[astro2013]

My new home came with a 13x13 foot media room that was finished with carpet and pre-wiring for speakers. I've come to accept that I have limited space relative to others here, so I'm trying to determine the best layout before I buy my furniture and start work. I've thought about moving walls or the door, and would now like to ask the experts.


I'm going with the narrower Palliser Bullet seats, so I used their room planner. Here are my three leading options (unless I'm missing something obvious) to fit seats in the room. In all three options, I am putting an in-wall rack in the left wall.


Option 1: Allows for a relatively simply platform construction and a longer viewing distance. Seating is five in a single row, which I also like for my family of five. However, it requires me to move the existing french door from the back wall to the right wall (and the re-wiring and re-locating of the electrical, drywall, patching, carpeting, and framing that goes along with that.)




Option 2: Requires no modification to the doors, wiring, etc, but does require what seems like a more complicated two-level, non-rectangular platform for seating. Seating is for six but broken in to three pairs, which is less than ideal for my family.




Option 3: Like option 2, does not require major modification on an already completed room, and the platform would be simpler. Seating for six or seven, but the front row is pretty close to the screen.




Which would you chose, or does anyone suggest a better option?


Thank you!

 

[Clarence]

Option 1a:

Reverse the French door so it opens out of the room instead of into the media room.

13'x13' is very tight, you'll need the space on each side as an aisle... Just use 5 straight seats.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]

Instead of five or six chairs buy three, take the money you save and get a projector and screen,

 

[astro2013]

Thanks Clarence. Option 1A would be great if the door were already on that wall. Sorry if I wasn't clear. The door is on the wall opposite the screen.

 

[astro2013]

Jeff, are you saying no more than three seats should go in a room this size, or that a projector is more important than two extra seats?


Unfortunately, three is not an option for me. We have three kids, so family movie night would involve my wife (and me) sitting on the floor, which wasn't part of the deal when I started this project...

 

[dhendriksen]



Quote:
Originally Posted by astro2013  /t/1520351/help-constrained-room-layout-options-and-opinions#post_24423962


Jeff, are you saying no more than three seats should go in a room this size, or that a projector is more important than two extra seats?


Unfortunately, three is not an option for me. We have three kids, so family movie night would involve my wife (and me) sitting on the floor, which wasn't part of the deal when I started this project...

Get some bean bags for the kids?


Seriously...5 seats will be crazy tight in there. I have a row of 5, my room is 3 feet wide than yours and there are only a few inches between the chairs and the wall on each of the sides. Maybe get a big sectional that goes in the corner?


Sent from my Droid MAXX via Tapatalk.

 

[astro2013]

What size screen would you recommend for this room size?

 

[Tedd]

I'd be thinking you go 54x96" if you reversed the french doors to swing outwards. Then you could affix the door closest

to the middle of the room.


In wall speakers up front, DIY SeymourAV XD acoustically transparent screen, hinged side fabric panels, one of which acts

like a door, and the other side hides the av gear. Might need to recess the av rack into the wall cavity since the front acoustically

transparent space would be somewhere between 10 and 12" deep. Dipole side surrounds or in ceiling surrounds.


Or move reconfigure the french doors to a single door and move to the side wall, with the same layout.


I'd also be looking at something like a smaller scale seat, such as a Salamander Matteo.

A.jpg 216k .jpg file

B.jpg 214k .jpg file

 

[Tedd]

You also will want to consider air changes and cooling needs. Five bodies and gear in a small room will become hot and stuffy.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]



Quote:
Originally Posted by astro2013  /t/1520351/help-constrained-room-layout-options-and-opinions/0_40#post_24424075


What size screen would you recommend for this room size?

If you are sitting as shown in option 1, a back row at about 11 1/2 ft viewing distance, you could go with a 120-130 inch wide 2.35:1 format screen. If most of your viewing is bluray movies consider a 2:35 format screen and a projector like the Panasonic 8000 with memory zoom for when you do want to watch sports or other TV content. I like acoustically transparent screens. and in your case that would require in-wall speakers.


The Fusion Jive seating (rtheaters.com) are actually narrower than the Pallister Bullets. The further away from the side walls you can get your seating the better.

 

[astro2013]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It looks like either the Fusion Jive or the Matteo would buy me an inch per seat. It makes me sad to be counting inches, but I'm trying to remember that this is better than my previous home theater space (i.e., 0'x0').


I actually liked option 2 the best (as did the wife), so I was hoping someone would validate that option. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by astro2013  /t/1520351/help-constrained-room-layout-options-and-opinions#post_24423500


Which would you chose, or does anyone suggest a better option?

Would you be willing to put the screen on the wall that is on the right side of your diagram?

 

[CHILINVLN]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sdurani  /t/1520351/help-constrained-room-layout-options-and-opinions#post_24430736



Would you be willing to put the screen on the wall that is on the right side of your diagram?

Agreed.  Take option 1, spin the seats around to face the wall on the right side of the diagram (left wall in the room if you walked in from the existing french doors) and leave the french doors intact in the same place that they are.

 

[astro2013]

That's a good thought. I do worry about the outside light bleeding through the cracks of the French door (windows in outside room) and being in viewers peripheral vision. Is there a good solution to that? I cannot block the Windows.

 

[astro2013]

Just remembering... my other concern with this plan is that coming through the door, you should immediately see the screen edge-on. Not sure how this would look from an aesthetics standpoint or if there's a good way to address.

 

[CHILINVLN]



Quote:
Originally Posted by astro2013  /t/1520351/help-constrained-room-layout-options-and-opinions#post_24442414


That's a good thought. I do worry about the outside light bleeding through the cracks of the French door (windows in outside room) and being in viewers peripheral vision. Is there a good solution to that? I cannot block the Windows.

On the interior wall of the french doors, you can hang a black curtain and have it drawn back when the space isn't being used and just release them so that they cover and black out the door.  That's one option.  Also, you have to consider when you will be using your theater the most.  Is it typically during the day?  If not and primarily evenings, then light spillage probably won't be an issue and you can address the curtain option later if your viewing times change.

 

[astro2013]

Any opinions on entering the room and seeing the screen edge-on? I feel like all the finished home theaters I've seen have entrances that aren't so close to the screen, so I wonder if it would look bad (or at least strange).

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by astro2013  /t/1520351/help-constrained-room-layout-options-and-opinions#post_24446192


Any opinions on entering the room and seeing the screen edge-on?

Since entering a room is a momentary experience, what is it about "seeing the screen edge-on" that has you concerned? It's the second time you've mentioned it.

 

[astro2013]

I suppose I'm thinking of my current set up with an LED tv. Cables and wires can be seen when looking from the side, not to mention the mount itself.

 

[J_P_A]

When I saw the space and the square dimensions my first thought was to put the screen on the right wall and the seating on the left. If you are concerned about seeing the edge of the screen, then dress it up. Frame it with some molding or something that will conceal the edge.


Here's another vote for AT screen, in-wall speakers, and a PJ. A 60" screen will start look small pretty quickly.


Have you considered regular theater seats instead of recliners? Ideally you would have some space between the walls and the seating, both behind and on the sides. If you're going 5.1 instead of 7.1 then space behind the seats is less an issue.