Any private home theater design presents an opportunity to personalize a movie experience unique to you. A lot of thought and strategy goes into creating a home theater design that is eye-catching, and perfectly optimized for that larger-than-life viewing experience. Here are three things to keep in mind when working with an AV professional to design a private theater in your Mission Viejo or seaside California home.

Choose a Theme

As nice as the traditional movie theater look is, a private home theater is your chance to truly personalize your viewing experience. One way to customize your home theater design is to choose a theme that expresses your personal style. Here are some of our favorite home theater themes:

• “Drive-In” Theater: Design the space to look just like a drive-in theater from the ‘60s, complete with seats made from vintage vehicles and a giant screen spread out in front of your viewers. 
• Opera House: Create the luxurious look of an opera house in your theater, from the high vaulted ceilings to the decadent red velvet seating.
• All Natural: For a more natural look, go for an earthy palette of greens and browns. Merge technology and nature with seating made of eco-friendly fibers and a ceiling designed with lighting that imitates the night sky.
• Your Favorite Movie: Whether you’re a science fiction fan or prefer the classics, you can transform your private theater to look just like a scene from your favorite movie.

SEE ALSO: 5 Places to Hide a Television in Your Master Suite

Place Lighting Carefully

You may want to use accent lighting to enhance the theme and décor of your home theater, but tread carefully. Nothing ruins a movie quite like having a washed out screen. To keep your visuals vibrant and colorful, you need to pay attention to lighting brightness and placement.

During the movie, as much ambient light as possible should be eliminated. Of course, some light is needed in case guests need to get up during the show. By placing sconces and floor lighting strategically so that the light is directed away from the screen, you still have enough light to move throughout the room without compromising on visual quality.

A lighting control system makes adjusting the lights in your theater before, during, and after the movie a simple process. The lights, speakers, screen, video projector, Blu-Ray player, and more can all be integrated into one easy-to-use system that is controlled by a single remote, tablet or smartphone. When you’re ready to watch your movie, just tap your phone—the screen will lower, the lights will dim, and the movie will start.

Hide Your Equipment

The focal point of your home theater should be what’s on the screen, not the A/V equipment cluttered around the screen. During installation, your theater can be optimized to hide away as much equipment as possible, and that includes even the speakers. By using an acoustically transparent screen, you can hide the speakers behind the screen without compromising the high-fidelity sound quality in the room. And with an A/V distribution system, you can access gaming systems, Blu-Ray players, streaming services, and more without having to worry about where the media’s physical devices are located.

These three areas barely scratch the surface of possibilities for your home theater design. To learn more about the available options for your unique space, contact us today. You just might be amazed at the possibilities.