Home Theaters Are HOT in Basements

How to setup your own system and design considerations for your basement

(A.R.A.) – Americans love to be entertained, so it should come as no surprise that home theaters are one of the biggest home improvement trends of the last few years. With all the sophisticated consumer electronics equipment now available, homeowners need a well-designed space where they can use and enjoy it all.

Most people spend a lot of time picking out the perfect sound system, a cutting-edge plasma TV and all the other accessories needed to create a great home theater. But the furniture and the way you will set it up in your basement is usually an afterthought -- and this can be a mistake.

“How well your technical components work together depends in large part on the kind of furniture you have to support them,” says Keith Pribyl of Sanus Systems, a supplier of specially-designed A/V furniture based in St. Paul, Minn. “Traditional furniture is not designed to work with electronic equipment.”

The dilemma for style-conscious consumers is that most high-end furniture can’t accommodate electronics, and the cheap alternatives can make your living room or den resemble a dorm room.

“All those cords look really ugly” says Pribyl. “Most people want the benefits of great A/V equipment, but they want it tucked away out of sight.”

Interested in transforming your basement in a home theather room? Find the appropriate furniture:

Designed in a contemporary style, Sanus Systems’ Woodbrook line of furniture is available with solid maple or cherry hardwood. Sanus products are available at thousands of retailers nationwide. For more information and to locate a dealer in your area, go to www.sanus.com.

Courtesy of A.R.A. Content

Communication systems between the basement and the upper floor

If you turn your basement into an entertainement room, you will spend a lot of time there. However, because the basement of your home is on a separate floor, communication is more difficult. Fortunately, communication systems are pretty easy to install.