Home theatre rooms now come fully equipped with everything you need to enjoy a night at the movies in your very own home. The more elaborate media rooms even have space for a pool table, games, records and more. Although theatre rooms can be very large, depending on what the room is used for, a typical size for a home theatre room is around 14 feet by 20 feet. When you’re trying to decide how large to make your home theatre room, work with your contractor and consider factors like what you plan to do in there, how many people need to fit in the home theatre room at one time, and so on. Knowing what to take into consideration can help you decide for yourself how big the room should be.
Factors to Consider
1. Activities
What will you be doing in your home media room? (A home theatre room has a wide variety of uses. Whether you’re having a romantic date night with your significant other or simply need a place to relax after a long day, your home theater is the multitool room of your house.) Most households use their home theatre room to watch movies, but some expand their use of the room to include other things. Knowing what you plan to do in your theatre room will help you decide how large the space needs to be. Common activities that people may use their theatre room (besides watching movies) may include:
- Playing video games
- Playing board games
- Pool
- Listening to records
Make a list of everything you plan to do in your home theatre room and communicate this information with your contractor. Work with your contractor to create zones in your theatre room for each activity. If you plan to use your theatre room solely for watching media- that’s fine, too!
2. Furnishings
The kind of furniture you expect to put in your home theatre will depend, in part, on what kind of activities you plan to do in there. Work with your contractor to create space for lounge chairs to sit in while watching movies. If you plan to install a pool table, expect to add about 10 feet on to the dimensions of the pool table to determine how much space you’ll need to fit the pool table. (You don’t want your furnishings to clutter up your home theatre room. Whether you’re looking for enough space to kick your feet back or just enough room to walk around, knowing how to optimize the space is critical. If you really want to create the perfect at-home cinema, you’ll want to invest in some professional theater seating. Plan on doing extensive research to find exactly what you’re wanting in your home theatre room. What type of look are you going for? Do you want the highest quality tech? How many seats will you need? All of these answers will come after doing your homework.)
3. Number of People
How many people are in your family or household, and how many people can be expected to use your theatre room at once? (If you enjoy hosting guests, it’s always a good idea to provide more space than you think you’ll need to ensure everyone has plenty of room for activities. Also, leaving room for new additions to the space is a huge plus for any future furnishing updates you might want to make. This is especially important for determining how many lounge chairs need to be installed in your media room around your home theater, which in turn will determine how much space your home theater will take up. Also, take into account the age of people inhabiting the space and what that group of people are using the room for.)
4. Budget
The bigger the home theatre room, the more it will cost. Make a budget before beginning your remodel. Communicate that budget with your contractor to ensure that your contractor can complete your remodel for a price you can afford. (It’s important to do your research before starting a project in your home to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you want for the price that you set out for. A helpful tip is to write it out in categories to help prioritize the most important factors of the home theatre room. Deciding your priorities for the project will help you figure out exactly how much you should spend on various categories such as tech, furniture, and theatre seating. Each of these subjects have varying price points and a wide array of selections to choose from.)
5. Built-In Features
Theatre rooms come with a number of built-in features, including stadium seating risers, a built-in television and speakers, and custom or semi-custom shelving to accommodate your CDs, DVDs, records and more. Built-in features need their own space. Your contractor can suggest dimensions to fit whatever built-in furnishings and features you’re hoping to install. (The built-in features list can go on and on, so it’s important to know exactly what you need to maintain a healthy budget from start to finish. From custom lighting to the latest and greatest in tech, you’ll find that planning out space for your built-in features can’t be overlooked. Knowing what feel you’re going for with the home theatre will help you figure out what type of built-in features you’ll need for a successful project. There are a ton of online references from people who’ve gone through this process and have tips and tricks on how to improve your overall home theatre project.)