need home theater design help...

[ekaplan]

Hello,

I need some help designing a home theater. I recently purchased a home. The home has a basement which is partially finished. There is about 22'x20' already finished which is where I will need to put my theater. I want to have a front projector system. The problem is that the stairs go down and open up the space on the left side. There is an air duct which has been plastered and hangs down about 1 foot. It cuts into the corner of an egress which would have been a decent spot for the screen. The obvious part where I was thinking about putting it was on the left side of the stairs which is about 11' wide and 22' deep.

Anyway, I have never had a home theater and I was wondering if I could get help in deciding where to put everything (components, screen, projector (Panasonic AE700U), DVD collection (350), speakers, etc.) Also, if there is a preferred color to paint the room. Also, there are two small basement windows which I would need to figure out something to do so they are covered temporarily while using the system. I have seen a lot of great theater designs on this site and look forward to all the creative input.

Thanks,
ekaplan1020

[BlakeN]

I think I would cover over the 2 windows and make that wall flush. Then put the screen on that wall. You could mount the PJ low enough to just miss that air duct. I am at work but If I remember to I will draw something up when I get home

[efarstad]

Are you open to doing some framing work? Building some new walls, risers, etc? This room has a lot of options!

[ekaplan]

Yes...I am open to some framing as long as the budget allows for it. ($8,000) The wife probably wouldn't like covering those windows permanently, however something temporary might work.

[efarstad]

Is that your total home theater budget, any room modes, equipment, etc...or just construction budget?

Also, do you have a certain size HT you're shooting for...I ask because would you like to build an "enclosed HT space/room" in your existing basement?

[ekaplan]

That is my total budget...I am flexible on the size of the room and open to either enclosing the space or leaving it open. I am not really sure the benefits of enclosing, except that the sound will probably be better. The screen size I want is from 80-100 diagonal.

[David Meek]

Hi Ethan, welcome to The Guide. :welcome:

I'll come back in later with more thoughts, but initially I'd suggest using that recessed space below the windows for a full-width, floor-to-windows media rack. Also, you can purchase isolation curtains that will black-out the light from the windows very effectively and still have a good SAF (significant-other acceptance factor).

More in a while. . . .

[aud19]

That's a tough one. The stair location and laundry room door make furniture placement difficult. It looks like you'd have to put seating either along the bottom wall (marked 20') or along the window wall to allow acess to the stairs. How far is it from the bottom wall to the stairs? If you have enough distance there, you could leave 2.5'-3' space behind your seating to allow stair acess and still have enough distance to the bottom wall for viewing...? That would be the ideal location for your screen and front speakers IMO. I wouldn't worry about the duct either assuming the rest of the ceiling is 8'. You weren't going to mount your screen right at the top of the ceiling anyways And having the projector down lower means you can use less keystone correction to square the picture as there will be less difference in the height between projector and screen. Just make sure that you can mount the projector at a usable distance that isn't in a main walkway, you don't want any NBA players you have over losing an eye... :lol: I agree the spot under the window would be ideal for an equipment rack with black out drapes to block the light :T You could then also convert the top left corner to a nice bar too, the alcoves in back could hold some nice shelves, add a small bar out front (wet or dry) and that's a pretty nice room! You'll probably have to do in ceiling for the rear surrounds and wall or ceiling again for the side surrounds (if you're doing 7.1). If you're only doing 5.1 I'd still recommend wiring for at least 7.1 though.

As for colour, for a front projector the best paint colour would be flat black. However that understandably has a low WAF. A "colour neutral" grey is another good option (ie: it has no red tint, blue tint, green tint etc, it's completely neutral grey) I'm actually painting some of the walls in my family room this colour right now. It's a colour-matched "Kodak 18% grey" used in photography. The 18% or the "lightness" of the grey isn't really important but the colour neutrality is. The Kodak grey card is just a handy, readily available sample that's easily colour matched. It's also said to be nearly exactly the halfway point between black and white, so it's an even compromise if that means anything to you. Here's a link to more info on it:
Kodak 18% Grey

[ekaplan]

The distance from the bottom wall to the stairs is 10'.

Would it be possible to put up a wall from the stairs to the east wall? I have been thinking that enclosing that space to the left will allow me to make it more of a theater room. that would make it 22'x10' with the screen either on the west wall or east wall. The only concern is where I could put my components so the little lights are not bothering us while watching a movie. Also I need somewhere to put my DVD's. Maybe do something like take a section out from under the stairs and put a shelving unit in. Any thoughts on whether this will work?

Since this part of the basement is already finished with a sheet rock ceiling, is it going to be tough to wire everything?

[RenoReno2]

How about a motorized screen that drops down in front of the windows. Of course having window treatments. Have the projector on a tabletop to clear the ducts. or in front of it if meets the requirements.