Creating a Home Theater Atmosphere

An atmospheric room perfect for binge-watching your favorite movies or shows on a weekend is a nice recipe for some nice family or buddy time. However, before we begin, we must clear some misconceptions about what is usually meant by a “home theater atmosphere”.

We aren’t talking about a separate room with a big wall, a movie projectionist and a 100-seater auditorium. Sure, you can make such an arrangement if you have a decent amount of money to spare, but a home theater can be your living room couch or your bed, as long as the conditions are right.

We are talking about a darkened room with minimal to no lighting, complete privacy and no sounds to disrupt your movie-watching. In order to create this atmosphere, what’s better than having the right window blinds in place to ensure you are not bothered?

How to Use Blinds for Privacy?

A pertinent and concern for homeowners who have recently bought or are planning to buy the ideal window coverings especially for the purpose, it is necessary to know what blinds, when closed, are ideal for privacy and light control. 

The first step is to make sure you have the right type of blind. Any blind with blackout fabrics are ideal for 100% light blockage through the fabric itself, and thus complete privacy when closed. If you have a horizontal blind, light can still slip through the slats or the holes in the slats when closed, so go with a shade or get a horizontal blind with cloth tapes and privacy route holes. 

Even if you have blackout shades, you’ll have some light gap coming through the sides. To prevent or offset this, go for side and sill channels or mount your shades above the window so that they overlap the opening and block more light.

Necessary Tips for the Ultimate Home Theater Viewing 

The usual recipe for creating the ultimate home theater environment in your home depends on a number of factors: sound, screen, seating, snacks and shading. Let us discuss all these factors one by one.

Get the Right Sound-Absorbing Blinds

Imagine how your experience would be ruined if your mood is constantly disrupted by a barking dog in the street or the sound of vehicles. What you need is effective sound absorbing and noise canceling curtains that will drown out any outside noise. 

Cellular shades, or honeycomb shades as they are commonly called, are one of the best remedies for sound absorption making them effective go-to options for creating a home theater environment. Coming in single, double-cell and triple-cell shades, honeycomb blinds are available at ZebraBlinds in varied colour options and sizes that can help dampen noise coming through your window for a more isolated feel. It is better you choose cellular shades in double or triple cells, for the extra layers of high-quality polyester material, coupled with their construction can trap the sounds in their pockets when they are hung in front of the window.

Roman blinds are yet another type of window treatments with good noise dampening features. However, it must be kept in mind that the thicker the fabric, the more effective is the shade in reducing outside noise. Even when the material is your blinds is not thick and made of cotton or lace, you can add another layer of insulating material like polyester or velvet that can work like magic. Important materials that are used in studios and conference halls are fiberglass, acoustic foam, velvet and polyester blends, among others. People also use velvet and raw silk curtains on their windows if noise blockage is one of the primary purposes of purchasing window treatments.

Ensure Minimum Light Inside the Room

Recreating a dark effect inside the room is an absolute essential to ensure you aren’t bothered by anything apart from the screen during your movie watching experience. You must dim the lights in the room, and ensure the blinds or curtains are drawn to not be bothered by any outside light. However, in the absence of poor shades, this will not be entirely possible.

You must note that home theater viewing would not be possible if you are fond of natural sunlight inside your room, because the sun’s glare will be a major irritant when it falls on your screen. It is an absolute must that you buy room darkening or, better still, blackout shades for your bedroom. Choose curtains that are made or velvet or silk or those that come with an additional layer of drapery for keeping out even the tiniest bit of sunlight. Double-cell honeycomb shades, in this scenario, are as effective as keeping out outside sound as they trap the rays when the need arises.

Aluminum blinds with their thick and sturdy material and no scope for any crevices or cracks in them are also effective for this purpose, and since they are available in such affordable prices and range of colors, they are reliable window coverings to create a perfect environment of solitude and privacy inside.

You can also consider blackout roller shades for achieving your purpose. While many roller shades are purchased for the purpose of light diffusion and glare reduction, their blackout range comes in a thicker material that will let you enjoy your movie in peace.

Seating and Snacks

How about getting seat recliner sofas to relax into with the remote by your side. Your guests might have different preferences, so ensure you have comfortable seating for everyone involved.

As cinematic experience is all about putting all your senses to emphatic use, including smell, how about having a popcorn machine inside and let its smell fill the room? If that is too outlandish an idea, you can have some food prepared beforehand for everyone to gorge into while they enjoy the movie.

To sum up, creating the perfect aura for an effective and rewarding home theater experience requires some planning. This involves having the right noise-canceling and light blocking shades in place. Cellular Shades, Aluminum Blinds, Roman Shades and Roller Shades with thicker fabrics are perfect for this purpose. Along with that, ensure you have the right seating and food to keep your guests comfortable and happy.