Mayhem at the Steele House

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Susan
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Jan 2001
    • 105

    Mayhem at the Steele House

    Well, I did it...I've been thinking about it for a year, trying to put it off, but it finally got the best of me...I am destroying a very 'decorated" family room and making it more "Home Theater". It's a difficult room to begin with, with three corners having a doorway, one wall a huge picture window, and another a brick fireplace with mahaghony shelving. Having to leave the crossways open in such a small room (15 x 17)makes for some hard figuring when it comes to furniture arrangements. I don't have the luxury of worry so much about the "perfect accoustical arrangement" as just a "usable arrangement". But accoustically it sounds really good, perhaps because it has an accoustical ceiling, wood on the fireplace wall, plaster on two walls, drapes across the window-wall, and wood floors with an oriental rug, so 1/2 hard and 1/2 soft. This combo of hard and soft seems to be pretty good (it improved dramatically when I took up the wall-to-wall...before I think it had been "over-muffled". Im going to sketch up a room diagram tomorrow and you guys can tell me how you'd arrange a room like this..I think it's a real pain in the arse. Then after I hear your ideas, I'll show you what I've been thinking of doing.
    Today I jumped in and bought a nice leather reclining two-seater. I had admired it last Christmas for $1300, but he came down today to $800 to move it..and we carried it away. It's the perfect blue to coordinate with everything I have, and there is no "hole" when you recline the footrest, so the dogs have places to cuzzle with us. I'll show it later in pics too.

    So, I'll try my best to begin the "show and tell".
    SS
  • George Bellefontaine
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Jan 2001
    • 7637

    #2
    Mmm, boy, you've got your work cut out for you. That 2 seater lazy boy sounds like a great addition,though, and by the time you're finished with everything, I'll bet dollars to donuts it'll be a doozy of a home theater.




    My Homepage!
    My Homepage!

    Comment

    • Susan
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Jan 2001
      • 105

      #3
      OK...for a start..here's a sketch of the room bare...



      As you can see, it is really cut up with four doors, a large picture window, and a fireplace wall.

      The best thing about when you chart out your room on graph paper is that you can really SEE it's shape, etc. Had you asked me last week, I would have said this was a rectangle..but it's really, especially with the traffic patterns, pretty much a square room.

      OK..what wall would you put the TV on? how many seats for the room?
      SS

      Comment

      • Susan
        Moderator Emeritus
        • Jan 2001
        • 105

        #4
        Also,
        I realized it was unfair to just ask "how would you arrange this" if you had no idea of the existing speakers, sofa, etc I am having to deal with.

        I've decided to post a sketch of the way it has been arranged for the last couple of years. This has been a very good arrangement, but only for three people..the two on the sofa, and we would turn around the leather wing chair to aim in from the sides (but blocking the door).

        Besides the doorways,fireplace and picture window, I have a very large wall unit that houses the components and TV, two humongous Tannoy speakers (28w x 40h), and the sofa is a long 3-seater.



        The Tannoys are only for 2-ch listening at this point. I have four small speakers..two on the Tannoys, and two on speaker stands on the sides.

        I disliked this about this arrangement:
        -the leather wing chair was in front of a speaker and had to be pulled over for music. It didn't affect the 5.1 as the satellites are up on top of the Tannoys.
        -we had to lift and tun the chair around for a guest..only one..inviting another couple over to watch a movie meant 3 people scrunching on the sofa..not good..

        How would you rearrange it to allow more people to watch??

        Hope this comes thru clearly.
        SS

        Comment

        • Markj
          Senior Member
          • Aug 2000
          • 323

          #5
          Susan:
          My space arrangement mental prowess is not the greatest but here goes anyway. It seems like there is a lot in the room. I would remove the chair all together. Replace the chair with folding chairs like director chairs. They could be brought into the room when needed and placed on both sides of your couch for group viewings. The other thing that could be done is to replace your TV with a FP, which would free up some floor space.

          Comment

          • George Bellefontaine
            Moderator Emeritus
            • Jan 2001
            • 7637

            #6
            Susan,
            I can't resolve your room sketch. I've tried two browsers and still no luck.Too bad, as I was really interested in seeing your layout.
            Regards,
            George




            My Homepage!
            My Homepage!

            Comment

            • George Bellefontaine
              Moderator Emeritus
              • Jan 2001
              • 7637

              #7
              Susan,
              IE worked.
              After looking at your sketch, I would arrange seating in sort of a half moon arc so that anywhere you sit, you'd be facing the tv.I have a room that is wider at the rear and that is what I had to do to accomodate visitor seating.

              The other thing I'd do is add a crt, lcd or dlp projector and a 16 FOOT WIDE SCREEN.
              Regards,
              George




              My Homepage!
              My Homepage!

              Comment

              • Lex
                Moderator Emeritus
                • Apr 2001
                • 27461

                #8
                Susan, do you have to use all of the doors daily?

                How important is view from the picture window?

                I need answers to these questions before proceeding with my recommendation.

                Lex
                Doug
                "I'm out there Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" - Kramer

                Comment

                • Susan
                  Moderator Emeritus
                  • Jan 2001
                  • 105

                  #9
                  Lex,
                  All doors used all the time...and the window view isn't important as it is pretty much covered already..it has romans and traversing drapes with blackout lining for total darkness of the theater.

                  Here are some pics to help you visualize it more (these are BEFORE pics). Hit reload if they don't load the first time..

                  Of the room coming down the stairs:



                  Of the fireplace:


                  from the back door (wing chair is swung around so a third person can sit there):



                  and from the hallway:



                  hope this helps to give you a better feeling for the space. Two antique treadle sewing machines are behind the sofa, both as a sofa table and to bring the sofa closer to the TV. They are going for sure.

                  I'd just be interested in, if you had all this furniture already and wanted the least expense, what you'd do arrangement-wise...don't suggest a new TV as that's down the road (and the entertainment center will then go to the formal living room)...but for now it stays...
                  SS

                  Comment

                  • Susan
                    Moderator Emeritus
                    • Jan 2001
                    • 105

                    #10
                    One thing I will share already is that I am going to go MUCH darker on the taupe wall paint..the flash whitens it out in the pictures and it is more mid-toned, but I want a darker "suede" finish and much more dark softness to the walls...the was a pre-HT "eggshell" finish, which scrubs better but has a slight sheen...
                    SS

                    Comment

                    • Lex
                      Moderator Emeritus
                      • Apr 2001
                      • 27461

                      #11
                      Very nice room Susan. You got a lot of nerve messing with that, as it looks very nice now.

                      Room has a lot of character. But I am sure with your touch, whatever you do will be very nice as well. Obviously, your screen size needs to be increased for a dedicated HT. But hey, maybe your eyes are better than mine, lol. Well, the open doors do present a bit of a challenge. Right now, I am thinking center everything against the window wall Or alternately, set the room up with the sofa backing the fireplace with like a 5 foot zone behind the sofa. But then being there, could open new possibilities. caticornered is another possibility, if your receptive to that type setup.

                      More later, right now, it's pillow time for my interview tomorrow. Oh boy!

                      Lex
                      Doug
                      "I'm out there Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" - Kramer

                      Comment

                      • George Bellefontaine
                        Moderator Emeritus
                        • Jan 2001
                        • 7637

                        #12
                        After looking at these pictures, it has so much cosiness and warmth, that it seems a shame to change anything.

                        But a 16 FOOT WIDE SCREEN would really go well with those fantastic speakers.




                        My Homepage!
                        My Homepage!

                        Comment

                        • Susan
                          Moderator Emeritus
                          • Jan 2001
                          • 105

                          #13
                          A 16 ft sceen?? Dunno where I'd put it! The "long" wall that the TV is on is only about 13 ft long, but if you take off for the spekers you're down to about 7.5 ft left..or I guess the speakers could sit out in front of the screen...

                          Down the road (read that: after tuition years) I'd like to simplify it down to a large screen and 4 recliners in a semicircle..I saw a neat crescent-shaped modular setup by Motioncraft..very pricey but perfect..drinkholders on the arms, wedge-shaped tables in between each chair, all hooked together. But way outta my budget.

                          Anyhoo, for now I am going to compromise with what I have. Much to my dog's concern, we moved the leather chair and ottoman to the living room. The two vintage treadle machines were banished to a storage area. The large sofa will go back to the window and become elevated by a platform, and the new leather oveseat-recliner will form the "first row". Here's a diagram:



                          Pics to follow. We're finishing up the carpentry tonight.
                          SS

                          Comment

                          • Pat
                            Super Senior Member
                            • Aug 2000
                            • 1637

                            #14
                            Looks good Susan, a lot less cluttered
                            Should make the room feel bigger.




                            Pat's Page
                            Pat's Page

                            Comment

                            • George Bellefontaine
                              Moderator Emeritus
                              • Jan 2001
                              • 7637

                              #15
                              I was just kidding about the 16 foot screen, Susan. But to be serious, your room is big enough to add some kind of a front projection system in the future. Being the serious movie lover you are, you will really appreciate THAT BIG SCREEN PRESENTATION in your very own Home Theater




                              My Homepage!
                              My Homepage!

                              Comment

                              • Lex
                                Moderator Emeritus
                                • Apr 2001
                                • 27461

                                #16
                                Yeah, nice arrangement Susan! Like George though, I do think that room exuded character. To change a thing really was tough. The most important thing about the room is that your happy with it though. Don't be afraid to go back like it was, if your unhappy with it.

                                But I must add that for 2 row seating to work well, you really do need to increase your screen size.

                                Lex
                                Doug
                                "I'm out there Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" - Kramer

                                Comment

                                • Susan
                                  Moderator Emeritus
                                  • Jan 2001
                                  • 105

                                  #17
                                  OK..We've finally finished the changeover! If you'd like to see some pictures of the makeover, go to my picture album at:

                                  http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=412518&uid=90043

                                  This will keep me happy until I decide which way to go on a large-screen...but we'll discuss that in another thread! OK..let me know if you think it is an improvement or not...Susan

                                  Comment

                                  • Lex
                                    Moderator Emeritus
                                    • Apr 2001
                                    • 27461

                                    #18
                                    Kewl Susan, looks great! Nice make over

                                    Lex
                                    Doug
                                    "I'm out there Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" - Kramer

                                    Comment

                                    • George Bellefontaine
                                      Moderator Emeritus
                                      • Jan 2001
                                      • 7637

                                      #19
                                      All I can say is WOW. Now it has that HT look yet still maintains its charm.
                                      Susan, the way you went about elevating the rear sofa is really neat,and those reclining loveseats really look comfy.




                                      My Homepage!
                                      My Homepage!

                                      Comment

                                      • Susan
                                        Moderator Emeritus
                                        • Jan 2001
                                        • 105

                                        #20
                                        Thanks George! I do need your advice on one thing tho...

                                        explain to me ...how do you stay awake when you are reclined back like that??? it seems my hub and I are falling to sleep all the time!! LOL
                                        SS

                                        Comment

                                        • George Bellefontaine
                                          Moderator Emeritus
                                          • Jan 2001
                                          • 7637

                                          #21
                                          I know what you're saying. I have Laz-e-boy recliners in my HT and if I am tired before firing up the projector, it isn't hard to doze off.But to answer your question- Play U571 if you're tired. If you do doze off,with those Tannoys it won't be for long.
                                          Best wishes for lots of good viewing in your newly renovated HT.
                                          George




                                          My Homepage!
                                          My Homepage!

                                          Comment

                                          Working...
                                          😀
                                          😂
                                          🥰
                                          😘
                                          🤢
                                          😎
                                          😞
                                          😡
                                          👍
                                          👎
                                          Searching...Please wait.
                                          An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because you have logged in since the previous page was loaded.

                                          Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                                          An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because the token has expired.

                                          Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                                          An internal error has occurred and the module cannot be displayed.
                                          There are no results that meet this criteria.
                                          Search Result for "|||"