5 STEPS TO CREATING A HOME CINEMA

Before the cold and wet days set in, it’s time to stock up on your microwave popcorn and get around to that home-theatre conversion you’ve been dreaming of since you were five.

If you need a little justification for this indulgence, home theatres are actually a great value-add on any property – especially if you are in the luxury housing band. Buyers in this market are usually very tech-savvy and want a home that reflects their high-end lifestyle.

Now that we’ve fully justified the renovation, it’s time to pull out your tool belt and bring out your credit card to splurge on these five items to create your own cinematic bliss:

1) Install Surround Sound
This is the primary difference between a living room and a home cinema. A sound bar requires three walls in order to create that immersive sound experience, and will not create the same effect in an open plan room. Wall-mounted speakers will work much better for these types of rooms. The placement of the sub-woofer is also important. The sound reverberates better off a solid brick wall than if it were directed into an open space.

2) Purchase the right screen
While projectors certainly give the room that cinematic look and feel, the image quality usually cannot compare to high-definition televisions. The deep contrast of Plasma televisions create the best image quality in dark rooms, and the brightness of LED LCD screens is best suited for day-time series binging.

3) Get comfortable
A movie marathon simply cannot exist without comfortable seating. Unless you like the feeling of icy leather brushing against your elbows, leather sofas should be avoided at all costs. For self-explanatory reasons, recliners are the first place trophies of home cinemas – especially those with built-in cup holders. 

4) Create the atmosphere
Recreating that dark atmosphere of the cinema is one of those final touches one needs to make in creating an ultimate home theatre. This can be tricky to achieve if you have chosen an open-plan space for your theatre, but block-out blinds can go a long way in helping you recreate that moody atmosphere.

5) Stock up on snacks
To complete the sensory experience of the cinema, add a popcorn machine to your home theatre. As a top-tip, install a bar-fridge in the room so that you don’t need to walk too far for refreshments mid-way through a movie.