At one time, if you mentioned that you had a home theatre, it probably meant little more than having a room dedicated to watching TV and movies, with a large screen and surround sound. It would certainly have been a step up from the average family’s TV room, but in many cases, it hardly matched the concept of a theatre.
Over the years, home theatres have become larger, more elaborate, and much more creative. They can become expressions of the homeowner’s interests and passions. In many cases, creating a home theatre is as much about the room itself as the entertainment enjoyed there.
Those who invest in a home theatre want the best viewing experience possible and tend to put a lot of thought into these rooms. It is not uncommon for owners to want to show off a little bit when guests come to call.
If you are considering adding an entertainment room to your home, you may be wondering about some of the current top current home theater trends are. If so, keep reading!
Themed Home Theaters
Sometimes, you want your home theatre to be more than just a room to watch TV and movies. Themed rooms are one of the newest home theater trends. In fact, many home theatre owners have specific visions in mind when they set out to build their entertainment room. Some may want to recreate old-time, 1920s-style movie palaces, complete with chandeliers and wall lamps. Others might want to create a more modern movie theatre experience and seek complete accuracy by installing a concession stand complete with soda fountains and popcorn machines.
The theme of your home theatre can be virtually anything you desire. Science fiction aficionados may recreate the bridge from the starship Enterprise, with movies projected on the ship’s main viewscreen. Superhero fans might choose to watch their movies in the Batcave or Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. Less elaborate, but still impressive home theatres might belong to those with a sense of nostalgia and a desire for a return to simpler days, taking the form of a 50s diner.
Your imagination is truly the limit.
Over the years, we here at Elite HTS have helped to design and coordinate many themed home theaters. Our famous Batcave Home Theater is a good place to start if you’re looking for some more theme inspiration! Last year we were also proud to feature this guitar-themed home cinema.
Ceiling or Wall Speakers
Those with limited space, or simply a desire for a clean look, may favor the use of in-ceiling and in-wall speakers. The built-in speakers free up floor space and keep all wiring neatly hidden, allowing for high-quality surround sound without the need for bulky speakers taking up valuable space. Improving sound technology and more options means ceiling or wall speakers are one of the newest home theater trends. Well-placed speakers can make your movie viewing a much more immersive experience, making you feel like you have truly brought the movie theatre (and the movie!) into your home. You can also read our full guide on home cinema surround sound setup ideas here.
LED Video Walls
Although many are unfamiliar with video walls, they are not new technology. They have been in use for many years on outdoor screens, though they have traditionally lacked the resolution desired for indoor displays. Today’s LED walls offer vibrant colors and high-definition viewing. Some advantages of LED walls include enhanced brightness, better viewing angles, superior blacks to most LCD displays, and longer estimated lifespans than typical LCD displays. Some of the disadvantages include the potential need for wall reinforcement to support them and the fact that manufacturers of less expensive video walls sometimes fail to provide adequate shielding for the displays, meaning that they can emit RF energy that could disrupt wireless networking in their proximity.
Still, LED walls are gaining in popularity. A little research will show if they are right for you.
Voice Control in your Home Cinema
In the age of Alexa and Siri, voice control has grown popular, with 60% of smartphone users have used voice search at least once in the last 12 months and 55% of teens using it on a daily basis. Voice-based shopping is expected to reach $40 billion by 2022.
All this goes to show that voice control is becoming increasingly popular and being used in more situations. Even game systems have limited voice control options, as do other appliances in the home. What better way to make use of your Star Trek-themed Enterprise bridge theatre to command “Computer: play film!”
It also solves the recurring problem of the frequently disappearing remote control.
Hybrid Rooms
Home theatres have often been designed exclusively for the watching of films, hence the “theatre” in the name. These rooms were often made to be as dark as a movie theatre, with light kept out via heavy window treatments, or perhaps the room had no windows to begin with. But today, many are seeing the advantage of having a multi-purpose entertainment room.
Perhaps the most obvious secondary use for your home theatre is as a video game room. The large screen and superior audio lend themselves quite well to modern gaming, but other types of games might prove popular. Adding a pool table is certainly an option.
Your home theatre might also work well as a room for entertaining, listening to music, practicing yoga, and more.
4D
While most people are familiar with 3D, fewer are aware of 4D, which seeks to bring other senses into the viewing experience. You may have encountered 4D in amusement parks, or even some Lego stores. Essentially, 4D adds a new element to your 3D viewing by integrating moving seats, wind effects, scents, and more to accompany scenes in a movie. For example, a rainy scene might be accompanied by a light mist of water in the theatre. Think Rocky Horror Picture Show, but without viewers needing to bring their water guns.
Endless Options
Your home theatre can be as unique as you are. It is an innovative area, and there are always new home theater trends to keep up with and evaluate. Whether you choose to go with something incredibly elaborate or relatively simple is up to you, but whatever you choose, remember that a large part of your viewing enjoyment comes from comfortable seating. Being able to sit back and relax in your own media room seating adds that final touch to the experience.
At Elite HTS, we can craft the seats you need to match your vision of a perfect home theatre. Give us a call today to learn more!