Not a Home Theater, Not a Living Room—It’s the Perfect Media Room
4 Elements for a High-End Media Room Design
There’s no denying it—movies, TV shows, and video games are vastly better in a home theater. But not everyone has the space for a dedicated cinema, and not everyone necessarily wants a room for only one purpose. But if you want the wow-factor visuals and sound of a theater in your Boulder, CO, home, we can still bring that experience to a hybrid environment.
In this article, we’ll share the best technologies to use in a custom media room design. In a media room, you can share cocktails, have great conversations, enjoy your favorite music, and then transition into a theater setting when it’s movie time. Get inspired for your media room below.
SEE ALSO: How Smart Home Technology Accentuates Your High-End Lifestyle
Hidden AV
If you have bulky speakers and a gigantic screen in the middle of your media room, it’s going to be difficult to do anything else besides gravitating towards the display. Hidden AV takes the attention off your entertainment—until you want to use it.
In-wall and in-ceiling speakers let you focus on the media room’s interior design without distracting technology. Brands like Steinway Lyngdorf and Sonance manufacture high-fidelity speakers and subwoofers that we install within the walls, blending into the room.
Screens can disappear into the walls, too! Mirror TVs turn into a functional glass mirror when turned off, and art TVs like Samsung’s The Frame look like a real masterpiece on the wall when powered off. In-ceiling lifts can lower your flat screen or projector screen at one press of a button or voice command when it’s movie time.
Smart Lighting Control
A multipurpose room needs multipurpose lighting, and smart lighting systems like Lutron’s let you customize the room’s ambience instantly. A setting like “Party Time” can set the lights to a low level that’s still bright enough to see everyone, perhaps with some fun colors in the corners. A scene called “Movie Time” may lower blackout shades and dim the lights in seconds. “Relaxing” can give you just the right amount of brightness and a warm color temperature to play board games, read, or share appetizers with the family.
McIntosh Surround Sound
There’s surround sound, and then there’s McIntosh surround sound. For a truly immersive viewing experience, McIntosh’s multi-channel audio system treats each sound like an individual object. Sounds aren’t restricted to a single speaker channel, but instead, can move from speaker to speaker as action carries across the screen.
If a character walks from one end of the screen to the next, you’ll hear their footsteps on the hardwood floor walk across your room, as if you’re really there. For video game fans, this will bring you even further into the worlds of your favorite games with lifelike realism.
One Easy-to-Use Controller
The newest and shiniest AV equipment is only valuable if it’s easy to use. If it takes you twenty minutes to fiddle with different knobs, remotes, and apps, you’re less likely to use your entertainment, no matter how high-end it is. So, consider syncing all your technology into one smart controller like Crestron, Control4, or Savant.
Home automation systems let you access your lighting, speakers, media players, screens, and even thermostats and security devices from one app, remote, wall panel, or through voice command. Preset scenes let you create a specific atmosphere in seconds, turning them on and off as you please.
Looking for a Media Room Makeover?
If you’re ready to upgrade your entertainment in Northern Colorado, Aurum is your destination for high-end system installations. Contact our team here to discuss your media room project today. We look forward to speaking with you!
