Entering a beautiful hall, slowly sink into a comfortable armchair and detach from the world for a couple of hours thanks to the magic of cinema - these are the feelings that a properly equipped and decorated home cinema gives the owners. But it is very difficult to achieve the perfect balance so that the hall pleases not only with a pleasant finish, but also with a gorgeous picture with the correct clear sound. In our company, several people are working on this task at once: the customer, the designer, the acoustics specialist and the AB-architect.
It is especially important that the cinema is home. This word already creates an idea of something as familiar and cozy as other rooms in the house, so modern technology in this room should be combined with comfort and beauty.
What to use for home theater decoration
We have already found out that a home cinema is a harmonious continuation of other living rooms. This means that for its decoration you can and should use the same materials as in the rest of the house. Walls can be covered with paint or wallpaper, carpet, parquet or laminate can be laid on the floor. Hang sconces on the walls or build in special lamps. Paint ceilings or order stretch ceilings. There are no restrictions at all in the decoration of the hall: luxurious furniture reminiscent of the secular living rooms of past centuries, or the restrained interior of a Gothic castle, paintings by modern masters or long-recognized artists, graceful tapestries or fanciful bas-reliefs - any fantasy has the right to be embodied.
However, you need to correctly and accurately select the design and take into account the features of each piece of furniture, which we will talk about later.
Basic requirements for finishing
The main rule of home cinema decoration is to maintain a balance. It is important not to be mistaken with the placement of special acoustic panels to absorb or dissipate sound. They look very peculiar, so they will most likely have to be hidden behind a special sound-permeable fabric. It is necessary to carefully distribute hard surfaces throughout the hall that will reflect sound. If you neglect this point, you can end up with not very pleasant "special effects" like a fluttering echo. Wherever possible, absorbent panels can be replaced with panels of similar acoustic properties. For example, our company uses BonitaCasa perforated acoustic veneer panels in wood finishing.
You should not finish the cinema room with shiny glossy surfaces and you should not use mirrors. Reflections distract from what is happening on the screen and do not allow you to fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the film. You should also avoid glaring walls and ceilings, as well as noticeable massive decorative elements near the screen itself - this also distracts from the narrative!
Basic principles of rough finishing
Have you heard the rattling of a spoon in a glass of tea when you are on the train? On the road, this sound is well combined with the uniform clatter of wheels, it is good to think about the past or the future under it and look at the landscapes changing outside the window. But it is impossible to contain the irritation when the same sound appears in the audience while watching a movie. The reason may be insufficiently rigidly fixed decorative elements of decoration, such as sconces or stucco molding, which at some point come into resonance with the soundtrack of the film. This nuisance can blur the impression of even the most grossing blockbuster or sophisticated art house, in which the shortest glance and subtle sound can be powerful artistic techniques.
To damp unwanted vibrations of finishing elements, special damping materials can be used as gaskets between different parts: NoiseBlock 2A, acoustic foam, polyurethane sealants. Also, after the completion of all installation and finishing work, it is advisable to drive a special sinusoidal signal in the range from 10 to 5000 Hz through the audio system of the cinema - the most dangerous frequencies in the resonant sense.
What to use
Let's figure out what materials are desirable to use in the decoration of the cinema in order to get the most pleasure from watching films:
- Choose the darkest colors possible for all trim elements, especially around the projection screen;
- Lay a rug or carpet with a long pile and underlayment on the floor;
- Buy fabric panels that will cover acoustic work surfaces, especially on the ceiling. There should be at least 10 centimeters of work space behind the fabric;
- Hang perforated matt wood acoustic panels;
- Use uneven embossed surfaces like decorative stone;
- In a special way, "break" the geometry of the ceiling and walls for better sound reflection.
Major decoration mistakes
- All decor elements are made in light colors;
- There are glare surfaces near the screen;
- The floor is covered with tiles, laminate and other hard materials that reflect sound;
- There are large surfaces without acoustic treatment: walls with wallpaper, simple wood panels, etc.;
- A flat ceiling that cannot be part of the hall speaker system;
- Using acoustically opaque fabrics;
- Excessive sound-absorbing materials;
- Improper use of decorative acoustic panels;
- Cupboards and shelves with glassware (yes, your favorite wine bar, unfortunately, will have to be moved);
- Pictures behind glass.