I have been lurking here for years and finally the wife and I have purchased a house that has enough room for a dedicated HT room. The basement is already framed and wired for electric, but I am concerned none of the existing framed rooms will be appropriate. Originally we were looking at using the 37'x11'6" room (B), however I think that it will be like a tunnel. So after speaking with the wife, we came up with a seperate plan. Do you guys think that this will work or could you guys possibly give me a few other options. I would like to have enough seating for at least 8, more if possible. We through around the option of putting dry bar in the back for fun. Well, this is the beginning, I would love to hear the input from you guys on this journey that I have been waiting forever to finally have the opportunity to do. Thanks again.

Current Layout
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/sneuki82/Basementlayoutandpics_Page_1.jpg

Proposed Layout
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/sneuki82/Basementlayoutandpics_Page_2.jpg

Photo from Room B
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/sneuki82/Picture419-1.jpg

Photos from Room A looking into room B
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/sneuki82/Picture415-1.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/sneuki82/Picture413-1.jpg

Partial photo of room A from stairs
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/sneuki82/Picture412-1.jpg

Not quite sure what room you are considering in Plan B - is it one that would be 11'6" x 22' (guess)?

My room is 11' wide and I squeezed in 4 Berkline 088's.....3 would really be better suited.

So with about 22' you could maybe get front row of 3 and rear row of 4.

Or if the bigger area is up for grabs thats another story.

Cheers,
Mark

Ah yes, the dreaded stairway in the middle of the basement. I would like to have a serious talk with designers and let them know that putting a stairway in the middle is very bad, and please stop doing that (I had the same issue).

Your proposed layout looks much better than the original one. What would the dimensions of the room be? Ceiling height? Ductwork will be an issue - soffits? Possibility - dump the hallway between the stairs and the theater - gets you more width? Might not be practical, but it is the first thing that comes to mind.

I was looking at the combined space that I would take from room B and added to room A, I think that will give me the best overall size without getting Tunneled.

If I dump the hallway in the proposed plan, my guests will always have to walk through my room to get to the guest suite down stairs. Any other proposals with moving those walls aroud without a total revamp?

Where is your utility equipment in the utility room? If it is "north" (upwards in the diagram) then you could put the hallway on the opposite side of the stairway. On the guest room - how often do you have guests vs how often will you use the theater? It's your house, so I hope I don't come off as rude here, just some thoughts. If you go with the proposed, I would move the theater entry to the opposite end of that hallway - at the stairway landing.

Where is your utility equipment in the utility room? If it is "north" (upwards in the diagram) then you could put the hallway on the opposite side of the stairway. On the guest room - how often do you have guests vs how often will you use the theater? It's your house, so I hope I don't come off as rude here, just some thoughts. If you go with the proposed, I would move the theater entry to the opposite end of that hallway - at the stairway landing.

According to my wife Its my room, but its her house.... I wish it were my house... :p. Good thought anyways. Let me run that by her. Would you not want the entry in the rear of the room? maybe i am thinking the other way for the screen, good thought though.

Ah yes, the dreaded stairway in the middle of the basement. I would like to have a serious talk with designers and let them know that putting a stairway in the middle is very bad, and please stop doing that (I had the same issue).

Your proposed layout looks much better than the original one. What would the dimensions of the room be? Ceiling height? Ductwork will be an issue - soffits? Possibility - dump the hallway between the stairs and the theater - gets you more width? Might not be practical, but it is the first thing that comes to mind.

I like the idea of dumping the hallway, that makes the area under the stairs available for me to tuck equipment in. People wont be around that often, and I will just leave a doorway in the back of the room for the guest area. That will give me some much needed square footage.

Why do you think the wall is a possible load bearing wall?

Seems a shame to me to waste all those windows and daylight they give and place a dedicated theater there. I'm thinking room B's wall could be moved over a foot or two, judging by the where the stair ends. The ductwork in Room B could be contained in a soffit, and the drain line in a front column.

If the screen were located below the manifold area, and the manifold extended, then the ductwork running diagonal, could be rerouted down the outside side wall (and be hidden in a soffit). And you could use the space behind the screen location to hide your speakers and subs if you do an AT screen, or simply add that square footage into the furnance room.