I do not remember the first movie I ever saw in the theater. It must have been ET. What I remember most of my first experience in a theater was the sticky floors and an overwhelming smell of popcorn that you feel as though you will retch. It was magical as most first experiences are, but the theater experience left a lot to be desired. Today, the experience of going to the theater has not improved much. The floors are still sticky. The seats are still stained with soda. The concessions are grossly overpriced. The ticket prices for films that consistently disappoint have increased geometrically. The only advantage of the theater over the living room is the immersive experience. Of course, there are luxury theaters, attempting to bring the comfort of the living room to the theater experience, but these theaters are few and far between. The dedicated home theater has every advantage over the commercial theater experience.
Dedicated home theaters offer the immersive experience of the classic movie house in the comfort of your own home. The concessions served in your home theater are any and every type you desire at any price point the grocery store can provide. The home theater is never overcrowded. There’s never an annoying neighbor in the home theater (unless you invite your neighbors over). The home theater is a perfect venue to express your unique design sensibilities. You need not limit yourself to the tacky Miami Art Deco aesthetic of most commercial movie houses. Your home theater can take any shape you can imagine. Also, there is always something good playing on the screen. The home theater allows you to experience those classic movies over, again. Your children can experience the films you grew up with in the home theater environment. You can even experience the best television programs in a way never imagined by television producers. The dedicated home theater is a better experience with a greater diversity of possibilities.
Designing the home theater is not like designing any other room in the house. There are more design considerations for the home theater than every other room in the house put together. You must strike a perfect balance between reflective and absorptive surfaces. The seating must be suitable for sitting comfortable for two to three hours at a time. Ideally, the ceiling soffit and floors must be built out with risers to improve the view and room acoustics. Additional sound insulation should be provided in the walls, ceiling, and floors to prevent disturbance to neighboring rooms and to further improve the acoustic performance of the home theater. The lighting, including any windows, must be controlled to optimize the visual performance of the projection screen. Speakers must be perfectly placed for optimum audio performance. The projector should be properly housed to prevent overheating or noise from the fan interfering with movie audio. The projector will have to be set back a certain distance and from a certain height to properly display on the projection screen. The power must be isolated to prevent ground interference. The list goes on. This is why a dedicated home theater must be designed and installed by a home theater professional, working with the interior designer to deliver the very best theater for you in your home.
The dedicated home theater has many components. Of course, you will need a projector and projection screen. You will need anywhere from five to eleven speakers with one to four subwoofers. You will need audio and video sources, including media servers and Blu-Ray Disc players. You will need theater seating and acoustical treatments. You may need motorized shades or other window treatments. You may need risers, soffits, or other built-out elements, provided by a contractor. In the end, you will end up with a totally unique room inyour house to create unique experiences for your family. The dedicated theater brings movie magic into your home.
Fulkra has been designing and installing home theaters for over eleven years. We have designed and installed everything from custom-designed dedicated home theaters to flexible family room systems. Our projects are award-winning, and we are very comfortable collaborating with our partners and your contractors to deliver the best possible home theater project. Call Fulkra today to learn more about how we can bring the magic of the cinema into your home.