A home theatre system demands its own special room. Here is how to go about making your home theatre room look classy.

In today's gadget-filled world, most people choose to invest in a home theatre system. A home theatre system may be simple or elaborate, depending on the amount you have invested in it. It gives you the convenience of watching movies in a theatre setting in the comfort of your own home.

A home theatre system requires its own room to maximise its effectiveness. Besides, your home theatre system is also the main part of your family's entertainment centre. If you plan to have friends over for movie nights, you will no doubt want to make sure your home theatre system stands out. Personalising your home theatre room is not a difficult task. Here are a few tips to get started.

Flooring

A home theatre room is meant to simulate a cinema environment. The flooring of the room should be a quiet, easy-to-clean surface. Your floor already has tiles. You can add a dark-coloured carpet to resemble the flooring in theatres. Maroon or a similar shade would be a good choice. The carpet will help to muffle the sound of footfalls, when people move around the room, so as not to interfere with the speaker sounds. The dark colour of the carpet makes it easier to camouflage stains due to food and soft drink spills.

Walls

In most commercially designed home theatre rooms, the walls and ceiling are generally painted black. This is to prevent reflection from the TV screen. However, this is not usually acceptable in most homes because people shy away from having dark-coloured walls. Another option is to have black curtains, which can be drawn across the walls when needed.

Lighting Fixtures

Lighting is another important feature of a home theatre room. For best results, opt for recessed lighting. Recessed lighting refers to small lights placed in circular cavities in the ceiling. It is hidden, yet provides the entire room with adequate light. Complement the ceiling lights with a few wall fixtures. These can be placed on the walls itself for added lighting. Add dimmer switches for all lights. The dimmer switches allow you to control exactly how much light you like to be available during the movie. It is best to turn the lights down completely while viewing a movie.

Furniture

The right furniture can greatly improve the ambience of your entertainment room. Recognising this need, many furniture stores stock customised theatre seats. Theatre seats may be purchased singly or as a set or two chairs attached together. A theatre seat typically consists of a high-backed, reclining, cushioned chair. Theatre seats are available in a variety of colours. The most popular fabrics for the seats are leather and suede. Modern theatre seats also have a cup holder attached to the armrest.

Theatre seats may give you the feel of being in a movie hall but they are both bulky and expensive. If theatre seats are going to occupy too much space in the room, then there is no point in having them. Instead, choose two simply designed reclining chairs, preferably in a dark-coloured fabric. Place a small coffee table between the two seats so viewers can have a place to keep their snacks and beverages. For added comfort, provide extra cushions to be placed as per the user's convenience.

Accessories

A few movie-related accessories can give your theatre room that special look. The best accessories are movie posters. Many video stores keep a collection of old movie posters, which you can purchase. If you are looking for something specific and cannot find it at a local store, many internet retailers can help you out. Place movie posters in decorative frames and hang them up on the walls for that art house effect. Alternatively, you could make a collage out of the CD covers of your favourite movies and place it in a frame.

The key to designing your home theatre room is to go for a blend of comfort and style. Your home theatre room should not just be a place to impress your neighbours. It should also be a place where your family can simply relax and enjoy their favourite movies.