Top Do’s and Don’ts for Media Room Design

For Westlake, Texas homeowners who want something a little more flexible than a dedicated home theater system, a media room provides an excellent option for entertainment of all sorts. However, with any multipurpose room, the most common mistake is taking a “jack of all trades, master of none” approach. To create a space that provides a top-notch environment for all of your favorite activities, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. We’ve listed the top design mistakes and how to fix them below.

DON’T Permanently Block Out Natural Light

Sunlight is the bane of any dedicated home theater. It washes out projector visuals and creates a glare on television screens. Since you’ll likely want to enjoy movies and shows in your media room, your first instinct is probably to create a room without any windows. The problem is that the room needs to be available for other activities, like chatting with friends or playing a game of cards. In those cases, natural sunlight is great to have.

DO Install Blackout Shades on the Windows

The solution is to keep the windows, but include motorized shades that completely block out the light when you need a dark environment. With motorized shades, you have more flexibility for creating the perfect lighting for each activity, and changing the lighting is as easy as pushing a button.

DON’T Clutter the Room with Equipment

Bulky speakers, gaming equipment, and a pile of remotes on the coffee table create the distinct feeling that everyone is supposed to stare at the screen and jump right into a movie or video game. If you want the space to be open for other activities such as a fun party or relaxing with a good book, you don’t want to be distracted by the presence of AV equipment.

SEE MORE: 4 Unique Uses for Your Brand New Media Room

DO Simplify Your Media Room Design

There are a lot of ways you can hide or get rid of extra equipment in the room. First, consider an audio video distribution system. By connecting all of the TVs and media equipment throughout your home, you get to cut down on the number of Blu-ray players, gaming systems, streaming services, etc. This setup also allows you to access these systems from other areas of your home so that you can place all the equipment in a utility closet out of sight. Second, consider using in-wall speakers. With a quality audio brand like Sonance, you can have high-fidelity sound from speakers that are completely invisible at all times. Finally, ditch the pile of remotes for one central system you can manage from your smartphone or tablet.

DON’T Forget About the Acoustics

Getting the acoustics right in a multipurpose room is tricky. With so many different objects and materials for sound to bounce off of, you risk creating a muffled or harsh audio. And the right speaker placement for enjoying a movie likely won’t be ideal for listening to music in other areas of the room. When you skimp on acoustics, you create an environment that might look great, but the sound leaves a lot to be desired.

DO Use Acoustic Treatments

In a media room, acoustic wall treatments are your best friend, and the good news is that there are a lot of options that blend into your existing décor or stand out as artwork themselves. Put thought into where you place wall treatments and speakers in order to avoid dead spots and create smooth, pure sound in every area of the room.

If you want a media room that goes above and beyond the typical generic space, give us a call at (817) 980-0347. Our team of designers and installers can handle everything from the initial wiring to the final optimization of the room’s acoustics. Fill out this quick form to get started on a custom solution for your home today.