Designing a home theatre may seem like an easy task but it’s easy only if you have done thorough research. For a novice, it can be all the more challenging, since there are a lot of moving parts (quite literally). But, fret not. We’re here to assist you.
Our previous post, in which we shared the essentials and costs of building a home theatre in Pakistan, can help you set up an audio and video room. Once you have done that, you can design a home theatre in the same space.
Let’s begin!
Basics of Designing a Home Theatre
With our simple DIY home theatre room guide, you can get the best of both visuals and sound. We will divide our guide for installing a home theatre easily into three parts: the room, the sound, and the view. Then we will further explain the placement and other essential information under each section.
Keep scrolling if you want to design the best audio and video room!
The Room
For designing a perfect home theatre system, you should first figure out where you want to set it up in your house. It can be the main living room, a spare room, your mini library or even a basement. While each area in your house has its own set of pros and cons, you can easily determine which is the most appropriate based on two factors: acoustics and comfort. Let’s dig out some more factors of a home theatre room:
- Room’s Shape: It goes without saying that a perfect square room tends to produce harmonic yet odd distortions in sound. A rectangular room is, on the other hand, a perfect pick for a home theatre room.
- Windows and Openings: One of the most basic things about designing a home theatre system is selecting a room with fewer windows and openings. Windows are not only a gateway for light, which can create a reflection that can add to the screen’s glare effect, but they also amplify the chances of audio distortions. If you have no choice then heavy curtains or window blinds can definitely save the day.
- Walls and Partitions: You do not have to panic if your house has regular drywalls since such surfaces are perfect for a home theatre room. Just avoid hanging glass-framed art on the walls.
- Colour and Flooring: Bright colours are a no-no. Go for the room with the darkest paint. And if you are considering changing the colour, then opt for neutral brown, tans or olive.
The Sound
After selecting the appropriate room, the next and most important thing in our list of ideas to get a home theatre room is sound. Here a few things you should keep in mind:
- Speaker Placement: Home theatres usually feature a 5.1 surround system which comprises five full-range and one low-range [woofer] sound outlets. Place two speakers along with the woofer on the front of the room while the remaining two behind your sitting/viewing position. Let’s not forget that speakers are moveable and you can experiment for better sound.
- Ideal Distance: In an ideal home theatre layout, the speakers are at least 20 inches away from walls.
The View
Hands down, the crowning glory of any home theatre system is the TV or display. Always look for the perfect duo of display size and viewing angle if you don’t want to end up tilting your head in an effort to watch everything on the screen. Here’re some common features you should be looking for:
- Ideal Angle: The best viewing angle is between 30 to 40 degrees from the edges of the screen to your head. Which means if you draw a triangle from the edges of the screen to your nose, the tip of the triangle would be 30 to 40 degrees.
- Optimum Distance: The ideal viewing distance from TV is 2.5 times the diagonal screen measurement. Let’s say if you have a 60-inch screen, you should place your couch between 7.5 feet to 12.5 feet away from the screen.
- Viewing Height: For an ideal viewing height, place your screen at your eye level.
Now that you completely understand the basics of designing a home theatre system, let’s go over some do’s and don’ts of this process.
Do’s and Don’ts of Designing a Home Theatre
For your convenience, we have put all the do’s and don’ts of home theatre designing in a table below:
| Particulars | Do’s of Home Theatre Designing | Don’ts of Home Theatre Designing |
| Consultation | Consult experts and experienced people before buying | Relying on online reviews |
| Trends | Buying according to your needs and strategy | Buying trendy equipment |
| Price Shop | Investing in the proper equipment for better experience and longevity | Investing in cheap or short-life equipment |
| Optimisation | Correct placement of screen and sound system for better audio/video experience | Just set equipment randomly in any room |
| Cable Mess | Shop for hooks, extensions, and zips to organise your cables. Opt for wireless, if you can. | Leave unorganised cables for later |
| Care and Protection | Invest in protective equipment, covers, and accessories | Assume your equipment is protected |
| Maintenance | Timely dust-off your equipment | Leave your equipment without maintenance and care |
| Manuals | Know the functions of each and every accessory | Forego manuals |
Technology is constantly changing and there are so many gadgets in the market that deciding what kind of equipment can be good for your home and budget can be a little difficult. Here’s a pro tip: Buy stuff that will last you for 3-5 years. You can always seek help from representatives of different companies at stores.
This brings us to the end of our post on beginners guide to building a home theatre on your own. We have mentioned all the basics that you need to consider before you start your project. If you have any questions or comments, write to us at blog@zameen.com.
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