7 Must-Haves Every Home Theater Needs

Perhaps you have an abandoned room that could use some renovating, and you’re curious about hopping on the home theater trend.

Maybe you already have a theater at home, but it’s not quite the experience you were expecting. In the age of COVID-19, every household with enough room can benefit from having a personal theater! It’s no secret that the cinematic experience has changed over the past few months, with many theaters still shut down. Although some theaters have reopened in Utah, some people may not be comfortable sitting inside a public, enclosed space, understandably. Luckily, most streaming services have opted to digitally release the films that were slated to come out on the big screen this year. You and your family can still catch up on the newest releases from the comfort of your personal movie theater! The best home theaters boast the following seven features. High-Quality Visuals One of the most important steps when curating your own theater is ensuring you have crisp visuals. You’ll need a screen that’s high-definition, modern, and the perfect size for your space. However, there are so many impressive products in today’s market, and these parameters barely narrow down your options. We recommend considering the following three factors when you buy a new TV or projection system: Size: Everyone should be able to see the screen from wherever they’re sitting. You should measure the distance between the screen and seats in inches, then divide that number by three. This number will tell you the ideal screen size for your home theater. Resolution: Since technology advances faster than we can blink, we don’t think you should settle for anything less than 4k resolution. If you want to be up to speed, however, you can opt for 8k resolution. Screen technology: This refers to the way your television creates images. Some options to consider are LED, LCD, and OLED—the most modern option. Superb Audio Modern screens are lighter and thinner than the ones from a decade ago. Remember those clunky television boxes we used to settle for? Although contemporary screens are a breeze to move, unfortunately, it does decrease the size of built-in speakers. The closer your theater’s seats are to the screen, the less number of speakers you’ll need in the room. When seats are closer together in a small room, a soundbar is a great option. However, if you want to replicate an authentic cinema experience, you’ll need a full surround sound. Moreover, if you plan on using your theater to blast music, then you’ll want a system that lets you control the bass and comes with standing speakers. Comfy Seats For many people, the worst aspect of going to a public movie theater (besides the price) is those uncomfortable seats. Sure, some movie theaters are equipped with recliners, but often, you’ll have to pay extra to access those rooms. When you create or upgrade your personal theater, you’ll want to invest in furniture that enhances your viewing experience and matches your overall home design. Dimmable Lights Track and recessed lighting are standard choices for personal theater design because they’re identical to the lighting used in cinemas. However, you can use whichever lighting you want, as long as it’s dimmable. Dimmable lights give you exact control over the amount of illumination in your personal theater, allowing you to adjust it based on the time of day, mood, and purpose. Movie Posters Here comes the fun part! Bring Hollywood into your home by hanging movie posters of your favorite films. There are no rules to this step—simply hang as many posters as you want! Vintage Popcorn Machine Want to recreate the perfect movie night? Don’t feed your family microwaved popcorn when you can invest in a retro-style popcorn machine that pops out buttery, fresh goodness that’s perfect for any film. Best of all, your personal theater will smell just like a real theater’s concession stand, except you won’t have to worry about those long lines! Soda Bar No retro-style popcorn machine is complete without its sidekick, the soda bar. Customize your own soda bar system to provide your family and friends with their favorite beverages to go along with their fresh popcorn and favorite movies. If you’re limited on space, however, you can’t go wrong with installing a mini-fridge in the room and packing it with soda and water bottles. AMT Integration Specializes in Home Theater Design Maybe you want the personalized theater experience, but you’re still unsure of where to start. Some homeowners are reluctant to make their home a smart one because they may not be tech-savvy. Here’s where the team at AMT Integration comes in. We specialize in home theater design with integrated systems that you can control in one screen. We serve Salt Lake and Summit counties in Utah. Get in touch with our team today.