How Can You Optimize the Seating in Your Home Theater?

Furnishings Play as Big a Part as AV in Your Overall Viewing Experience

As you envision your dream home theater, you’re likely focusing on that huge projector screen and the powerful speakers surrounding you. Since it’s going to be the focus of the room, it’s no surprise the AV equipment takes center stage from the start. Seating takes a back seat, no pun intended, even though the type and positioning you choose may be the most crucial part of your installation. 

Everyone is likely going to give you an opinion on where to place your speakers, but what about the ideal layout for your seats and rows? Specs for your speakers and display abound, but how do you know which fabric, size, or model of home theater furnishing is the best fit for your Cummings, GA space? We’ll guide you through the process to help you create the ultimate viewing environment.

SEE MORE: 4 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Your new Home Entertainment System

Start with Your Seating Layout

Let your seating be the guiding force of your home theater design. Lay out your seating based on the number of people you want to include and the size of the room. There needs to be enough space for all chairs and for people to recline and move around freely.

How do you know the best placement for your seats? Loungers or sofas should be placed away from walls since that’s where you’ll get more sound — particularly bass — building up. Whichever you install first (AV or seating), it’s important both aspects work with each other. Avoid seats that are too close to speakers or those that don’t have a direct view of the display. If you have rows, consider the positioning of the seats. Go with alternating seating (like the picture above) to ensure everyone has a clear view or have your architect or builder create a raised stadium seating environment.

What Type of Seating Should You Use?

A lot of seating factors affect your home theater performance. Do you have a smaller space? Larger lounges or recliners will crowd up the room and cause interference with the sound.

Avoid furnishings with high headrests since they’ll muffle the sound and block the view of those behind you. Softer materials like plush over leather also help sound from bouncing around the room.

Nothing will matter more in the end, though, than comfort. During day-long Netflix marathons, it’s likely the comfort of the seat will matter a lot more in the long run than some slight improvements in sound. 

Let us know how you plan on using your theater, and that’ll help us decide the ideal model for you. Are you going to be watching primarily with family? Having a lounge where you can cuddle up together may be ideal. What if you plan on hosting a lot of friends and family? They may be more comfortable using individual recliners.

Don’t Forget the Bonus Features!

Home theater furnishings have some cool features you may want to consider. A lot of high-end models offer light-up cup holders, massages, wine glass caddies, built-in-speakers, and even tablet or smartphone holders. The latter is great if you’re incorporating a Control4 system to run the theater since you’ll have easy access to all your technology. When it comes to home theater furnishings, it’s all about striking a balance between comfort and performance. With high-end models and expert installers, it’s not hard to do! Want to learn more about the role furnishings should play in your home theater installation? Just call us at 1-404-THEATER or fill out our contact form.