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pamthecook

media room quandary

7 years ago
We’re building our retirement house near Asheville, NC and have everything chosen with exception of our tv/media room which is becoming a design issue.

The room is long 10x16. There is a large window at one end (10 ft side) a double pocket door about 48” when open on the middle of the long side and our plan is to have the 60” screen mounted on the opposite wall from the large window.(we’ll have some sort of window cover filtering light on that window)
Here’s the issue: SEATING!
With only 10’ from wall to wall it’s difficult to find a sofa, sectional or attractive seating for this room. (Our budget isn’t limitless on this.) We want good quality but hopefully not more than $3000 for seating and coffee table. We have been round about on this for about a month and now I’m asking for help!
I will post the layout.

Comments (10)

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    I will say right from the get go no TV across from a large window . Media rooms are best when there is the minimum of natural light it will be easier to see when you post the plan how best to furnish.

  • 7 years ago
    Media room
  • 7 years ago

    You've likely got more problems than just seating. Windows and pocket doors are both no-no's in media rooms.


    As @Patricia mentioned, that window will cause a lot of reflection on your screen. You'll also have problems with audio bounce and annoying rattles (unless all you watch are very quiet romance movies). The window coverings will need to be both visually blacking as well as very sound absorptive. The problem is that cloth can't prevent low frequencies from hitting them, that requires a solid surface. I have heard of people having solid sound absorptive panels in front of their windows but no idea how well that works and if it's worth the money.


    Your pocket doors will need to be solid core with heavy rollers, tight guides on the bottom and solid locks to keep them from rattling. We have double pocket doors in ours and it took some effort to quiet them down.

  • 7 years ago
    I know there are issues with this room. We’ve improved it, as much as possible, and added the pocket doors.
    The room was meant to be a home office and originally had a single door in the front hallway, which I thought to be too closed in and Uninviting. So we put solid wooden pocket doors and those doors will be left open most of the time. The television was going to go on the opposite side from the double doors, but we didn’t like the closeness and vantage point. There was a closet (where the tv will now be mounted;) So, we ended up with this configuration
    I appreciate your comments, but I’m really interested in hearing how you would do the seating....which is my quandary.
  • 7 years ago

    What about Ikea's Friheten sofa. The 'chaise' can go on either side and it even converts to a bed (nice for those marathon sessions rewatching LotR =) It's 90.5" wide - so with one side up against the wall, you'd still have ~3' to walk by. Since there's no room for a side table, you could put a sofa/console table behind it - in addition to a coffee table in front. I've sat with 3 other adults on one (we were all good friends!)

  • 7 years ago

    Hard space to work with due to the small size, but anything can work.


    I would have said use the 16' wall for the TV and just make 1 row of seating, but that pocket door wouldn't be good for flow. Because of that, I would hang a TV on the wall opposite the windows.


    Hang decent blinds in the windows, then also hang big heavy blackout drapes above the window casing to really black it all out. There's blackout roman shades instead of blinds, can put temporary tint on the glass... I'm not worried about windows/glare.


    Biggest thing for me is you don't want to be too close to the screen. You'd then have 10' width, to throw a full couch all the way back against the window, then either a love seat or modular chairs in front of them that would still be ~7-8' away from the screen (which is still very close). Or if it's kids and not adults, maybe beanbag chairs or something for front row?


    Could even hang heavy curtains over the pocket doors if light leaks through and to help keep sound in. If floor is hard wood/tile, throw down fluffy area rug.


    $3k is a very solid budget for decent seating and curtains/rug. Real question is how much your AV hardware will cost lol

  • 7 years ago
    Sprink1es, thanks for your comments. I so appreciate it. I have already shopped the black out shades.
    I should have said before that our window is in a fairly shaded area on the flat side of the mountain that we’re on, with lots of trees and shade and it faces the northeast.
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    What do you mean when you say media room? How is it going to be used? How many seats do you need or want?


    Is this a movie room first and foremost or will it be the everyday after work and dinner relax place? Are your kids going to be playing XBox or whatever down there? Is it going to have a 5.1 sound system or 7.1 or just a sound bar? Whats the role or expectation for the space?

  • 7 years ago

    If this is going to be a relaxed room I'd go with a chaise like damiarainsuggested and add some bean bag chairs. If you have extra space in the back that looks empty add a foosball table or something like that to add an entertainment option and expand the rooms use.


    If its a legit movie room I'd get a couple love seats and build a riser for them for tiered seating. In a movie room function takes precedence over form. Get it to sound right and get comfortable movie seats and enjoy the heck out of it and don't worry what it looks like.