Creating a Theater Room in Your Property

When thinking about the amenities we wanted to offer at Loudoun Escape, creating a theater room was high on the list. It’s a fun offering that appeals both to vacationing families and business travelers looking to unwind after a full day of meetings.

There are many choices of professionals who will build a theater room for you by determining the optimal size and position of your theater seating and risers to sourcing and installing the TV and sound system. I reached out to some local ones for estimates. In the end, though, the quotes I received seemed quite expensive for what was being provided.

I decided to DIY it.

Creating a Theater Room: How To Do It Yourself

It turns out that creating a theater room for your property is not rocket science. But you have to do your research.

An in-home theater room consists of the screen, video and sound system, and the seating. You don’t need that many components, but it’s very important to choose the right ones. 

I put in a lot of research time before settling on my design and equipment selections. I thought my picks might be helpful to others who want to build a theater room, so I’m including links below.

Creating a Theater Room: Choosing Elements

We installed the theater room in 2019, during our general basement improvements. It’s right next to the poker area that we added earlier. The home theater, poker area and upstairs pool table are all part of my vision for a professional, luxury short-term rental where guests can relax in comfort.

I carefully considered the size of the basement before deciding on the theater design. My goal was to provide the maximum possible seating without overwhelming the area.

I worked with my team and our handyman companies to measure and remeasure the space. After we had all done our own measurements, I thoroughly researched solutions in the sizes and dimensions I wanted.

Finally, I purchased these items:

Creating a Theater Room: Equipment Choices

1. Two black SoundRight 7″ riser platform: I chose the ones that were 50″ wide x 70″ long x 7″ high. I needed two of these to be able to accommodate two rows.
2. Two rows of Seatcraft Rialto Theater Seats: I chose manual recline over power recline, and these work very well. I consider power recline a nice-to-have feature, as opposed to a need-to-have feature. Power recline also means additional work in finding outlets, and comes with potential complications and risks. Power cables need to be securely tucked away so someone doesn’t trip on them. Motors can burn out.
   
   I chose rows of three seats. Two of the seats are arranged loveseat-style, with no armrest between them. The third seat in each row is separated from the loveseat by an armrest. This allows some seating versatility. For example, if you have small children, you can often fit three of them in the loveseat instead of two. One of the rows has the loveseat on the left, and the other has it on the right, to alternate the groupings. 
3. 75″ Samsung TV and wall-mountable Samsung soundbar: The soundbar integrates immediately into the TV and works right away.

I’m very happy with how this came together, and our guests love it, too.  Many of them have mentioned the basement in general, or the theater in particular, in their reviews of our property.

Creating a Theater Room: Recommendations

Take your time measuring and planning out the seating and component placement for your theater room.

Do your research when choosing a company to order from. I spoke with the company online extensively and looked for happy customer reviews. I took a chance by ordering online, but I found the seat and riser measurements from the website to be very accurate.

Book Your Stay With Us

Would you love a killer home theater system and other luxury amenities in your next vacation rental? Loudoun Escape is convenient to Washington D.C., the Blue Ridge Mountains, hiking trails, and area wineries and breweries. 

Contact us if you have any questions or would like to book a stay and take advantage of our existing nightly rate discounts.