How To Design Your Modern Media Room

If you have been thinking about how to design your modern media room, then have we got some tips for you. So what exactly is a media room anyways? A media room is simply a room with a large TV or projector to view movies and/or play video games, but they can be as simple or advanced as you would like. When building or converting a media room, there are many things to consider. They can include features such as a large television for better viewing, super comfortable furniture for lounging, or that perfect Hi Fidelity surround sound system. It’s a good idea to set your budget and find the options that work best for your needs. Think about what kind of lighting you want in your media room. Will you need recessed lighting or wall sconces for theater-like ambient lighting? Maybe you have large windows you need to cover. In that case, you will want to focus on the right window coverings. Lastly, you will also need to consider the acoustics of the room. Getting creative with ceiling art might solve some of your problems. Furniture and speaker placement can also affect the acoustics of the room.

Often times a media room is the living room area with the entertainment system. In some instances, a living room can double as a media room. Media rooms can also be designed to feel more like a movie theater with stadium seating and velvet draperies. If you are starting with a blank space custom-made cabinets can provide storage for all your media, and can be designed to blend into the background.

Other things to consider for your media room are your needs. Does your family love popcorn? You might want to include an area for a popcorn maker. If you entertain a lot you could include a home bar in your media room. I discuss more about setting up a home bar here. The bottom line is your media room should be designed to fit your lifestyle and suit your needs.

Consider Your Needs

All family rooms can be transformed into amazing media rooms with a large screen TV, an incredible sound system, and your favorite streaming service. Any home with a room big enough to accommodate a large TV, and room enough for comfortable seating, can have a media room in their home. The most popular option for many families is a room with a large flat-screen television, sectional or oversized furniture, and internet access for renting movies. Not everyone is going to need a professional screening room like a home theater system in their house.  However, if movies are your passion, then you may want a more elaborate room for enjoying them with friends and family.

If your family room has to double as your media room you don’t have to settle for one or the other. Your space can be multi-functional. You can design your media room to double as a beautiful well light living space during the day. Think about who will use this space most of the time. Is it just you and your closest friends streaming new movies? Is this where your family will hang out the most? Keeping your needs in mind, you will be able to choose the best design elements and find the right features that suit your lifestyle.

What Does The Media Room Need?

A media room doesn’t need to be expensive to enjoy watching movies at home, but there are certain pieces of equipment that are necessary to create a home theater. Your media room will need a projector or DVD player to watch movies, Wi-Fi for internet access to watch streaming content, a movie screen or large TV, a good sound system, soundproofing, and comfortable seating for lounging.

 

8 Items A Media Room Needs

1. A projector or DVD player
2. Wi-Fi for internet access
3. Movie screen
4. Sound System
5. Soundproofing
6. Comfortable Seating
7. Lighting
8. Ability to play streaming services

 

How do you decorate a media room?

Now that you know how your media room will need to function you can start thinking about the design. First, choose an overall theme for your media room. Think about how you want the space to look and feel. If you want the traditional theater feel in your media room choose a darker neutral color palette. Frame your favorite movie posters and hang them on the wall. Make your media room more luxurious with velvet curtains. Create ambient lighting by adding wall sconces for soft lighting that is stunning.

If you want to make sure your favorite movie snacks are nearby add a rolling bar cart to house a microwave and store your popcorn and candy. You could include a mini-fridge to keep cold drinks handy too. If you entertain a lot you might want a home bar in your media room. You can read this article where I talk more about setting up a home bar.

If your media room has large windows you have options for stylish yet functional window treatments. Choose a curtain that matches the wall color. This can be a fun way to experiment with texture by adding subtle design details that blend into the room. Velvet curtains will play up the glamour if you are going to an old Hollywood feel. More modern window coverings are motorized window treatments. With the click of a button, your shades are lowered, and the ambient light kicks in. By solving your window problems, and finding the best window treatments for your media room, you are free to design the space however you want.

If your media room will have a TV instead of a projector and screen set up, this is a great opportunity to add some shelves or custom cabinets to store all your media. This design allows your TV to blend into the room’s decor. If you are building custom cabinets consider your media needs.

You can add contrast to your media room by incorporating a focal wall. By painting the focal wall in a lighter color it will add depth and dimension to your media room while still not interfering with the light from the TV screen or projector. Neutral colors work well with this design concept.

What kind of seating should I use in a media room design?

The first thing that should be considered in any media room design is choosing the seating. How many people will you need to accommodate? Do you want a sectional or true theater-style seating? Are you going to need bar stools? Your seating needs will determine such things as where your speaker system will be set up and any acoustic treatments that the room might need.

Ultimately the type of seating you choose depends on your theme and budget. If you want the traditional theater feel in your home stadium seating is the best option. This can be done by adding platforms and stairs if your space allows. Maybe you just need a really comfortable sectional. You can even consider sleek-looking motorized recliners for individual comfort.

When determining what type of seating your media room will need it’s important to consider how many people will be using the room on a daily basis. You might want to consider the maximum number of people who will be in the room at the same time. Knowing this allows you to pinpoint your seating needs. You might design the room with a few really good seats, this might be a few recliners and bean bags for special occasions. You could also use an oversized sectional as the perfect solution for your family. Your seating can be designed to fit whatever your needs are.

How To Choose The Best Color For Your Media Room

Choosing the color palette for your media room will largely depend on how your media room will need to function. If your media room will double as your living room you probably don’t want to go with dark colors. With the right design, you can go with light neutral colors and still have an amazing movie experience with your friends and family. If you want your media room to have a traditional theater experience go with darker colors. A dark red or burgundy with gold accents and your favorite movie posters will give your media room a true cinema-like experience. You can change the total vibe of the room by changing the movie posters. You can easily create a themed media room by hanging your favorite movie posters. You could create an old Hollywood-themed room by hanging your favorite Marylin Monroe movie posters. The options are endless.

No matter the color palette you go with limit the number of reflective surfaces in the room including the walls. Avoid glossy and satin finish paint. These paints are highly reflective and can interfere with the light from the TV or projector. Always go with a flat or matte finish in your media room.

Stay away from rich shades of green, yellow, and blue. These shades don’t mix well with the colors on your screen. Light colors and flesh tones tend to take on a blue or yellow tint, and natural elements like the grass and sky can look unnaturally distorted or appear darker or lighter than intended.

In summary, your media room can be designed to fit your needs and lifestyle, and media rooms can be designed to suit you. First, you need to determine what your needs are and how you will need the room to function. Will it be a multi-purpose room or are you free to be as creative as you want? Now that you know the items a media room needs, and some great tips to guide you, you can start planning the media room of your dreams.