Remodeling? Plan a home theater
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Dec 16th 2007 3:00PM
- Filed under recreation, entertaining
Home theaters are all the rage right now. I feel like every single home 'zine I pick up or DIY show I see has a convert-your-basement-into-a-home-theater feature. I mean, HGTV alone has sixteen HT features on its site! Sure looks like a lot of fun. But: how do-able is the home theater in reality? First, you need a fairly large space, either a big family room or a basement. Second, you need to budget for all the furnishings including, of course, the stars of the show: home theater equipment -- a big-screen TV set and DVD player -- and comfy seating. Now, in the olden days of, say, the 1980s, we thought a La-Z-Boy recliner was the height of indulgent relaxation. No longer. Now you've got your specialty home theater seating, meaning super-adjustable, huge, comfortable theater-style loungers complete with cup holders. Mmm. Comfort. And a mere $1,499.99 for a three-seat set of leather loungers. Yikes! Oh, and check this out for the ultimate in lavish living. At the other end of the spectrum, though, are budget-conscious DIY makeovers like this one for under $500, proving you don't have to be super-wealthy like Tony Soprano to theater-it-up. (Remember those episodes where he installed a home theater in the downstairs den, complete with an old-timey popcorn machine?)
Thinking of taking the plunge? The home improvement website Home Time has a really useful feature on home theater planning. It covers everything you'll need to consider, like the space you'll need and even suggested room layouts, to maximize your viewing pleasure. Need inspiration? Visit Projector Central for tons of makeover pics.
Comments [2]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-30-2008 @ 2:16PM
James Brady said...
I did my home theater and purchased most of the items from these guys
http://www.htmarket.com/
including the seating
http://www.htmarket.com/home-theater-furniture-home-theater-seating.html
I got some ideas off their photo site
http://www.htmarket.com/home-theater-pictures.html
they really have many items to offer that is all home theater.
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12-17-2007 @ 1:36PM
OH Green said...
I think its important to remember green when remodeling. When remodeling a basement, you'll have fewer windows and likely a furnace. This means that you'll be putting pollutants into the air and not refreshing the air with outside air. On top of that, the materials you use will likely be emitting toxic substances called Volatile Organic Compounds, VOCs. VOCs are the "new car smell", they are also what you smell when paint is drying and you feel lightheaded if you breath too much of it. These are actually toxic compounds with dramatic health effects. Simple choices like low VOC paints and carpets can decrease the health risks you'd face in a remodel of this kind. Also, most people have cold basements. If you have forced air convection heating, that air will rise and heat the rest of your home while the lower half of you is still freezing while you watch your movie on the big screen TV. A more energy efficient option would be radiant heating along the floor. This type of heating uses hot water circulated among tubes built into the floor, so that instead of trying to indirectly heat the air around you, it radiates that heat directly to you. And since heat rises, placing at the floor means you're heating the bottom and not the top of the room. Couches aren't usually placed at the top of a room.
When remodeling a home, green/healthier choices can make a bigger impact than you ever would have thought.
ohgreen.com
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