Smart Home Lifestyle

Home Theaters; Three Ways to get more “Wow Factor”

Home theaters are the only place in the house with a “no apology rule” for gussied up gadgets, showy sound systems and flashy furniture. They’re about fantasy. They’re about family. They’re about fun. When it comes to your home theater, there’s no excuse to keep your “real” you from shining through.

Dress to thrill

So, you've picked the basics- the TV, receiver and speakers. Now let's talk about the accessories to make this outfit complete. First, decide on a style. This could be as simple as picking a color scheme to match a favorite movie poster. Or as elaborate as a “theme theater” modeled after the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

Home theaters are all about imagination. Got kids? Life size photos wallpapering the room add a family-style feel. For those with a more glamorous vision, tuxedo silk curtains and marble tiles add Oscar worthy style. Be inventive and artistic- no judgment here. Where else, besides a home theater, could you sport red velvet theater chairs without an explanation? Just make sure to balance fanciful and livable- keeping overly garish decor in check.

Mood lighting

Lutron lighting control gives your home a real “Hollywood” feel, thanks to programmable lighting scenes. Movie posters can be spotlighted and sconces can be dimmed using on-wall keypads or remote controls. A "preview" scene might lower lights to 50%, while a "screening" scene provides illumination from sconces only. Blackout shades can also be motorized and controlled with a Lutron system, a big plus for front projectors, which have the best picture quality in the darkest conditions.

Shake it up

Over the years, I’ve found that clients are even more impressed with big sound than a monstrous screen size, so choose your speakers wisely. For the best in quality, larger bookshelf or tower speakers are solid choices for fabulous sound. When it comes to overall quality; size really does matter. Larger speaker cabinets provide room for a high, mid and low speaker, equaling clearer, more accurate sound.

Towers are not just for bachelor pads or heavy metal fans anymore- they’re for the home theater connoisseur. Larger cabinets provide room for a high, mid and low speaker, equaling more accurate sound for your favorite movie soundtracks. Just make sure they match each other in sound quality- not just in looks. And don’t forget, the better the subwoofer, the more you’ll “feel” the sound, and the larger the center speaker, the clearer the dialogue will be heard.

All about the extras

For the creatively challenged that still want the "wow" factor, look to companies that provide theme theater packages. Acoustic Innovations, out of Florida, has twelve semi-custom theater packages to fit just about any style or color preference, including Renaissance, Art Deco and Metro.

Each package includes theater chairs, acoustical wall treatments, sconces, carpet and curtains, in a variety or fabric choices, including Coach leather. Acoustic Innovations even offers fiber optic ceilings for the feel of watching your favorite movie under the stars.

Creating a home theater can be an exciting yet immense undertaking. Not ready to dive in full force quite yet? Fine, just get your feet wet with some pre-wiring. Before your room has the drywall up, make sure you're wired for the surround speakers, and your television. This is a good time to choose between plasma, front or rear projection, since wiring locations vary from overhead or at the front of the room.

Next, look to a professional for help in choosing components. And make sure to budget for all the parts- the TV or front projector, a receiver, DVD player and other extras like gaming consoles. Finally, work on decor. If you can't decide on a style, choose neutrals for big-ticket items like carpet and sofas and dark walls to get the movie-theater feel. Later on, decorative pillows and colorful fabrics can add punch to your room be easily replaced as tastes change.

Author: Diana Kostigen, Marketing/Public Relations Director, Comtec