When Thierry bought his new house, he saw a unique opportunity to design his own movie theater in his large 100m2 garage. Thirteen months of construction followed to isolate the premises and prepare the room. A worthwhile wait, as Thierry now enjoys an immersive experience on a big screen with his 7.1 channel system.
What is the surface area of your home theater? How big is the technical area (electronics)?
The room measures 4 x 3.50m (14m²) with the insulated walls. I don’t have a technical area, the devices are arranged on a piece of furniture that I built with black melamine shelves. They are placed at the back of the chairs to avoid light pollution from lighting on the front panels of devices.
How long did it take you to build this home theater room?
I designed this private cinema in about 13 months. There are still a few finishing touches to do like the door to finish the sound insulation.
When did you decide to design a room dedicated to home theater? Why create a personal movie theater?
As a former movie theater projectionist, I have always loved the atmosphere of cinemas. Eight years ago when I bought my house with this big 100m² garage, I told my wife that I would take a small space to make a dedicated room. She just told me that she didn’t want to hear the sound of the room in the living room above.
How did you organize the construction work? What was the most challenging part?
Before designing my room, I researched the materials I would use. I then looked at what I could salvage and looked for the cheapest materials, as I was on a very tight budget. My main difficulty was that the ceiling height was 2m10, which is too low to insulate this ceiling. I then lowered my floor by 40cm and got rid of the existing slab to have a finished ceiling height of 2m20.
What was the overall budget for the system and construction?
The budget is €3,500 for the room and about €4,500 for the electronic devices. Maybe a little less, because I bought the speakers second hand and the equipment progressively every Christmas.
Can you list the equipment used?
My private cinema consists of the following elements:
- Jamo D6 speakers
- Sony STR-DH740 receiver
- An Epson EH-TW9400 projector
- Zappiti 4K HDR network player
- Panasonic DP-UB450 Blu-ray player
- Amazon Stick 4K HDMI player
- Logitech Harmony remote control
- A Philips Hue bridge for all the lighting in the room
- An Android tablet to control all the elements
- Ultra-quiet ventilation
How do you control the system (applications, universal remote controls, etc.)?
I mainly control the system with a Logitech Harmony universal remote. I also have a Philips bridge for lighting and an Android tablet to control the connected elements.
Did you use an acoustic treatment? If not, do you plan to use one in the future?
I laid out stone wool on all the walls in stretched fabric, as well as a high-density polymer-based synthetic membrane under the blue plasterboard on the ceiling. Finally, a cork covering was installed on the floor, under the carpet.
What was the first movie you watched in this room? Which one gave you a taste for home theater?
The first movie I watched was Star Wars and the one that gave me a taste for movies was Back to the Future .
How often do you use this home theater room?
I use this private cinema once or twice a week.
Do you watch anything other than movies? Sporting events? Series? Video games? Concerts?
Yes, I also take advantage of this facility for sporting events and the occasional concert.
How would you like to upgrade your system?
I would like to change my AV receiver to better amplify my front stage and switch to Atmos. I would also like to change the chairs.
What piece of advice can you give to someone who wants to make a room like this?
Be patient, look for the best prices for all materials and make floor plans with all the layouts. It is also necessary to know how to ask for advice in order to balance your budget between the equipment, the receiver, the speakers and the projector, because there is no point having great sound if the image is average and vice versa.
