How to Design a Media Room

Install comfortable seating. Choose between or a combination of leather recliner chairs or plush sofas to give guests comfort while still allowing enough room to maneuver in and out. Consider accenting the seating with end tables or a coffee table to hold snack foods and beverages. If the room is large enough, consider installing tiered theater seating,

Use carpeting. Carpeting is more comfortable for walking on and relaxing, as well as more sound absorbent. Tile, laminate or hardwood flooring are typically cold and reflect sound poorly, making the acoustics of the room unbalanced.

Treat the windows. Windows should be double-pane soundproof glass and light filtering. Cover windows with "block-out lining" to better set the mood. Consider installing draperies that extend from the ceiling to the floor for more of a movie theater experience.

Recess the lighting. Recessed lighting put on a dimmer switch will help to foster a cinematic environment. It is less intrusive than track or traditional lamp lighting and dimmer switches allow you to control the amount of light being emitted.

Hide the media components. Place speakers behind false walls or in cabinets. If possible, recess the television into the wall or mount it to the wall. Hide any cables behind the audio/visual components and/or inside of cabinets or behind walls.

Hang multi-layered moisture resistant drywall on the walls to dampen sound and to protect the electronics in the media room. Choose a paint to color the walls that matches the furnishings and promotes a movie theater look and feel.

Spread the speakers out. Configure your system's speakers to create a theatrical sound. Place the subwoofer directly under or behind the seating and place two center speakers in front of the television and two beside the seating. This will create and surround sound experience for guests.