I built my home theater in the attic and created a dramatic entrance and a vestibule. The vestibule’s reverse wall is painted like a women’s hat store circa 1910 Paris, with a travertine cobblestone street. Behind the windows, there are built-in shelves for DVDs and Blu-rays.
Like most readers, I always dreamed of having my own dedicated space for a home theater. Unfortunately, while living in Southern California, we never had enough space. Then came a job opportunity in the beautiful state of Colorado, and our new home had a basement that was the perfect size and location for a home theater. I have a demanding job in the aerospace industry, so my available time to work on the theater was extremely limited. The process of design, prep, construction, and finishing took about two and a half years to complete. Outside of blowing insulation into the walls and ceiling and installing the carpet, I did all the work myself.
Any room with a TV, a surround sound audio system, and a mess of wires snaking across the floor can become a home theater once the lights go down. But a truly integrated room that fits your lifestyle and makes you proud to show it off takes some work. Whether you do it yourself or bring in a pro, the steps to get there are always the same. This article will help you understand the process. Building a home theater isn’t rocket science, but it does require a broad mix of knowledge and skills, and a willingness to do your homework before you begin. If after reading this, you’re not confident you can handle the job, you should strongly consider hiring a pro who does this day in and day out.
Since purchasing our home over five years ago, we wanted to put a home theater in the basement. I was faced with the challenge of dealing with the space I had (a uniquely shaped 32-by-12-foot room with a fireplace) or create a dedicated home theater by adding a room. Ultimately, my wife and I decided to take advantage of the existing space and create a multipurpose room. With two girls and frequent visits from family and friends, this seemed the most appropriate.
Years in the consumer electronics industry, this homeowner was able to design, build and install this incredibly detailed theater with all the latest bells and whistles. If this is the future capability of DIY theaters than his Star Trek inspired theme is certainly appropriate.
In 2008, I started to design and build the home theater my wife, Allison, and I always wanted. I spent months pouring over home theater magazines and DIY theater websites learning what to do, and more importantly, what not to do. Having toyed around with home and car stereo in the past, I decided that there was no need to hire someone to install and calibrate my system. Taking a “hands on” approach helped me understand every aspect of the project and in the long run it should be easier to integrate new components in the future.
My wife and I have always loved movies, so I decided to make a small Home Theater in our unfinished basement. We had lots of space so made half the area a theater and the other half a bar area. The design and floor plan were totally inspired by Home Theater magazine, of course.
I'm the owner of a small cabinet shop and decided to built this attractive and highly functional entertainment center in my home. All the woodworking throughout the room is mine (except for the chairs). It's all made from Alder that is finished in honey stain with a sable glaze. While it may look like wall paper, the wall treatment is a faux finish.
Nearly 5 years ago, I read an article in the Lifestyles section of the Orange County Register that caught my attention. A family in an average Orange County neighborhood put in a front projector and large screen to enjoy big screen movies at their house with friends and family. They told of how wonderful it was to see movies at home this way and I wanted to explore that experience.
I have been an avid reader and subscriber to Home Theater magazine over the years, when the new issue comes in I thoroughly enjoy reading it and always refer to past issues. My favorite part of the magazine is the home installs, reading about what other people put into their homes and to what lengths they go. Crazy stuff!
In 1970 I started a hi-fi company called Rogersound Labs. Manufacturing RSL Speakers and selling audio components for peoples’ homes was my life. I have always desired a home theater of my own, though had no vision of what it should be like. The idea struck me in 1991 when I was in Bar Harbor, Maine and saw the movie “The Rocketeer” with my oldest son at the historical Criterion Art Deco Theater. I loved the style of the theater and the film. It was reminiscent of the old Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials I grew up watching, awestruck by their special effects (sparklers and strings, mostly) and sleek spaceships (which had a nasty habit of backfiring during landing). I knew then that I wanted an Art Deco Retro Sci-fi theater of my own. So, when we moved to our current home in 1998, we set aside a room that would be our theater
Some people purchase a home for the large kitchen, we purchased our home because it had enough space for a dedicated theater. The space we used was one of the two oversized two-car garages. I wanted the design to create a total environment for enjoying a theater experience, from approaching the theater to exiting it. Therefore, I put a lot of effort into the design and construction of the entry.
My wife Cindy and I purchased our new home in Raleigh, NC in January 2009 with an eye toward converting the large bonus room over the garage into a home theater. We wanted a space that could be used primarily to watch movies but could also serve as a place for relaxing and listening to music. Further, we wanted a space that was different from the rest of the house that would look and feel like a dedicated theater.
Long before I met my wife I dreamed of having my own home theater, many ideas have come and gone since then, but I always knew that I wanted a dedicated theater in a classic style. I finally came one step closer to my dream in 1999 when my wife and I bought a new home in the suburbs, although it would be years before I would actually start my project. I began researching and collecting items from the past, and in 2006 I finally got the nod from my financial advisor (that would be my wife) though there was one caveat ... I was put on a very strict budget.
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