Five steps to create your own home cinema set up

Got a spare room going but don’t know what to do with it? Forget the pool table or the darts board – go for the home cinema. What was once reserved for studio executives, playboys and the rest of Hollywood’s bourgeoise can now be a reality for any home with a room going spare. 

You may have even found yourself pondering over setting one up already, but perhaps found the scale and expense of the project too overwhelming to properly consider. Well, given that the best 65-inch TV for your home cinema could be easily found for under £1,000, the dream is far from unrealistic. To help you manage your process, we’ve put together five useful steps to create your own home cinema. 

1. Plan the layout of your room 

You’ll want to start by carefully considering the layout of your cinema room. This should, of course, come down to the shape and size of the room itself. It’s important to leave enough room between the seating area and the television, so as not to overwhelm watchers by sitting too close. 

A general rule is to multiply the screen width by something between 1.5 and 2.5 times to find the perfect viewing distance. However, since you’re planning a home cinema, you may want to set on the closer side for a more authentic and immersive experience.  

2. Wall mounted TV or media wall?

If you’re going for a big TV, you have some options. The fastest method of setting up your home cinema screen would be to mount it directly onto the wall’s surface. This will save time and is easily completable without the need for a professional. However, as has become very popular lately, the other alternative is to set up a media wall, whereby a new wall structure is erected with the TV built in as an integral feature.

A media wall will provide a more immersive experience while granting opportunity to add sound system units either side and perhaps some mood lighting, but you may want to outsource the structure build to a joinery service if you don’t feel confident enough to take the job on yourself. Of course, this will add to the cost of the project and the media wall itself will take up more space in the room. 

MORE: Harry Styles Tickets

3. Decide on your furniture 

A traditional cinema setup would see arm-rested seats flanked by cupholders on either side finished in leather or soft fabric. If you can, why not go for the authentic cinema feel?

The drawback of having large seats positioned side-by-side, however, is that they take up a lot of room while still only allowing a handful of people to watch at the same time. A better, more family-friendly alternative would be to install a large L-shaped sofa instead. By doing so, more people can enjoy the cinema feel at the same time, in great comfort, without the need for vast amounts of space. 

4. Sound system

Once the TV position and seating arrangements have been decided on, it’s time to work out your Soundsystem. For top-end results, it be worth investing in a home cinema sound system set, including a subwoofer, soundbar and rear speakers for pure immersion. The Samsung HW-Q93OB set features all these devices, as well as Alexa voice control, Dolby Atmos and Space Fit Sound technology to adapt the sound to perfectly suit your space without the need for manual adjustment. 

If you’re on a tighter budget, the LG Electronics LOUDR LHB645N Home Theatre Speaker System features two tall boy speakers as well as two satellite speakers for height and precision in full surround sound. 

Once you’ve settled on your sound system, place the speakers around the rest of your home cinema setup accordingly for the best possible experience. 

5. Any extras?

At this point you’re pretty much done, but there’s always more to add. If you have the space, why not add some mood lighting around the edge of the TV? Philips HUE gradient strips react in real time with what is taking place on screen to extend the colours into the wall around it. It’s completely engrossing. 

If you have everything you need with some extra space to go, an LED minifridge or wine cooler will keep your drinks on ice while you enjoy what’s on screen, ready to be cracked open whenever you wish.