When the Movies Come to You
By Sharon Staley, FASID & Jamie House, Allied Member ASID
www.sharonstaleyinteriors.com

The architecture & design of a theatre or media room is an integral part of true theatrical performance. A bad movie viewed in a beautifully designed space becomes an entertaining event. Whereas the same movie, when viewed on a TV or in a poorly planned room, is simply a bad movie.

Having a team of experts working on the design of a theatre/ media room is essential. Your designer and architect will be able to lay out the room for optimum seating and viewing. The audio/visual expert will recommend the proper equipment to fit your viewing needs along with your budget. The interior designer will also work with the AV specialist to coordinate & integrate all essential equipment into a beautifully laid out, comfortable, theatrical movie watching experience.

Many elements go into designing a well thought out media room. First the use of the room must be taken into account. Will you use this space specifically for movies? Or will you also watch sporting events in the room? Do you want to incorporate space for games, such as a PS3 or Wii? All of these questions are essential in determining the layout of the room, the furniture selected, etc. After laying out the furniture, the theatrics of the room can be incorporated.

The use of the theatre/ media room will also determine the electrical equipment that will be used. Budget is a very important factor when it comes to the electronics of the room. An 8-foot screen and good sound with a ceiling mounted projector can cost from $5,000 (rock bottom, with a one-gun projector) to $10,000 (very good) to $25,000 and up (movie buffs fantasy). A line doubler (or even quadrupler) adds to the extra cost but is essential for a picture that looks more like a movie and less like a TV. The selection of the projector is an important design element. Often the projector is mounted on the ceiling, less than an ideal design element. That said many things can be done to improve the appearance of the projector. Your interior designer will work with you to determine if the projector must be on the ceiling & if so how to blend it into the ceiling or the design of the room. It is optimal for the owner, audio visual expert and interior designer to collaborate on these decisions. Collaboration will provide you with a room that provides high technology integrated with exquisite interior design.

After determining the equipment needed, columns and risers are often times integral elements in making a media room a theatrical experience. They can also incorporate the electronic mechanics of the room. Risers create clean sight lines for all rows of seating. Rope light incorporated into the risers provides soft ambient lighting while also giving viewers enough light to keep from tripping. Columns can incorporate speakers while providing a beautiful & convenient location for theatrical sconces. Columns can also divide the room into niches where upholstered walls or draperies can hang to conceal acoustical insulation that helps to fine tune the sound. These niches also provide space for large scale posters from your favorite movies.


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