A dedicated home theater is a huge improvement over watching movies in your family room, but some theaters are simply more impressive than others. We like to refer to these truly special spaces as private cinemas. They are more than just a windowless room; they are an experience, a portal right into the movies on the screen. We are going to share a few things from our perspective as home theater designers that you can do to make your home theater a true replacement for the movie theater experience.

BIG SCREEN

Many dedicated theaters feature a television in place of a projector, and depending on how you use the space, that may make perfect sense. But today’s projectors are brighter, easier to control and much more reliable than the models of the past. To get a truly enveloping movie experience, having a huge screen is a big help. There are calculators online to help you select the ideal screen size, but don’t fret too much over getting it perfect. There is a large range of screen sizes that can work in your space, and your BRAVAS team can ensure you get exactly the  screen for your family.

BIG SOUND

As important as the picture is to the theater experience, the sound is even more vital. While most of our customers tell us that they aren’t audiophiles, the right sound makes an obvious difference to even the least technical listener. What we hear in a movie is what captures the emotion. A movie like Jurassic World doesn’t have the same impact unless you can feel the deep, guttural, rumble of the dinosaur and sense them lurking over your shoulder. No soundbar or TV can deliver that experience that will have you jumping out of your seat or singing along with a musical number.

ACOUSTIC TREATMENTS

Acoustic treatments may be the most overlooked piece of a great home theater, but also among the most important. Regardless of how nice of a speaker system you buy, it will always be impacted by the room it is in. Acoustic treatments allow us to make just about any room sound great. This means less noise getting in, less sound getting out, and better sound within the space. The added benefit of acoustic treatments is that they can be used to improve the aesthetics of a room as well. By using acoustic treatments as a decorative feature, you can switch your theater from a non-descript box to a one-of-a-kind space that your family will be happy to spend time in.

LIGHTING

Most simple home theaters are simply underlit. Yes, theaters are designed to be dark, but dark doesn’t have to mean poorly lit. In a private cinema, the client should have options for lighting any situation, and the ability to control everything with ease. Watching a football game with friends requires plenty of glare-free light, and many people don’t want to sit in the dark to watch a TV show. Having layers of light that can be easily, if not automatically, accessed is key to creating a space that is used daily by the entire family. BRAVAS uses systems like Lutron, Savant and Control4 to ensure that whatever you want to do, you have the power to do it with ease.

If you have a theater that isn’t impressing your family, find out how BRAVAS can help. Our team of expert home theater designers and installers would love to help you create the private cinema your family will love.