With high-tech digital equipment more readily available and more affordable, many people are adding that extra touch to their homes – the home theater and home theater décor has become and important design feature. No longer do you have to get the family ready, load up the car, and drive to the local theater – just pop some popcorn, gather your family in the home theater, and pop in your favorite new (or old) movie!

The popularity of the home theater has grown at amazing speeds – and almost any budget allows you to create a home theater for your family to enjoy. You can create a home theater in almost any room of your home with a few adjustments. There are a few things that you will need to consider when decorating your home theater.

Location – While you can turn almost any room in your home into a home theater, there are certain things that you should keep in mind.  If you are trying to create a “true” theater experience, you will want to use a room that has the least amount of outside light. A room in the basement or attic is usually perfect for this, but if you have neither, then you should choose a room that has the least amount of windows. If it is necessary for you to locate your home theater in a room that contains windows, you can still create the effect by using heavy, dark curtains or even special black-out curtains or shades that can be purchased from home-improvement stores.

Color – Even though the room will usually be in darkness, color can make a significant difference in whether or not you get the true theater effect. There are several ways in which you can prevent your walls from distracting from the experience. One way is to use dark colors in the room – browns, deep reds, or charcoal grays on the wall rather that white or other light colors. Also, a matte finish or textured wall covering will prevent the screen light reflection from creating a glare on the wall.

Lighting – Again, this does not seem like it would be an issue, because most of the time spent in your home theater will be with the lights out. But, you do need good lighting for entering or leaving the room. Overhead lights should not be used in the room. Instead, you should use recessed lighting or sconces that produce soft light on the walls. Some lighting may be needed while watching a movie. In this case, dimmers are a wonderful way to control the lighting and keep it adjusted for the viewer’s comfort.

Seating – Of course, this is one of the more important aspects of decorating your home theater. You will want to provide the most comfortable seating you can for your family and guests in order to make their theater experience enjoyable. Your seating will depend on a couple of things – who will be using the room the most and the size of the room. Two or three large sofas can be used and arranged for the best viewing, especially if children use the theater most - or possibly one or two sofas with several recliners or comfortable chair/ottoman sets. Whatever arrangement you have, comfort is the most important thing.

Finishing Touches – To get the most of your home theater, place a mini refrigerator and a small microwave oven in the room. This will prevent you having to leave the room in order to replenish snacks and drinks, and the microwave will allow you to make popcorn or heat nachos right in the room. It is also important to provide solid level surfaces that are within easy reach of the seats so that viewers have a place to keep drinks or snacks. These little finishing touches can help you to create a home theater experience for everyone and will allow you to remain in the room for the full effect!