Before I even start, I want to thank everybody that contributes to this thread, because I know the membership here is very helpful. So, right upfront - A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!!!! While I am a newbie, I LOVE the AVS Forum - it is such a GREAT resource of knowledge and advice. So, I decided to start this build thread for advice and support, and I’m sure I will have lots more questions.
- Dennis

In building the Keystone theater, I would like to work with AVS suppliers and consultants such as Brian Pape, Reuben at SmX screens (love his theater build thread!), Soundood and Jason at AVS, and others I meet through the Forum. All advice and guidance will be very welcome from all members during the planning and building stages of this project!

I am planning to finish our daylight, walk-out basement, which is all cinder block and concrete slab right now. There are no walls or ceilings up yet – it’s a “blank canvas”. So since I am still in the planning stage, NOW is the time for suggestions and changes!!!

Here is a “first-draft” drawing of what I’ve come up with so far:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b225/MarkleyDrums/BasementPlan5.jpg

Design Ideas:
• Room calculator said 18’W x 24’L x 8’-6”H should be good (finished) dimensions for sound.
• Ceiling will be double drywall with some kind of “acoustic glue” between the sheets, mounted on RSC clips (or equivalent).
• We will utilize flexible seating arrangements to host groups from 2 to 32 people.
• 10 ft. wide SmX AT screen (or larger if the room will support it) with speakers behind it.
• “Widescreen” format screen (I am not familiar with all the various choices in aspect ratios).
• Fabric-covered acoustic treatments on the sidewalls on the theater side of the room.
• DIY Bass traps in front 2 corners, maybe designed into the one rear corner with the fireplace?
• Possibly a tray-type ceiling to house rope lighting and maybe the surrounds, angled down???
• The tray ceiling can also hold bass traps at the wall/ceiling corner
• Possibly a starfield ceiling on the theater side of the room.

I will need help in figuring out:
• Acoustic treatments for the space
• Screen size
• Necessary viewing distance from the screen
• Choosing a projector ($2,000 or less) and where it needs to be placed
• Surround Sound speaker placements – undecided on 5.1 or 7.1

The Constraints:
• The wife wants to leave the room as open as possible.
• With 2 young kids, the room will be somewhat multi-use, so a typical 4 wall, room-within-a-room “dedicated” theater is out.
• The wife has her mind set on wood flooring – although I convinced her to allow a (large) “area carpet” on the theater side of the room.
• There is a support pole right in the middle of the room. Not sure it can be moved, but I’m open to ideas.

Regardless of these constraints, I do want to put in an impressive theater in the space, as “dedicated” as possible within these constraints. I understand some compromise and creativity will be involved!

What do the experts think? Is this a workable layout?

Oh, and BTW, I'm calling this the Keystone Theater because we live in Pennsylvania - the Keystone State!

61 views and no comments???

hehe.........i have a completely blank canvas and can't get input. but i will figure it out! good luck.

I'm in the starting stages too. I can't help but notice all the comments about what the wife wants. What do you want? Do you want a dedicated room? I sure do, especially with 2 kids running around. I can't wait to finally have a place to go that is just for me and friends.

I have two young children also and will be building a dedicated space simply to help keep the sound in the room as much as possible. I figure I will get the most use out of the room when the kids are sleeping for the first few years.

Not that I'm an expert...but like the few others have mentioned, wouldn't it be nice to have the room "dedicated" so that you can go there sans kids? Or even go there WITH the kids! What if you were to have your screen wall on the left exterior wall (the 13'5" wall) and where it says "this is not a wall", put a wall with your entry in the rear by the stairs? Your space would be 13'5 X 19'9" which is a fairly nice sized room with possibly 2 rows?

Just a suggestion! I am currently building a dedicated HT in my basement, measures 15'3" X 18'8". We have 6 children ranging in age from 13 down to twin 2 year olds. I can't wait to go down there for some "private" time when they're all in bed or when we have friends over! Your kids won't be small for long!

Good luck! Hope you don't mind my 2 cents!

BTW, where are you in PA? We're in Chester County!

markley... i would try to come up with a plan to 'dedicate' the theater. i think the fact that the room is open will introduce unwanted glares from windows/lights, thus taking away from movie enjoyment. yes it costly, but worth it in the end.

I won't be able to convince my wife to do a "room-in-room" dedicated theater (I've tried already), but to be honest, I think we will all enjoy the openness of one large room. I want to have both, I guess! I know its a challenge, but I'm sure we can come up with a great solution with the forum's help. :)

After doing some more thinking, I moved the screen wall to the the long part of the room. This avoids having the support pole right in the middle of the room, and allows for more seating further back from the screen:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b225/MarkleyDrums/BasementPlan6.jpg

The downsides are, no wall on the right side of the screen, and lots of windows and glass doors on the left. I'll have to cover those with blackout shades during movies. Maybe a motorized shade system would be cool... Also, I'm not sure, but I think the air ducts might be in the way, and may need to be moved...

I'm thinking about placing the surrounds and rears in the ceiling, using Triad in-ceiling Silver 6 monitors:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b225/MarkleyDrums/icsilver6monitor.jpg

What do you guys think????????

looks great. i like the open feel of a room also. i just want the best viewing environment in my theater, that's why i'm going with a detached, dedicated building. i can make it as big as i want so i don't feel like i'm in a cave. if i had to do it in a existing basement, it would be hard for me to close it up also. again, looking good and good luck.

How about some motorized curtains that would close off the theater from the kitchenette and the room to the right of the theater. It would feel like you are in a dedicated theater when you choose to make it that way. Other times you can leave them open for the open space feeling. It would not do much for sound, but would help with light issues and create the theater "feel."

An open room is pretty much impossible to calculate for acoustics, but that shouldn't stop you from doing it. Like everything there is the ideal and a list of compromises that go into it.

I am partial to Triad so I certainly agree with the speaker choice (I am using Triad Gold speakers with Silver subs in my theater).

I would agree with the rest that light is the biggest thing you want to consider. Make sure you have treatments on the windows and a bright projector. That would be my big thing for you, you are spending a lot of $$ on speakers if you go with Triad Silver and should consider more on the projector so you an get some lumens. There are amazing projectors in the lower price range now, they just aren't very bright.

Best of luck!

Curt