How to Make a Home Movie Hall in Your Living Room

Last Updated on January 18, 2022 by Jonathan Lopez

While video conferencing may be the wave of the future, there’s still nothing quite like meeting in person with colleagues, business partners, and clients. Rather than leave your home office just to do this, though, you can convert part of your home into an informal movie hall where you can meet with people comfortably and naturally – and give them a little bit of extra pampering in the process! Here’s the most effective home modification tips to make your own home movie hall that you can use over and over again.

Choose your screen

A good place to start is with size: Go for as big as you can, but know that very large screens could take away from your viewing experience because of their exaggerated scale. Ideally, go for something big enough that it covers much of your field of vision. For example, 1.85 times bigger than your distance between your eyes (if you’re sitting 3 feet away from a TV and are 6 feet tall). With projector screens, think diagonal measurement; and with TVs, think height plus width divided by two. But if image clarity is more important than picture size—and especially if you’re considering mounting—make sure you check how much light comes out of each side of your screen before buying one.

Choose your seating

Since comfort is an important factor when choosing a couch or loveseat, be sure to try any furniture you buy out for at least half an hour. Sit on it, lay down on it and wiggle around for a bit. There should be no pressure points, and you shouldn’t feel like you need to stand up after sitting still for more than 5 minutes. If there are problems with pain or discomfort, move on. You can make minor changes with cushions later once your home movie hall is complete.

Choose your lights

Many projectors work best with particular light sources; if you’re using an LCD projector, look for full spectrum bulbs that can help recreate more natural colors. For front-projection systems, diffuse lights like room lamps or floor lamps (or mood lighting) are ideal for rear- and ceiling-projected images. However, it depends on how dark your room is and what feel you are going for.

Choose your audio

Selecting your audio system is one of the most important parts of building your home movie hall. If you have an existing sound system, you may need to upgrade or replace it. Or, if you don’t have any system at all, consider purchasing an inexpensive set of speakers and an amplifier until you can upgrade.

Play it all together

One of my favorite things about movies is sitting on my couch with friends or family, snuggled up under a blanket, and getting lost in whatever world has been created by actors, screenwriters, and directors. But what if you’re watching your favorite film and another family member wants attention?

Or your dog thinks it’s playtime? If you have room for it (and enough people who want to watch it), building a movie hall can turn any TV into an immersive experience that transports you from your living room to the action of your favorite flick. When I went looking for home theater design ideas, I found tons of interesting ways people had transformed their spaces into movie halls—some even include cool lighting tricks!

Author Bio

MARWOOD CONSTRUCTION is a high-end residential & commercial construction expert providing specialized general contracting services to clients in Houston, Texas. This licensed general contractor offers design-to-build services solutions for the most challenging new build and renovation needs. To learn more about this author, visit marwoodconstruction.com.