Media rooms aren’t just for the wealthy. They’re for anyone who loves movies, TV, and sports and wants a spot to entertain in style. So, if you have a room without a purpose or a corner of your basement that could use a little tender loving care, a media room might just be the (movie) ticket.
From simple touches like sports area rugs for the rabid fan in your home to chic designs that include plush furniture and custom area rugs, the only limit to this room’s potential is your imagination. Here are a few fun ideas to get your project started.
Get the basics down – Most media rooms are pretty basic: a few places to sit around a large flat-screen TV or projection television. The hallmark of most of these rooms is a series of lounge chairs either lined up close to one another or stacked on a series of tiers. It’s easy to picture black leather here but you can choose more neutral tones if that’s not your thing. You’re also not locked into the idea of several loungers. A sectional sofa, a couple of couches and chairs, even just oversized pillows stacked up on large area rugs are a great way to get started.
Invite the girls – Just because it’s a room dedicated to media doesn’t mean it has to be manly. After all, women like movies just as much as men do! A palette of light blue and brown will make your home cinema ready for as many showings of “Bridesmaids” as you can stand. Choose beautiful contemporary area rugs in a blue and white pattern to lie over brown carpet. Curtains can take their cue from your rug with blue sheers over white drapes. Overstuffed couches and chaise lounges in micro suede blue and brown keep the theme going.
Have a bed in – What’s more fun than including a giant bed in your plans for a media room? Scrap the theatre seating and toss in a fun platform that guests can stretch out on. The easiest way to pull this off seems to be building a platform that would be elevated several inches off the floor. Lay a number of cheap twin-sized mattresses across your platform and then cover the whole thing with upholstery of your choice and staple underneath (note: you may have to put boards between them so you don’t have a sunken look where the mattresses meet). If having a huge bed just in front of your projection screen isn’t over-the-top cool enough, cover it with upholstery in bright, funky colors. Toss in a few throw pillows in varying colors and you’re ready to call it a night!
Go old school (really old school) – Many of us can’t remember the great old movie houses. The ones that had either once been live production theatres or were built as palaces to all things celluloid. These spaces were usually covered in a palette of red and gold with heavy velvet curtains and rich wood accents. Evoke this same reverent feeling by creating a “stage” for your projector screen or television. You’ll want to elevate it at least three feet off the floor and create a small stage for it underneath. Hang red drapes with gold accents at either side of your screen with a valance over top to cover the drapery’s hardware. For a dramatic effect, pull the curtains back at show time! Furnishings should be cushy but keep up the theatrical theme in heavy cherry or oak.
Camp out without going out — Bring the look of a rustic woodland retreat into your basement’s media room. Embrace that cave-like feeling with accents of stone and oak. If you already have exposed beams in the ceiling, stain them in an oak shade and paint the surrounded ceiling area in a tone reminiscent of slate. Cover pillars or support beams in the room with faux stone – you can find kits to help you do this at major home stores. These kits usually include a faux stone in variegated colors that’s made from a water-resistant polymer and can be cut with a hacksaw. Pieces attach using special glue. Loungers or couches should be brown leather to continue the rustic feel. Keep floors neutral to keep the place from feeling closed in.