How to make a media room worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster

With the advent of the likes of Netflix and Disney+, it’s not hard to understand why many homeowners are staying home for their movie fix. There are great movies on tap to be enjoyed, for a minimal cost, from the comfort of your own home.

Incorporating a home theatre into your home design is no longer the domain of the wealthy alone, either. But what makes a great media room? What factors should be part of the creating-a-great-media-room equation? As it turns out, there’s more to this than the size of the television screen – soundproofing materials, window dressings, floor coverings, lighting and wall colours can all have an effect on your experience.

Colour considerations

Dark tones are the ideal choice for turning a room into a cave-like, snug and inviting space, so they’re a natural fit for media rooms.

Resene’s Waikato colour consultant, Christine Hodges, says it’s widely understood by homeowners that a media room is going to feature dark wall colours to offer the best viewing experience, but it’s also important to limit the number of reflective surfaces; therefore, light paint colours and glossy finishes are no-goes.

Interior designers find that, in many cases, the media room is home to the only bold paint hue in an otherwise neutrally toned house. Take note: that bold colour doesn’t have to be just black or charcoal. Christine, for example, enthuses over media rooms she has seen painted in the warmth of Resene Fuscous Grey and the moodiness of Resene Blue Night.

Above and below: Heavy curtains help to block out light from the windows and accordian patio doors in this media room, which has also been styled as a formal living area. Photos / Mike Hollman

Other suggested media room wall colours include paint with undertones of brown, blue, or green. Undertones of smoky brown can be found in Resene Ironsand, for example, while the dramatic inky Resene Bastille resembles a near black but with definite blue undertones. Resene Mangrove offers subtle green tones, while Resene Woodsmoke can be described as a quixotic grey with elements of both blue and green.

“These dark colours on the walls look amazing,” Christine says, adding that people often marry them up with natural fabrics like leather or linen on furnishings with plenty of throws and cushions to raise the comfort levels.

Don’t forget about the fifth wall – the ceiling. Christine has also noticed a trend toward choosing to paint ceilings darker in media rooms, and Resene Porter seems to have become a new favoured choice for this. Other great options include Resene Suits, Resene Dark Web and Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.

She suggests changing door colours, too – on both sides. “Paint the inside so they’re non-reflective and dark like the surrounding walls; and on the outside, use something different to draw people in and provide a sense of entrance.” In her opinion, Resene Nero does a fine job as a door colour on the side that faces your screen.

For those wishing to create a media room but daunted by the idea of too-dark paint, lighter shades, such as Resene Dark Slate or Resene Quarter Karaka or Resene Hammerhead, can be just as effective.

What about windows?

Thicker drapes with block-out lighting are recommended to cover media room windows over other window treatments, especially since well-insulated drapes are also preferable for their sound-dampening qualities.

The walls of this media room are painted Resene Midnight Express to create a cocooning space to curl up in. Photos / Supplied

Hush glass is another worthy media room consideration, and acoustic seals can be used on windows – and even door edges – to minimise noise transmission. Opting for thicker glass in windows, if your media room will have them, can help to minimise disturbances to neighbours. However, large windows are not recommended for media rooms for acoustic reverberation reasons, so save those stunning views for different rooms.

Mood lighting

The movie-viewing experience can be enhanced by soft, ambient lighting. Lighting Plus consultants recommend wall-washing lights for media rooms and installing dimmer switches. There are many alternatives to recessed lighting, with track-mounted lighting a case in point. Downlights in the ceiling that have been tilted to the sides of the space also tick the box when it comes to creating effective mood lighting.

For practicality’s sake:

• Give thought to light placement to ensure it does not reflect off the screen or shine in viewers’ eyes

• The installation of a night light near the door will allow viewers to enter and leave without disrupting the film viewing

• Homeowners with super-sized media rooms may wish to consider tread lights or strip lighting to wash the floor, directed viewers to their seats.

Acoustically speaking

Commercial cinema rooms are carefully sound-contained and acoustically treated to screen out external noise and keep sound within the room. Why not apply the same principles to your media room?

GIB NZ offers sound advice – if you can pardon the pun – in its Building a Quieter Home brochure, which recognises that sound pollution can adversely affect a home theatre experience. It takes into consideration noise intrusion from within the house and neighbourhood noise, as well as noise spilling out from the media room to other areas of your home. If building a new home or conducting a serious renovation, then give thought to placement of your media room – it is best positioned away from your home’s quiet zones.

When shared walls are unavoidable, double-stud wall construction with double layers sound-proofing will help, as will installing 110mm thick pink insulation with an R value of 2.6 or higher in roof spaces. Upholstered furniture and other soft furnishings can help absorb sound within the room and thick woollen rugs, or carpet over heavy-duty felt underlay can reduce reverberation.

With acoustical considerations taken into account, these rooms are not only a great place for hunkering down for your movie fix. Homeowners are also finding the acoustic value of these rooms goes beyond movie viewing. It’s also a great space for music making, offering musicians the chance to really crank it up. And, they’re perfect for video games and karaoke parties.

Although many of these additional costs get hidden away in walls and ceilings, remember that a well-kitted out media room that takes note of these considerations has the potential to add value to your lifestyle and your home, so it’s worth getting right.

For more colour, paint and wallpaper ideas and inspiration see the latest looks here.

This content has been created in partnership with Resene.