A Guide to Setting Up Your Home Entertainment Zone
Family bonding is easy when you have a home entertainment space where everyone feels welcome. Whether you’re watching movies or gossiping over reality TV, a dedicated entertainment area is always welcome.
Home entertainment hubs are typically located in the living room. Some households are lucky enough to have a home theatre, or perhaps a second living area. Maybe there are multiple hubs so parents can have a relaxing time while the kids are gaming elsewhere.
Upside Down has crafted a handy guide to help you set up the perfect home entertainment zone. You can easily create a tailor made space suited to your family’s needs. Entertaining is a breeze once everything is set up, and everyone can enjoy a pleasant night at home.
Measure Up Your TV Screen Size
When it comes to enjoyment, you need comfortable furniture and the right TV unit. The television screen size has to suit the space, meaning you may have to plan any future around its dimensions.
Ideally, the distance between the television and your main seating should be 1.5 to 3 times the vertical height of your screen. If you have a 4K television, the recommended viewing distance is at the closer range while more distance is suggested for HD televisions.
Therefore, if you have a 55” (140cm) 4K screen, you should be sitting a distance of 3’3” (1m) away. For a 55″ HD television, you want to have a gap of about to 6’9″ (2.1m).
These measurements will dictate your surrounding furniture, too. Your TV unit size and couch depth should be based around viewing comfort needs. Meanwhile, you can also work out if there’s room for a coffee table, foot rests and other furniture accessories.
If space is tight, look at handy storage solutions. Your entertainment unit should also be able to house any remotes and gaming consoles. A bookshelf or open shelves for board games and books would be a welcome addition. Home entertainment zones do not have to be limited to electronics.
Organise Electric Cables and Power Points
With so much equipment involved in setting up your home entertainment zone, it’s easy for a tangled mess of electrical cords to form. Aim to keep the mess to a minimum by using power boards or purchasing a wall-mounted cable organiser.
One of the best solutions could be installing new power points, though. You can avoid the hassle of additional power boards and extension cords. Data point outlets also mean your gaming consoles and smart TVs have direct access to the internet.
If you’re considering making such changes, be sure to consult a qualified electrician. The last thing you want is a shocking surprise while installing new outlets in the entertainment room.
Remember Your Entertainment Centre Audio
A home entertainment zone is more than a spot for watching TV; it’s a home cinema, game centre and more. Your entertainment room likely features your home’s main sound system, too.
After all, a great picture needs great sound to complement it. While there are a number of other options for listening to music, podcasts or radio these days, many people want to use the best speakers in the house.
There are plenty of choices here. Free standing floor speakers are often a popular choice for people looking for a fully immersive audio-visual experience.
You may even have a surround sound system that uses five speakers or more. In such a setup, speaker placement is crucial for a number of reasons. It will influence where your couch and chairs are placed, and affect how well you hear movies, games and music.
Wireless speakers and smart home speakers are also quite popular. They’re especially handy if you have a compatible smart TV. In reality, though, there’s no wrong choice for sound. Just do your research to find an audio option that suits your budget.
Plan Your Television Placement
Not only is screen size important, but you also want the TV to be in the right spot. There’s no point installing it opposite a window where it catches all the glare. Nor do you want it too high so everyone strains their neck.
It’s always best to place your screen in the centre of a wall. You can easily build an entertainment area around it with multiple viewing angles. The addition of speakers also delivers an encapsulating atmosphere for big movie nights.
Additionally, avoid placing screens near a doorway or thoroughfare, if you can. You don’t want any distractions while you’re engrossed in a thriller or horror flick. Functionality and pleasure are two important features that have to work together. Hence why any entertainment area needs to be planned out in detail.
Light Up Your Home Entertainment Space
An important aspect of setting up your entertainment hub or home theatre is lighting. How you light this space is integral to how much clarity you get on your screen. Think about your experiences in various cinemas – the world is shut out and the entire focus is on the film. This is mainly due to lighting.
While lamps, pendant lights and other styles might set a mood in other parts of the house, the ideal ambience for this zone is recessed lighting in the ceiling that you can dim. This is particularly suited to a low ceiling.
If you like some mood lighting rather than complete darkness, dimmable lighting is the way to go. You can even choose smart LED lighting that can be colour adjusted to suit any entertainment zone colour palette.
If you really want to recreate that cinematic experience, consider LED strips on the floor. They’re both functional and visually appealing. If you’re considering any significant changes, be sure to consult a lighting/electrical professional. That way you can ensure a professional finish is delivered for your ideal home entertainment zone.
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