5 Tips to Turn Your Basement into a Media Room
From wiring to gadgets to decor, a designer tips us off to the secrets for media room success
Sometimes it's just not possible to share the TV. What’s a family to do when one member is pulling for reruns of Seinfeld, and the other is rooting for the Kardashians? If you’re finding that remote-control wars are becoming common in your family room, it may be time to transform that unused space in your basement into a media room. On the rare occasion that everyone agrees, a media room can be the perfect home theater for movie nights.
We asked Deborah Wiener, owner of Designing Solutions, to give us her best tips to help you start planning a media room in your basement.
We asked Deborah Wiener, owner of Designing Solutions, to give us her best tips to help you start planning a media room in your basement.
1. Plan your sound system. If possible, consider recessing speakers into your ceiling or walls. “This eliminates any visible wires while providing a true 'surround sound' effect,” says Wiener. In this example, speakers follow the same aesthetic of the built-in, integrating with the room’s decor.
Messing with the drywall to install recessed speakers isn’t always an option. If not, choose speakers in line with your room’s style so they appear more like decorative accessories than technical equipment. These contemporary speaks have a sculptural look that fits with the room’s modern style.
2. Consider your media storage. “Design a small closet to hold all your media components, leaving your TV screen to star by itself without competing electronics,” says Wiener.
If a separate storage closet doesn’t work in your space, transform the cabinets of a built-in into a space to house your electronics. “Ensure a long life for all electronics by using doors with screens or louvers to keep hot components aired and cool,” says Wiener.
More media storage options
More media storage options
3. Get the seating right. Great seating can make or break a media room. The key is making sure everyone has an equally good view of the television — sectionals often accomplish this while providing ample space. “Today’s electronic recliners and wedge-shaped sectionals mean every seat is the best seat in the house,” says Wiener. “Many recliners require 'zero wall clearance,' meaning they recline forward into the room, instead of back against the wall, which makes them a perfect choice in a tight space.”
Wiener suggests installing floor receptacles beneath electronic seating for wirefree walls. If your space is carpeted, cut a channel in the padding to run wires invisibly to a wall outlet. A small slit in the carpet can allow the cord to run to the chairs.
Wiener suggests installing floor receptacles beneath electronic seating for wirefree walls. If your space is carpeted, cut a channel in the padding to run wires invisibly to a wall outlet. A small slit in the carpet can allow the cord to run to the chairs.
4. Perfect your acoustics. Consider all the hard and soft surfaces you want in your media room and how they will affect the quality of the sound. “You can easily improve acoustics with a thick carpeting and soft Roman fabric shades instead of hard blinds to help control the 'echo chamber' that large rooms with hard surfaces often suffer from,” says Wiener.
If you prefer not to cover up your beautiful hardwood floors with carpeting, consider at least outfitting your media room with an area rug to help with the acoustics.
Even light fixtures can make a difference when it comes to acoustics. Wiener suggests using fabric shades instead of glass or metal fixtures.
Fabric wall panels make a big difference when it comes to acoustics, too. Outfit your panels with light fixtures to turn them into an interesting visual accessory that goes beyond function.
5. Stay connected. If you want a true movie theater experience, hook everything up to a universal remote control. “With one finger, you’ll be able to control the AV equipment, dim the lights and even lower the window shades,” says Weiner. “You’ll have total control right from your armchair.”
More guides to designing a great media room
More guides to designing a great media room