Designing a comfortable, stylish media room that meets the needs of family and friends can be done – in a modest to pull-out-all-the-stops way.
Vinete Chamberlin, a local furnishings sales consultant, has tips on how to create a media room that fits your budget and reflects your home's personality.
Assess your space and placement of your technology
Determine the dimensions of your room, Chamberlin advises, and placement of the television, DVD or Blu-Ray players and more, and how they will be displayed.
Estimate how much seating the space will permit and where it will be situated
Seating can greatly enhance – or limit – a family member's or guest's enjoyment of the overall media experience so it deserves a bit of consideration.
"I would design with a fabric sofa, loveseat and chair for a more modest budget," Chamberlin said, adding that a table and lamp also could be introduced. "For a middle-ground approach, one of the pieces could be upholstered in bonded leather or top-grain leather, or the chair could recline, swivel or rock."
Media consoles, placed between chairs, can provide a convenient place for drinks and snacks and storage for remotes.
For something beyond the traditional sofa, loveseat and chair, sectional sofas are popular for media room designs.
At the high end
For the ultimate viewing experience, there are cinema-row-like, padded premium fabric or leather reclining seats with built-in cup holders – some even coming with lights.
Beneath it all
Don't ignore the floor. You'll want to layer in texture, color and style via an area rug. It adds lift, depth, color and pizzazz, and ties the room together.
Get more tips for your media room from the Morris Home Furnishings blog.
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