Welcome to our epic home theater and media room ideas photo gallery.
In order to come up with the very specific design ideas, we create most designs with the assistance of state-of-the-art AI interior design software.
This is our home theater design gallery where you can check out all kinds of home media ideas.
Home Theater and Media Room Photo Ideas
See this epic mansion here. Above is an example of a modern-style home theater. Source: TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
See this entire home here. Here’s a large, very comfortable home theater designed by the famed interior design firm ARRCC (one of my favorites in the world). This room is built for quality sound, viewing, and comfort. Check out the large, oversized sofa on the first level built for lounging. The second tier includes plush lounge seats. If your budget is tight and you don’t want to spend extra on a Projector screen then you can also use glass boards as DIY projector screens at a cheap price. A customized glass board according to your prescribed measurements.
Photo by: Brady Architectural Photography
This contemporary home theater features a stylish wall design and carpet flooring. The sectional seats are perfectly placed and lighted by wall lights and recessed lighting.
Above is a Star Trek-themed home theater. System Design & Installation: Audio Advisors.Design & Fabrication: Acoustic Innovations.
Above is a state-of-the-art tiered cinema-seating home theater by Gibson Innovation.
A modern type of media room built for men with an active gaming lifestyle.
A very classy home theater with elegant theater seats set on a stylish rug. The black walls with charming decors look very elegant as well.
An elegant home theater with classy walls and ceilings. The sectional sofa and theater seats look very lovely.
The recessed lights, leather couches, widescreen LCD, and carpeted floor make this media room an elegant-looking mini cinema.
This large home theater features luxurious walls and ceilings, along with classy carpet flooring and perfectly placed theater seats.
This home theater features romantic walls, floors, and curtains, along with a comfy sofa set with an ottoman table in front.
This home theater features a classy vaulted ceiling with beams along with hardwood flooring and lovely wall and ceiling lights.
This home theater boasts stylish walls and lighting, along with classy carpet flooring and well-placed theater seats.
A small home theater featuring white theater seats matching the white wall decors on the beautiful walls.
This modern media room boasts a theater space with sectional sofa seats along with a small bar on the side set on the red velvet carpet flooring matching the red elegant walls.
This home theater features a stylish black and gold color combination on both ceiling and walls. The carpet flooring looks perfect together with the theater seats.
A luxurious home theater featuring elegant walls with lights, along with a stunning ceiling.
This home theater boasts stylish blue carpet flooring matching the blue shade of the walls and ceiling lighted by a wall and recessed lights.
A large home theater with a nice set of theater seats lit by wall lights and recessed ceiling lighting.
The circular sofa set in this home theater offers a cozy and comfortable movie watch together with family and friends.
The red theater seats matching the red walls with stylish decors add elegance to this home theater setup.
A large home theater room with an elegant black and gold ceiling lighted by lovely recessed lights.
Large home theater with brown and white walls and ceiling, along with lovely carpet flooring and elegant black theater seats.
Large home theater featuring brown carpet flooring matching the brown shade on the walls lighted by wall lighting.
Simple yet classy home theater with white walls and floors topped by a large rug.
Contemporary home theater featuring stylish walls and stunning elegant black ceiling.
This home theater features very elegant walls and floors matching the stunning tray ceiling. The wall lights and recessed lighting look perfect for the room.
This home theater features a white ceiling and walls along with hardwood flooring. The theater seatings look so lovely.
Large home theater featuring black ceiling and red seating set on stylish carpet flooring.
This home theater boasts an elegant red and gold ceiling matching both walls and flooring. The wall lights and recessed lighting look very classy.
This stylish home theater boasts elegant black and white shade surrounding the room. The carpet flooring and elegant black leather seats look very classy.
The red finish of the walls and the red and gold combination of the carpet flooring make this home theater look so elegant.
This home theater boasts a stylish ceiling and red classy carpet flooring.
Large home theater featuring red walls, ceiling, and carpet flooring. The seats look very elegant and comfortable.
This home theater boasts elegant carpet flooring and a very stunning ceiling along with brown leather sectional theater seats.
This home theater features black and white shade for additional elegance and beige carpet flooring making the room look more classy.
The red finish of the walls and the red and gold combination of the carpet flooring make this home theater look so elegant.
White home theater equipped with black furniture set and rug.
A large home theater featuring white walls and ceiling along with a lovely set of sofa seats and a rug on top of the hardwood flooring.
This home theater boasts green walls and white walls. The carpet flooring looks perfect together with the theater seats.
Large home theater with stylish walls and elegant black ceiling. The hardwood flooring matches the walls.
Large home theater featuring a black elegant sofa set with beige walls and classy carpet flooring.
A highly stylish blue-themed home theater with very charming wall lights and ceiling lighting. The carpet flooring looks perfect together with the sofa set.
This home features a very elegant sofa set on top of the classy carpet flooring that looks perfect for this home theater.
A very modish home theater with gray walls and stylish floors, along with a perfectly placed set of theater seats.
Large home theater featuring cozy sofa set on top of the hardwood flooring.
A large home theater boasting classy walls and ceilings along with the hardwood flooring topped by a beautiful rug.
This home theater boasts black elegant theater seats in front of a stylish theater monitor set.
Large media room with white walls and floors matching the white sofa set under the stylish wooden ceiling.
A very charming home theater with stylish wooden walls and gray carpet flooring.
This home theater boasts an elegant black ceiling paired with brown walls and seats. The wall lights and recessed ceiling lighting looks perfect for this room.
Large home theater featuring classic movies wall decor set on the brown walls together with an elegant black ceiling lighted by recessed lights. The seats look unique and charming.
A rustic style home theater featuring classy walls and vaulted ceilings with exposed beams together with a modish set of theater seats.
Setting Up Your Home Theater/Media Room
Many people scoff at such a room, but truth be told, these once-reserved-for-luxury-homes rooms are becoming more and more commonplace. The technology, while still expensive, is in many ways accessible to more and more people.
Sure, some of the media rooms featured here cost more than $100,000, but you need not necessarily spend that much.
As the cost of going to the movies increases, more couples and families are choosing to rent movies at home. The average cost of going to the theater to watch a new release is $34.60 for a family of four, but that does not include snacks, which are often the most expensive part of the movie-going experience.
Instead of paying 50 dollars or more in the theater, many families are creating their movie theaters at home. Here are some home theater design ideas that could inspire one to create one of your own.
2 Types of Home Theaters
There are two different types. They are:
- Full-blown theater: This type has a screen and stadium seating giving you the “movie theater” experience. Very high end homes have these… but I can’t imagine those homeowners use these much.
- Media room (aka family room with awesome TV and sound system): This is by far the more popular option. These days with large-screen TVs, streaming services, and amazing sound systems, you can turn any family room into a fabulous media/TV viewing room. This is the avenue we took and love it.
A. Theater Needs
A home theater doesn’t need to be expensive to enjoy watching movies at home, but there are certain pieces of equipment that are necessary to create a home theater.
Home theater needs
- A projector or DVD player
- Wi-Fi for internet access
- Movie screen
- Sound System
- Soundproofing
- Comfortable Seating
Media room needs
- Large TV with DVD player attachment and/or ability to play streaming services.
- Comfortable seating
- Sound system
1. Set a Budget
Before you begin shopping for equipment that will bring the cinematic experience into your home, you should set a budget for your theater. The sound system, which will be one of the most expensive pieces of equipment, costs an average of $969. However, a nice system can cost up to $8,000, so you could spend a lot more unless sticking to a budget.
2. Consider Your Needs
Not everyone is going to need a professional screening room like a home theater system in their house. For many families, a room with a large flat-screen television, a sectional, and internet access for renting movies may be sufficient. However, if movies are your passion, then you may want a more elaborate room for enjoying them with friends and family.
3. Where to Shop for Equipment
There are many “big box” electronic stores where you can purchase home theater systems, but the employees in those stores may not be very knowledgeable about them. Instead, a local electronics store specializing in home theater systems will have employees who can recommend a system for your home.
Your best option for the ultimate home theater is to commission an AV design and installation company. I have a friend who is a project manager for such a company that serves commercial premises and private residences and the home theaters they design and build are amazing.
Many of these stores send out people to evaluate the room where you are creating the theater to recommend a projector, sound system, and movie screen. While you may pay more than the discount stores, you can usually get better advice and equipment.
4. Theater Location
The room in which you install the equipment is a crucial decision. You’ll want a room where the light is easy to block if you’re going to watch movies during the day. Also, it should be large enough to accommodate your family and guests who you invite over for a movie night.
A finished basement or a family room with few windows is a good choice for a movie theater. If you have an apartment or smaller home, you can still add a theatrical system, but on a smaller scale.
B. Choosing Equipment
The quality of sound and the picture will depend on the type of equipment you choose for the home theater. Use this information for buying equipment when choosing from home theater design ideas.
1. Video Source
In order to watch a movie, you will need a good source for them. While many people have DVD collections, you can also watch movies from internet websites like Netflix, Hulu, or one of the many other entertainment websites online.
a. Projectors
Instead of watching movies on a flat-screen television, you can purchase a projector to hook up to a DVD, a cable connection, or to an antenna for receiving broadcast signals. Some projectors also have built-in Wi-Fi so that they can project movies from internet sources.
Even though they provide a real cinematic experience, home theater projectors can be expensive. The cost of a decent projector starts at $1,000. The cost depends on the features of the projector and the type you need.
To help you choose the right one, you should purchase a projector from a store that specializes in home theater equipment. They have the knowledge you will need to choose the right projector for your theater room.
b. Streaming
Today’s TVs offer access to most streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon plus your provider’s on-demand options. We use Netflix and on-demand and love it. While we don’t have a full-blown media room, we have a 65″ TV with Bose sound system that is awesome.
2. Video Screens
If you choose to buy a projector, then you will need a video screen for watching the videos you select. Video screens come in many sizes, from room-size screens to small portable ones you can put away after watching a movie with the family.
Along with white screens on which videos can be projected, there are also electronic projection screens for home theater systems. The type of screen that you choose will depend on whether you’re projecting two-dimensional images or 3D ones.
While electronic screens will need to be installed a wall or put in a cabinet, a manual or motorized white screen can be hidden in a cassette when not in use. The cassette can be installed from the ceiling or on the wall, depending on its size.
Being able to hide the screen allows you to use the room for more than one purpose. For instance, you can install a home theater system in the family room and hide the equipment when not showing videos. Home theater screens can cost as little as $300, or they can run over $20,000 depending on what you need.
Large Screen TV
Even if I had the money, I wouldn’t build a home theater with a screen. I’d prefer a media room with awesome sofas and armchairs with an 85″ TV. My AV pro buddy has a projector and it’s a hassle to set up. For him, it’s easy because that’s what he does for work, but for me, it would be a nightmare. Just give me a huge TV and a comfy sectional sofa or plush chair and I’m good to go.
3. Home Theater Sound System
Whether you buy a projector and video screen or create a home theater using a flat-screen television and Wi-Fi, you’ll need a good sound system. Wire connections are no longer necessary for sound systems thanks to new technology. If you don’t want to stretch wires across the room, then a wireless sound system may be a good choice.
However, to work correctly, a wireless system still needs a transmitter with a direct connection to the source of the sound. Otherwise, you will need to buy a wired system to get a theatrical-like sound from the speakers.
There are many home theater sound systems that come with everything you need, so you don’t have to buy a separate transmitter or speakers. However, unless you understand aspect ratios and know how to hook electronics together so they work, you should get help buying and installing a home theater system.
4. Soundproofing
One of the non-technical aspects of your home theater will be soundproofing the room. Along with keeping sound inside of the room, you will need soundproofing to keep outdoor sounds from filtering into it. After all, who wants their movie interrupted by passing trucks or barking dogs?
There are many ways to soundproof a room, including using noise-dampening curtains alongside the video screen, as well as covering any windows there may be. The carpet and the fabric of the furniture will also help to absorb some of the sounds.
Instead of installing a typical interior door, which usually has hollow cores, for your theater, install a door that has soundproofing insulation in its core. Weather-stripping the door and the windows will also help keep out sound, as well as keep it in the room when watching a video or TV show.
If your home theater is in the basement, use acoustic ceiling tiles to help absorb sounds. If the room is on the main level of the house, then you can have sound-dampening drywall, also called zero sound drywall, put up during the theater’s construction.
All these product options and efforts to reduce sound should keep the theatrical sounds in the room while keeping other noises out of it.
5. Home Theater Seating Ideas
Lastly, you will want to add furniture that is conducive to watching a good movie. You will find many seating choices when researching home theater design ideas.
a. Reclining Furniture
A reclining chair or sofa allows users to lean back and prop up their feet while watching a film. It wasn’t that long ago when the only reclining furniture you could buy was a chair, but now you can buy reclining:
- Sofas
- Loveseats
- Sectionals
- Lift chairs
- Massage chairs
- Connected theater armchairs
Recliners can hug the wall, which is a good choice for smaller rooms as they take up less space, or you can choose from rocker recliners. Reclining furniture is available in a wide array of fabrics, colors, and patterns, so it will suit any design aesthetic.
b. Home Theater Seats
If you want to create a replica of a real theater in your home, then you need to buy home theater seats to complete the picture. Most home theater seating is contemporary in design, which is a popular choice for most home theaters according to a recent survey. Out of over 39,000 home theaters in the survey, 11.4% of them used contemporary furniture designs.
Home theater seating consists of three to four chairs made as one unit, some of which recline. However, separate chairs and chaise lounges are available for your home theater as well. Some theater seating has cup holders built in, as well as trays, and storage for blankets, pillows, and other items you may deem necessary for your comfort.
c. Fabric Choices
Like other types of furniture, you will have several fabric and color options for home theater seating. While vinyl and leather are popular options because they are easier to clean in case of drink spills, they are also available in a wide variety of soft fabrics. You will even find seating with velveteen material for a comfortably soft, plush surface.
d. Measure Space
When creating a home theater, you may want to accommodate several people and add rows of chairs like you would find in a real movie theater. If the room is large enough, you can elevate a second and third row of chairs on platforms to make it easier to see over people sitting in front of you.
To make sure there is room for someone to walk past the chairs in the row, create aisles that measure 18” to 24” in the front and back of each row of seats. Most home theater seating is large, so the aisle depth will ensure people can easily walk down the aisle when going to get another drink or some popcorn.
C. Small Home Theater Space
If you don’t have a huge dedicated space for a home theater, that doesn’t mean you can’t have one. You can easily create a small home theater from an unused bedroom, home office, or extra space in the bedroom.
Examples of small home theaters for small rooms
A perfect example of a bedroom converted to a home theater or a small space in the basement.
If you don’t have a large room to put a cinematic type of home theater, there are still many ways to design a home theater from which you can draw inspiration. A sectional is a good choice for a small home theater because it is comfortable and can accommodate several people. During a family movie night, everyone can cuddle together under blankets on the sectional.
Small Home Theater Seating
- A traditional sofa and loveseat set is also practical for a home theater in an apartment or a small house.
- If you have kids, they could sit on bean bags if there isn’t space on the sofa or loveseat.
- Large pillows on the floor would also make comfortable seating for people who like to stretch out on the floor while watching a movie.
- Small sectional sofa will do the job.
- 2-chair recliners are available as well.
D. How to Build and Set Up a Home Theater
Sure, you can hire a professional team to design and build a home theater, but you can also do it yourself. The room itself isn’t all that complicated, but you must be mindful of sound insulation. The hardest part is wiring it properly and getting all the electronics connected.
IMPORTANT: It’s important the room be properly wired which means consulting or hiring an electrician.
Design: The starting point is designing your home theater… with software or hiring a firm to do it or just winging it.
How to soundproof your media room
It would be a shame to invest in this type of room and fail to soundproof it properly. Here’s a great video on how to soundproof your home theater.
E. Outdoor Theaters
While the drive-in theater is almost a thing of the past, you can easily create an outdoor theater of your own. For around $200, you can buy an inflatable projection screen for watching movies outdoors.
The screen connects to a projector to display the video and speakers to be able to hear the sound. Most inflatable screens are easy to set up and connect to a system, so you shouldn’t need too much technical help picking one out and setting it up.
Use an outdoor theater to show movies during a barbeque, when celebrating a special anniversary, or for a children’s camping adventure. Everyone can bring their camping or folding chairs and enjoy a night watching movies under the stars as they did at the drive-in.
Conclusion
There are many home theater design ideas online that you can use to create a theater in your house or apartment. Along with furniture ideas. You can also read about the equipment that is necessary for showing movies on large screens or the accessories you can buy for your flat screen to create a theatrical-like experience in the family room.
If you don’t understand the technical aspects of buying and installing the equipment, seek out experts to get their help in creating the perfect theatrical experience at home.
