Design a Living Room With a Big Screen TV
More people are buying big screen TVs, but not everyone has a room to dedicate solely to television viewing. Living rooms, because of their size, often allow for placing furniture an appropriate distance from the big screen. Seating can be as close eight feet from the screen for true HDTV. But for other big screen TVs, seating should be at least as far away as three times the diagonal screen size.
Instructions
1. Make the big screen TV an important element in the room by featuring it prominently, such as over a fireplace or on a large, blank wall. Or place the TV in an armoire or entertainment center with doors, so it can be hidden when the room is used for entertaining.
2. Choose furniture that provides comfort while viewing but does not make the room seem like a movie theater. A long sofa facing the TV, side chairs on rotating bases or recliners will keep the feeling of a living room but still allow for relaxed viewing.
3. Place end tables within easy reach of each chair and a coffee table in front of the sofa. Select finishes that won't be damaged by soft drink cans, bowls of popcorn or other snacks.
4. Install surround-sound speakers in the room. Build these into the walls or hide them behind plants and furniture or in decorative cubes.
5. Install blackout curtains or heavy drapes that easily can be opened and closed. Blackout curtains can be attractive additions to the room if designed to look like drapes.
6. Use lighting that can be dimmed. Kids watching cartoons need some light in the room. But adults watching a movie might prefer more of a theater experience with little light in the room other than from the TV.
7. Design the rest of the room as you would a normal living room. One caveat: Carpeting is preferable in a TV room because it dampens ambient sounds and reduces echoes.
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