Home entertainment is no longer limited to watching television, as people, nowadays, choose a variety of entertainment options. This has given rise to the trend, of having an entertainment room at home.
“With technology being able to provide you a much better experience, in a more comfortable environment, many urban homes now have a room dedicated to the home theatre,” says Prashant Chauhan, creative director of Zero 9 design firm, Mumbai.
Although the concept of an entertainment room is relatively new, it is gaining popularity, with dedicated entertainment spaces being designed at home, in the form of an open studio or a closed room, says Anil Bhaskaran, managing director, chief architect and urban planner, IDEA Centre Architects Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru. “It can house any type of audio-visual entertainment equipment. Besides the home theatre, it may also accommodate a variety of indoor and computer games,” adds Bhaskaran.
Choosing the right equipment
The entertainment room can have a television, Blu-ray player, media server, internet connection and state-of-the-art sound systems, to completely immerse you in the movie experience. “The distance from the screen to the seating, should ideally be eight to 10 ft. The rear seats can be a step higher, for better view. You can opt for comfortable chairs, with cup holders and armrests, to keep your pop-corn and cold drinks. The theatre room should have warm and dark colours, for the best viewing experience,” Chauhan advises.
See also: Décor tips for compact homes
The screen plays an important role in the home theatre set-up. “While large-screen LEDs are the common option, projectors (especially, ultra-short throw projectors) combined with a screen can also be used. Ultra-short throw projectors are placed around 1 ft away from the screen and can produce an image size of 6 ft, diagonal,” suggests Chauhan. One should also ensure that the entertainment room has proper acoustics. “Ideally, a specialised acoustic engineer should be consulted, to achieve the right decibel levels,” he maintains.
Creating a relaxing ambience
To save space, you can also buy a media server, which can store all your movies in one place, thereby, eliminating the space needed to store hundreds of DVDs. The media server can even be accessed from multiple rooms, simultaneously, over the home’s Wi-Fi network. The ambience in the entertainment room, can also be enriched, with a home automation system that can take care of the lighting, air-conditioning and sound system. For lighting, one can choose lights that provide the effect of stars in the night sky, on the ceiling, offers Bhaskaran.
“Recessed lights that can be dimmed or turned off, are ideal for the entertainment room. One can also have mood lighting that is synchronised with music,” he adds.
Ritesh Jha, a businessman from Mumbai, converted one room in his house, into an entertainment room. “The room has red recliners, dark maroon curtains and a red carpet. Small LEDs embedded in the ceiling, give a theatre-like effect. The cushions in the room, have images of heroines, while the walls have posters of Bollywood and Hollywood movies. I simply love this room,” he concludes.
Entertainment room décor: Dos and don’ts
- The seating in an entertainment room, should be planned according to the space available. If it is a huge area, then, you can opt for a theatre-like seating. Other options, include comfortable recliners or even floor-level seating, with large cushions.
- Do not cramp the room with heavy furniture. It should be able to accommodate the home theatre equipment, in addition to comfortable seating.
- Speakers should be mounted on the walls and not inside shelves, for better acoustics. The room should also have proper acoustic panels and insulation.
- Thick curtains with linings, are ideal for the entertainment room.
Purnima Goswami Sharma is a freelance writer based in Mumbai, who has been contributing to various newspapers, magazines and portals for the last two decades. Besides being a research writer for various TV shows, she has been a visiting faculty at SNDT for Communication Skills. She hold a master’s degree in English Literature from Mumbai University and a diploma in Communications and Journalism. She writes on diverse subjects like real estate, interiors, education, lifestyle, health, entertainment and environment.
Email: [email protected]
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