection is not desirable. So, consider toning down the color of the ceiling with a gray or another neutral paint color.
16 of 16
Close Up Windows
Consider closing up windows. Transforming a window into a wall is the ultimate way to block light and sound transmission from the exterior.
Your room may have certain egress requirements that prevent you from closing up all of the windows in the room. Check with your local permitting department.

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Epson Projector Throw Distance Simulator. Epson.
Almubarak, Adel Ahmed. The Effects of Heat on Electronic Components. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, vol. 7, no. 5, 2017, pp. 52–57. doi:10.9790/9622-0705055257

Homes with a Movie Theater

Whether you’re a film buff, aspiring director, or just want a place to spend time with the family, you need to check out these homes with a movie theater. Having a movie theater or media room isn’t just for luxurious estates. In fact, we have tons of house plans that are ready and waiting for your unique finishing ideas. Don’t believe us? Just check out our thousands of ready-to-build dream homes. No matter the size, style, or budget you have in mind, we have tons of designs for your consideration!

House Plan 6057
4,106 Square Feet, 4 Bedrooms, 3.1 Bathrooms
Upstairs Media Room with a Wet Bar

The House Designers is your one-stop shop for all things related to dream homes. From finding the right lot to picking your plan and all its finishing touches, our team of experts is here for you every step of the way. Plus, we offer plenty of ideas and inspiration to make your home one of a kind. Helping customers find and/or complete homes with a movie theater is just one example of what we can do. Have questions or want to learn more? Contact one of our team members today for a consultation!

When it comes to having a theater in your house, most people see dollar signs. Well, we’re here to dispel the myth that home theaters are inherently cost prohibitive. Let’s walk through a few plans which come with their own home theaters. Then we can explore some tips for adding one to your house, no matter its size.

Luxurious Inspiration

Let’s face it?everyone imagines owning their own estate brimming with high-end features and finishes. One of the great things about our homes is that we can take luxury and incorporate it into all sorts of diverse designs. Regardless of your budget, you can get a stunning, high-quality home! So, even if you can’t afford a mansion, there is some value in exploring these plans. Take note of each feature that appeals to you, record a wish list, and rank things by priority. Then you can use our Advanced Home Search function to filter plans down to their finest details!

House Plan 8782
15,658 Square Feet, 6 Bedrooms, 7.1 Bathrooms
First-Floor Movie Theater with Nearby Café

THD-8782 (above) is a great example. This elegant European-inspired design is full of jaw-dropping spaces. While you could spend all day marveling at this home, we want to draw your attention to its movie room. Notice how it is spacious enough for the seating of your choice and how it is tucked away from the main living areas. This will help keep traveling sound to a minimum, which is especially useful if you have guests over and want to keep the kids occupied with a movie.

Homes with a Movie Theater Are Multifunctional

One of the biggest things preventing homeowners from choosing homes with a movie theater is their fear of limited space. Sometimes it can feel as though you don’t have enough room to add extra features like this. That’s where we come in, because we are experts at increasing multifunctionality so you can get more use out of any space.

House Plan 4217
3,162 Square Feet, 4 Bedrooms, 4.1 Bathrooms
Basement-Level Media/Recreation Area

THD-4217 (above) shows how you can incorporate a theater space into a home with an average footprint. If you are worried about dedicating that much space to a single use, don’t worry. You don’t need to watch a movie or TV every day to make it worth the money! Consider flexible seating options such as a sleeper sofa or L-shaped couch with an ottoman that can help turn the space into a convenient guest suite or sleepover room for the kids and their friends. You might also want to add easily collapsible activities like a ping pong table so you can enjoy other things when the screens are off!

Get the Most Out of Your Bonus Room

If your dream home plan doesn’t come with a dedicated movie theater room, no worries! This is common and it’s easier than you might think to add one. There’s no need to shell out tons of money either! Just choose the best bonus room design for your needs.

A lot of our home plans have bonus rooms and we have tons to choose from whether you need something big or small. Homes with bonus rooms offer the best of both worlds?you can have your movie theater and whatever else you want.

House Plan 9107
2,140 Square Feet, 3 Bedrooms, 3.0 Bathrooms
Upstairs Bonus Level w/ Recreation Room and Tons of Storage

THD-9107 (above) is a very popular home. And as a member of our exclusive America’s Choice Home Plans collection, you won’t find it anywhere else. Make sure not to overlook its bonus room, the reason why we’ve included it on this list of homes with a movie theater. You could do so many things in this space! With a bonus area that has storage or built-in cabinets, you can easily tuck away all the unsightly cords and equipment that a home theater requires.

Homes with a movie theater are great for so many reasons. Whether you have a gamer in the family or you want a space to relax with a bowl of popcorn and a warm blanket, everyone will love this space. We hope we’ve given you some inspiration for your next home build. Let us know how we can help make your dream design a reality!

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Christine Cooney

Editor at The House Designers

Christine has over a decade of experience as a house plan and floor plan expert. Outside of providing her expertise to customers to help them find and build their dream homes, her passion and knowledge of the home building industry allows Christine to guide families and builders through all of the important steps from finding plans to building custom homes that meet the expectations of today’s new home owner. Christine’s years of knowledge of the diverse trends and needs of the modern homeowner has made her into an authoritative and trusted voice in the online house plan community.

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How to make a home theater - with your own hands in an apartment or house, what you need for organization, ideas and drawings

Watching a movie in a cinema is more exciting than watching TV at home: the screen and sound immerse you in the atmosphere of the plot. But, often this is simply impossible or problematic, so a home theater is the best way out.

We make a home theater at home

Requirements for the premises

It is better to include the presence of a cinema in the layout of the house at the construction stage, because the equipment is connected to the network, and the elements are connected to each other. If there is a repair in the house or apartment, it is necessary to allocate a special place or a separate room at the planning stage. If the premises have already been renovated, wireless solutions, cable channels and other solutions are the way out.

Mounted in the wall or hidden in a box, the wires will look much more aesthetically pleasing. To isolate sound, it is recommended to lay soundproofing material in the wall, and place a special carpet on the floor. If you plan to use a projector, and not a TV, an appropriate place is allocated for it, the distance from the screen to the projector, a right angle, and the convenience of the audience are calculated.

A living room or other room 6 x 4 m is suitable for a home theater. It is worth considering lighting, transforming furniture that can be placed for receiving guests and watching movies.

Equipment needed

Home theater equipment:

projector;
projector screen;
sound system;
computer or player;
window filters.

There are two types of projectors:

DLP. They have rich colors.
LCD. Do not let your eyes get tired quickly.

They have a low price, the right screen resolution and image quality, including contrast, brightness and saturation. To get a high-quality picture, it is better to buy products with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels.

A special screen is better for a projector. On our website, there are screens with an electric drive, built-in, widescreen, etc. They purchase tension or roll models. The first product is more durable, but it will not be possible to constantly remove it to free up space. Roll products are more convenient, but they should be handled with care due to the characteristics of the material. You can save money by painting the wall white with a matte or special screen-paint, with which the picture will look clear and bright.

The sound system in the home is selected for a specific room in order to achieve surround sound. Here are speaker systems that will not only provide high-quality sound, but will also be in harmony with the interior. They are placed in niches or left in plain sight.

It is important that extraneous noise does not interfere with watching a movie, so the room is isolated. Carpets on the floor in the apartment will not only protect against the discontent of the neighbors, but also improve the acoustics.

A computer will be needed to control the projector, turn the movie on or off, and so on. In order for the image to be of high quality, they select the correct type of connection between the projector and the computer.

To watch movies whenever you want, and not just in the evening, you should curtain the windows. Special light filters are an optional condition, but they protect against excess light better than other devices and take up a minimum of space.

Schematics and drawings

These are the wiring diagrams for appliances.

This drawing shows how to connect the hardware correctly.

And here is how to set up a home theater by placing furniture and appliances.

Step-by-step action plan

To create a quality home theater with your own hands, follow this sequence.

Stage 1 . Place the equipment correctly. Speakers are placed at the same distance, 2-3 meters from the viewer at head level; the center speaker is directed towards the audience. All elements of the sound system are recommended to be placed at head level, and not placed on the floor or higher. The subwoofer sits alongside the front speakers, while the rear speakers sit behind or above your head.

Correct placement of equipment is possible when there are enough cables. It is recommended to use HDMI as a universal and modern standard for wired information transfer. HDMI oriented equipment eliminates the need to purchase and position additional adapters and converters.

The distance between the screen and the viewer is 2-3 m. If the projector is not fixed to the ceiling, but placed on a cabinet, it is provided with ventilation, since the product is very hot.

Stage 2 . Set up sound. Modern models automatically adjust the sound after starting the microphone. If there is no such function, you can independently set the volume using the noise meter. It is worth testing the system by playing music or a movie clip. The necessary settings are achieved using the equalizer or by turning off the dynamic control. If the subwoofer was bought separately, it is also tuned - there is a crossover that controls the volume and frequencies.

Stage 3 . Connect the equipment correctly. It is recommended to use AV receivers with a large number of inputs and outputs. They often use HDMI ports, acoustic outputs. To connect correctly, you should check the diagrams in the manual. Connectors must also be clearly marked.

Common rookie mistakes

The main problem with a home theater setup is that the system doesn't sound the same in the store and at home after it's fully connected. The novice owner, who has never built a home theater before, realizes that the purchase is not pleasant and does not live up to expectations. This is due to a different reflection of sound waves in the room. When listening to the system for the first time in a store, the owner is happy with everything, but creating a home theater is more difficult than expected.

When it is better to entrust the work to specialists

Installation of a cinema by professionals is necessary when the owner wants to equip a room specifically for watching movies, plans to purchase an expensive system.

The work of the personnel will help to avoid expenses and mistakes, and the specialists will determine the required type of connection, sound power, and adjust its correct display in a particular room.

Answers to questions

Which is better: projector or TV	The main advantage of the projector is the creation of a large screen and the feeling of a real cinema; minus - high cost, the need for a flat wall for high-quality display. The main plus of the TV is an affordable price, the ability to place it where it is convenient.
What to do if the sound is harsh	If the settings are properly adjusted, but the sound quality is poor, you need to add more sound-absorbing interior elements: heavy curtains, floor carpeting. On sale there are special sound-absorbing materials.
What to do if the sound is muffled	This indicates poor system quality. If everything is in order with her, then there are a lot of sound absorbers in the room: sofas, carpets, curtains. Something should be removed or solid interior items should be added: paintings, etc.

Let's sum it up

The idea of having a home theater in your home is good because you can watch movies in the imax atmosphere at home. But if it is planned to buy expensive equipment and turn a separate room into a cinema, it is better to invite a specialist. And the best cinemas and the necessary accessories for them can be found on our website.

Home cinemas - 135 best photos, design of a home cinema in an apartment and a house Dakota

David Charlez Designs

Landmark Photography
Design ideas for a large contemporary style outdoor home theater with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a projector and brown floors

Movie theater in houses

Tips for Building the Perfect Home Movie Theater Room

Click Play for Tips to Build the Perfect Home Movie Room

Make Your Movie Room a Dedicated Space

Control Ambient Light

Control Ambient Sound

Build a Proper A/V Component Rack

Properly Ventilate A/V Rack

Make the Movie Room Look Like a Cinema

Plan a Robust, Flexible Lighting System

Limit Reflective Objects

Plan for Proper Viewing and Seating

Control Sound Within the Home Movie Room

Plan for the Flow of Signals

Add a Drop-Down Movie Screen

Keep Your Home Movie Room Simple

Suspend the Projector

Use a Dark Paint for Walls and Ceiling

Close Up Windows

Homes with a Movie Theater

Luxurious Inspiration

Homes with a Movie Theater Are Multifunctional

Get the Most Out of Your Bonus Room

Christine Cooney

How to make a home theater - with your own hands in an apartment or house, what you need for organization, ideas and drawings

We make a home theater at home

Requirements for the premises

Equipment needed

Schematics and drawings

Step-by-step action plan

Common rookie mistakes

When it is better to entrust the work to specialists

Answers to questions

Let's sum it up

Home cinemas - 135 best photos, design of a home cinema in an apartment and a house Dakota

Learn more