Why does anyone want a home cinema?
Home cinema, when done right, can add so much to the home. A focal point that brings the family together when you’re all home, somewhere to enjoy the latest sporting spectacle with friends, or somewhere to unwind alone. By designing the room around you and what you need, not just the latest fad or technology innovation, you’ll have somewhere that will provide countless hours of enjoyment.
Home Cinema
Early stage of a home cinema build out, creating depth in the room so that we can hide any speakers. We have named this our “Room in a Room ®” solution.
These are the steps we employ when looking at any new Home Cinema project.
1) First and foremost are our clients needs. As we continually talk about, we at Living® do not subscribe to a one size fits all solution, not ever. We take the time to listen to what our clients want and need, only then look at how we can provide there perfect solution.
2) Design. Once we understand the need and purpose of the room, we will then look at the space available, what does it offer? What restrictions does it have if any. Once we take all of our measurements, we will then go about our design process, maximising everything we can within any budget constraints, providing our clients with a 3D rendering of the room and how it will look.
Home Cinema Nearing Completion
This larger cinema is nearing completion in this image, you can see the incredible lighting design incorporated into this cinema. Our design solution enables us to create the perfect room feel for you and how you want to use the space.
3) Pricing. Once the design has been agreed, we will provide a comprehensive price for the project. At Living® we provide a one-stop solution, so our pricing includes building works, waste removal, electrical works as well as the installation of the home cinema itself. We do our best to make sure that everything is included from the off, taking the time to work through each stage of the project and include any works required.
4) Installation. Once the price is agreed, we will book the works in with our teams, this usually works with a roughly 3 month lead time. Then, depending on the size of the room, the works will be completed in between 2-6 weeks. It should also be noted that at Living®, we do not use sub-contractors for the home cinema installation, this ensure we are able to keep only the most appropriately trained persons on the project, leading to an exacting attention to detail on everything from acoustic fabric treatments to the calibration and set-up of the soundstage.
5) Handover. Once completed, we will book the handover and training session. During this handover, we will demonstrate the features and performance of the room, ensuring our clients benefit and enjoy everything the room has to offer.
Home Cinema with Hidden Speakers
From the image above you can see how our teams built this wall out, now you can see the finished result, with all the speakers neatly hidden behind the fabric wall, providing a clean high end finish, without compromising on the performance.
6) Service. Once installed, our rooms run perfectly, but of course over time, firmware needs to be updated, calibration will need to be re-done, or a new piece of equipment may need to be added. With all of our systems, be it a home cinema or whole home control system, we offer 2 levels of service, Gold or Platinum, both provide peace of mind with the technology installed, and both include a yearly service. During this service our technician with check and update everything on site, making sure you have another year of trouble free enjoyment.
Home Cinema Terms to help navigate the topic:
Dolby® Atmos® - Dolby Atmos is sound processing feature. There are many configurations of speakers that can meet this standard, which one is employed on your project will depend on the size of the room as well as any potential restrictions therein, such as windows/doors, or ceiling layout. Dolby Atmos provides an amazing depth and clarity to the soundstage of whatever you are viewing, whether that be the latest blockbuster, Netflix series, or sporting event. You really have to hear it to believe it and fully understand how good it is, why not book a demo at one of our showrooms? We have Dolby Atmost demo-cinemas in Poole, Dorset, Swindon and Chelmsford, Essex.
Home Cinema Designed by Living®
The design is so important, allowing us to meet our clients expectation, including the look and feel of the finished room.
4k/5k/8k Video - Essentially all of these formats provide a superior viewing experience. The larger the screen, the more critical the higher k values are. Against popular belief, a 40” screen with 8k isn’t really a great use of budget, with marginal gains over the more conventional 4k. Once you get up into the larger screens, if budget allows, then 5/8k can be of benefit, offering greater detail and colour rendering. But, and this is a big BUT, 4k is usually ample, especially when the latest laser projection is utilised. Read the next section to discover Laser…
Laser, LED, DLP. These are all projector types. Each one offers a different feature or function. At this time, our favourite type is Laser, with projectors costing around 15k offering the performance of a 100k projector not 5 years ago. Which projector type is right for you? This will depend on the room and the budget, DLP being less expensive but not giving the same level of performance, as say laser.
It’s time to enjoy…
Sit back, relax and enjoy your new favourite room…
