A great home theater or high-performance TV room starts with an excellent picture and sound, but the details surrounding them can have just as much impact on the experience. Glare can wash out a picture, poorly planned lighting can make a room uncomfortable, and equipment that takes over the room can work against an otherwise beautiful design. A few often-overlooked technologies can solve these problems while making the entire space easier and more enjoyable to use.

Automated Shades – Daylight can be wonderful in a living space, but it can work against a great viewing experience. Automated shades can reduce glare and control incoming daylight, helping maintain picture quality throughout the day. For classic home theaters that use projection systems, controlling daylight can make a significant difference in contrast and overall picture quality. Shades can also become part of an integrated control system, closing when it’s time to watch a movie and reopening when it’s over, all automatically.

Lighting Control – The right lighting can change the entire character of an entertainment space. Lighting control allows different scenes to create the right atmosphere with a single touch. A movie scene can lower the lights for a relaxed viewing experience, while a brighter and more casual setting can work better for watching a sporting event with friends. The same room can shift easily between entertainment, conversation, and everyday living.

Concealed Speakers – High-performance audio does not require a room filled with large speakers. In-wall or semi-concealed speakers can deliver impressive sound while keeping the equipment from dominating the room. This approach works especially well in spaces where home-theater performance matters but a traditional theater aesthetic does not. The result can be a cleaner, more refined room without sacrificing the quality of the listening experience.

Climate Control – Comfort becomes increasingly important during a long movie, series marathon, or gathering. Climate control integration can automatically make an entertainment space cooler during movie time and return it to a more moderate temperature when the room is not in use. This can be especially valuable in bonus rooms and other spaces that sit away from the home’s primary living areas that might not see daily use.

Personalized Entertainment Scenes – A personalized entertainment scene can make a sophisticated system remarkably simple to use. From a remote, touchscreen, or smartphone, a single command can open a frequently used video source or streaming service, or adjust the room’s audio settings, switching the system from optimal TV viewing to music listening. These scenes bring multiple systems together so the technology works in the background instead of becoming part of the entertainment; all with a single button press.

The best approach starts with the room itself and the way it will be used. A designer from CAV Integrated Home can visit your home to evaluate a space being considered for a home theater or high-performance viewing room, or we can work from architectural plans for a new home to identify potential issues with light, speaker placement, room comfort, control, and overall design, recommending solutions that protect both performance and the look of the space.

A great entertainment room should do more than produce an impressive picture and sound. It should feel comfortable, look beautiful, and make every viewing experience simple.

Contact CAV Integrated Home to start planning a home theater or high-performance viewing space that’s optimally designed for your home and your needs.