New Homes & Lifestyles

That's Entertainment! Custom Home Theaters

By Bobby Bala
Photography courtesy of Elite Home Theater Seating

With the cost of a movie theater ticket averaging $10 to $16, and most professional sporting event tickets outrageously high, many families are opting to invest in what was once considered an extravagant luxury: a custom home theater where they can entertain on their own terms.

The most commonly held misconception about a home theater setup is that to include one in your house simply translates into a room full of “toys for big boys.” This is not true. These days, home theater products mainly cater to entire families and their friends. Everything from wall decor to seating design, to user-friendliness of controls, and integration of gaming systems for everyone’s enjoyment is available to create an experience that is fun and flexible for years to come.

To get started, there are a few questions a homeowner must first answer to successfully create a home theater to suit their individual needs:

 What is the approximate budget for the entire project?
 Do you want the most technologically advanced system available or would you rather stick with proven technology—or is user-friendly interface the most important factor?
 Will this be a dedicated space for watching video or movies—or will there be other activities within the home theater room?
 Is there interest in any level of customization or theme?

Themed Design
A mutual understanding of the homeowner’s goals is a necessary starting point. From there, the home theater designer and client can discuss industry trends, a full suite of options and upgrades, and can come to an agreement on how to move forward together. It is important to define the functionality of the room. Some home theaters are dedicated for movie watching, while others can double as a lounge or games room.

In addition, themed theaters are becoming tremendously popular. People want that “wow” factor when their friends walk into their home theater. For example, Elite Home Theater Seating is now working on a “Bat Cave” theme theater to coincide with the summer release of the upcoming summer blockbuster film “The Dark Knight”. Other popular themed theaters have included those inspired by the movie “300,“ a Roman theme based on the movie “Gladiator,” and a look reminiscent of “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Once a formal budget has been designated by the homeowner, the most ideal situation is having the home theater room designed from scratch. Whether incorporated into a home remodel or a new home plan, this allows the homeowner and designer to carefully consider factors such as the area that will be required for seating, viewing distances and angles, and room acoustics.

For those not starting off with new construction, a dedicated home theater is often built in converted bedrooms, dens or attics with each location option presenting different challenges that any good designer can manage in conjunction with the client. Luckily many technologies have been developed to compensate (at least in part) for less-than-perfect room characteristics.

When choosing what components to buy for a custom home theater, these considerations need to be discussed with and agreed to by the client and determined in part by budget. Based on the client’s goals—if they want the most advanced technology, then there needs to be a discussion about compatibility issues, future-proofing, maintenance, and user-friendliness. If the homeowner is cost-conscious, then the discussion turns to sacrifices in performance and whether they are willing to accept them.

At present time, innovations in technology for home theaters are exciting. Although video technology seems to be getting most of the attention these days (projectors and screens) from the media, audio technology is definitely the next frontier for improved home theater experiences.

For progressive clients, companies like Crowson Technology and d-Box integrate Motion Actuators into seating for a visceral effect that takes the movie experience to a whole new level of immersion. It should be noted, organizing wires and cables is an art form unto itself and in larger projects, a practical necessity in order to facilitate future maintenance or calibration. Zip ties are ubiquitous, and conduit (“smurf tubing”) is a godsend. There are also great products for hiding wires within crown moulding and other standard room fixtures.

When it comes to seating choices, usually it is the homeowner that makes the final choice since seating is fully customizable and there are endless choices and configurations available. Most high-end home theaters would be best described as having a modern European, contemporary style vs. the typical overstuffed seating that is usually made overseas.

Have a Seat
Seating’s significance in a home theater is often underestimated. In a good home theater, a homeowner should expect to spend hundreds of hours of enjoyment in that room. Where will that enjoyment be happening? While you are sitting in the theater seating. No amount of audio or video technology will compensate for an uncomfortable or improperly designed chair.

Proper ergonomic support, available seating angles, foam densities and durable construction all play a significant role in the “success” of home theater seating. A true theater chair must provide comfort and support for hours on end so that the viewer can escape into the world that they are watching. Most people can relate to a typical outing to their local movie theater where they are shifting and adjusting in their seat trying to get comfortable because of pressure buildup in the lower back. This prevents them from fully escaping into that fantasy world the screen provides. It is recommended that 20-30 percent of the theater budget be dedicated to seating and seating-related accessories.

Overall, the best words of advice when it comes to a home theater are: Don’t get too caught up in the hype. The home theater industry, like any other is prone to trends and technologies that might look great on paper but ultimately fall short in practical terms.

Work with a designer who is willing to understand your goals and who will show you multiple options which you may not have been aware of previously. Long term client satisfaction should be your chosen designer’s primary goal. Many progressive technologies are not as exorbitantly expensive as you might think, so make sure to ask what else is out there to improve the system, either now or in the future. And make sure to use the necessary forethought (like running extra wire) to cover all your future bases.


Bobby Bala is the CEO and Founder of Elite Home Theater Seating, a manufacturer of custom home theater seating. The company’s “Themed Theater” division designs unique and high-end custom home theaters for clients around the world. For more information, visit www.elitehts.com.