My Best Tips For Designing A Sophisticated & Moody Home Theatre

As I set out to design my own home theatre into a unique and sophisticated space that my family would enjoy, I knew I wanted it to feel and function beyond just “watching TV.” I needed it to be an extension of my home design but also serve as a super sweet space for movie night or watching the big game. I started by picking a bold color scheme to ensure the space had drama, function, and a lot of personality with wallpaper. The saturated color palette in addition to cozy layered lighting gave this room the perfect cozy vibe I had envisioned.

Let’s take a look at the process I went through to create this beautiful (and functional) home theatre.

When In Doubt, Start With Wallpaper

I always find one statement piece for a room to get my creative juices flowing. For this media room, my starting point was this plaid moody plaid wallpaper. Wallpaper is one of my favorite ways to spruce up any room – and knew I wanted to make a statement when designing this home theatre room. Choosing something bold and bright or more understated and elegant, picking the right wallpaper can take your theatre to the next level. When shopping for wallpaper, think about the vibe you want to create in the room and choose a pattern or color that works with that. It’s an easy way to add depth and personality to the space, and you can show off your unique style in the process.

Set The Right Mood With Dark Walls

The right paint color can drastically affect the mood of a room. Look around the next time you’re at the movies or in a friend’s home theatre… I will bet that the walls are not light! Creating a dark color palette will dramatically affect the room’s atmosphere and can help focus attention on the entertainment. Whether it’s navy, charcoal, or black, the bold hues can create a more immersive experience while making a simple theatre room feel more luxurious.

I chose the color “Railings” by Farrow & Ball. It is a really rich deep blue and coordinated with the wallpaper I chose. I painted the ceiling flat and used the same color for the cabinetry and trim – but in a satin sheen. I even painted the can lights bronze to minimize any white accents in this media room. No detail is too small when trying to create a sophisticated atmosphere in a room design!

Here’s a great photo showing the “before” with white walls and light cabinetry. I wanted to close off this space as much as possible to add an intimate experience while watching a game or a family movie. I decided to add double barn doors to allow the space to be closed off. This helped in aesthetics and function since the adjacent room has a lot of natural light. I also wanted the option to dampen some of the noise from an epic fortnite battle or a close football game!

Here is an outside view of the DIY double barn doors leading into the media room. I chose the same dark navy color “Railings” to coordinate with the trim once you enter the theatre room.

Layered Lighting

Lighting is another key element of a dramatic theatre room. I chose to install dimmers on all of the fixtures in this room. I have my favorite overhead can lights, wall sconces, lamps and even smart LED lighting to backlight the TV (one of my favorite features). The kids love to be able to change the color with Alexa depending on what they are watching. We went back and forth with a projector screen or real television. I’m so happy with our decision to use a large Samsung Frame TV. The ability to turn it into artwork when not in use is so good, and we are very happy with the quality itself. This is a 75″ tv with a 100″ media console. It’s easy to use for the kids and more than big enough at any viewing angle in this size room.