Are you considering setting up an awesome home theatre? Once you have decided on the most suitable TV and surround sound system for your needs, don’t forget about blinds. These are just as important to your enjoyment as the media system because they need to block out both light and sound.
(Image credit: Rogue Home Cinema)
Installing only standard blinds in your home theatre can mean that at certain times of the day your viewing experience will likely be less than perfect. This can be because the sun is shining into the room, your neighbours are jack hammering their driveway or using or nail gun to build a deck. The perfect home theatre needs to be insulated from both light and sound, so that you can just kick back and enjoy your movie at any time of the day. This means choosing the right blinds is essential.
Blocking out light
Your biggest problem will most probably be sunlight streaming through your windows and creating a glare or a reflection on the screen that makes the screen difficult to see. If your screen is permanently fixed to the wall, you won’t be able to move it around to reduce this problem, which is where the right type of window treatment comes into play.
Blinds that block out the glare from sunlight can be both stylish and practical and there is a wide variety available on the market. These light cancelling blinds are made from thick fabric with a blackout liner that provides you with the perfect home theatre experience. If you really want to get fancy, you could consider automating these blinds so that at a flick of a switch (or even a voice command) you can change the room from night to day!
Blocking out sound
Sound proof or acoustic blinds are effective against many different noises. These blinds are designed to improve the internal acoustics of your room by reducing background noises and echoes. Basically, sound proof blinds absorb these sounds to give you a pure acoustic experience.
If you think back the last time you went to the cinema, you will probably remember that curtains often line the walls. These not only prevent sound from entering the theatre but also keep the audio of the movie inside the theatre. It’s just the same in your home theatre because you want to prevent external noises upsetting your viewing experience whilst not annoying the rest of the family!
Types of blinds
There are plenty of outlets that sell ready-made blinds and curtains that are ideal for home theatres. You can purchase roller blinds that block out ether sunlight or sound, even combine the two to get the best of both worlds and block out both sound and external acoustics.
Of course, you can create a layered window treatment by combining a blackout roller blind or an acoustic roller blind with a thick curtain if that suits your needs better. It’s also worth considering what colour you wish to use that fits in with your home décor.
(Image credit: Rogue Home Cinema)
Custom blinds
There’s also the option of designer or custom-made sound reduction and acoustic blinds or curtains which is a great option if your windows are an unusual shape or size.
A final tip is to hang a thick curtain over the door into the theatre room making it really feel like a cinema whilst reducing sound from entering or exiting the room.
The right type of sound proof and acoustic blinds will finally bring it all together and give you the home theatre of your dreams!
