home theatre

How to renovate your garage or loft to a cinema room

Building a home cinema room is an excellent idea if your family loves watching movies. A movie room allows you to enjoy a movie in its cinematic glory.

Building a home cinema room is an excellent idea if your family loves watching movies. A movie room allows you to enjoy a movie in its cinematic glory. It allows you to watch movies on a large screen, so you don’t miss any details while watching the latest releases. You can use a movie room to watch your favourite series on a large screen. It is the perfect way to entertain guests. You can also use a movie room to play video games with your children. It adds value to your home if you’re planning to sell it in the future.  

If you are planning to build a movie room, this article contains helpful tips and amazing ideas on how you can have a cinema room that will make you love watching movies even more.

cinema room

Useful tips on renovating your garage or loft to a cinema room

Dark paint

You might have noticed that cinemas use dark paint because it cuts down the light emitted by the projector and prevents light from bouncing around. If you plan to build a movie room on your next home renovation, stay away from light-coloured paint and go for dark tones like black, grey, burgundy, or dark brown. If you have the budget, you can line your walls with a dark-coloured carpet to achieve that feeling of being in a commercial movie house.  

Soundproofing

Movie producers spend a lot of money perfecting the way their movies sound, so invest in quality soundproofing to enjoy the movie’s score and sound effects. You can use acoustic foam to make your cinema room soundproof so the sounds outside the room won’t interfere with your viewing experience.  

In addition, invest in a good sound system so your family can enjoy the movie. During home renovation, make sure that you have the proper wiring to support a surround sound system for your movie room.  

Ventilation

Make sure that it’s comfortable in your movie room by properly ventilating it. You can use insulation to keep it cool during summer. You can also install an air-conditioning system, so everyone is comfortable even if the room gets crowded.  

cinema room
cinema room

Proper lighting

Proper lighting can help deliver an exceptional movie-watching experience, and you can start by installing light-dimming implements like shades or thick drapes. You can also improve lighting by installing dimming lights or pin lights to make your family feel as if they are inside a theatre.  

Cinema room design ideas for garage

Hidden home theatre

If you are still using your garage to store vehicles, a hidden home theatre is an excellent option. You can ask your home design expert to build wall-mounted housing for your home theatre that you can close when not in use. This kind of system can protect your home theatre system while ensuring that you have a functional garage. Another option is to install a projector screen you can pull down when you need it and pull up when not in use.  

Full garage conversion

If you plan to convert your garage into a full-time movie room, go all out and convert it into a mini theatre. You can install risers for everybody’s optimal viewing experience and accommodate more people. Invest in excellent insulation since garages often have thin walls and might be too hot during summer or let in sound that can ruin your viewing experience.  

home theatre

Build a snack bar

Nothing beats enjoying a movie or a sporting event while munching on your favourite snacks, so why not build a kitchenette in your movie room? You can use the kitchenette to prepare light snacks or mix refreshing drinks for your family. You need to work with a building designer during this home renovation project because it involves working with the plumbing and electrical systems of your garage.  

Cinema room design ideas for loft

Multipurpose loft

Lofts are functional spaces, and you can convert them into a combination movie room and home office to make the most out of your loft. You can build a pull-down desk to serve as your workspace when not using the loft for watching movies. A pull-down desk is easy to store when not in use and won’t get in the way of your viewing experience.  

Comfy home movie space

If you’re planning to use your loft as a full-time movie room, make it as comfortable as possible. You can install acoustic padding to prevent outside noises from getting in. The padding can also help make your loft warm enough during night-time movie marathons. If you want to make your loft a classy movie room, you can opt for padded upholstery to make it more acoustic while making the loft feel more cinema-like. You can also add a mini-bar to your movie room when watching sports events with friends.  

home theatre
home theatre

Homey movie room

If you want to enjoy your movies without feeling like you are in a generic commercial cinema house, make it as homey as possible. Start by installing carpet tiles on the floor to dampen the sound of walking. Instead of using acoustic padding, you can install heavy drapes to keep light from getting in. 

You can use comfy leather armchairs or sofas for seating family members. Another alternative is using bean bags as your movie room seats. Be sure to work with an expert draftsman during the home renovation because you want to make sure that your loft can support the added weight of your home theatre and seats.  

Conclusion

Watching movies is an excellent way to spend time with your family, but frequently going to the theatre can be expensive. Having a movie room is an excellent alternative and can save you money in the long run. A movie room also gives you the freedom to watch whatever title you want. You can also use a movie room to watch sports events or play video games. 

If you want to build a movie room during your next home renovation, then you’ll need the help of an expert to make sure you get things right. Dreamspace can connect you with an expert draftsman or building design expert to help you develop a movie room for your family. Dreamspace’s home design experts can help you pick a design that looks fantastic while delivering an exceptional cinematic experience. Sign up to Dreamspace today to get a free design quote and start building your home cinema room. 

Start planning now for free

Find more articles, guides and inspiration in the planning dashboard. Save them to your dream board, and start planning your dream space today.