My movie room makeover

museumsteve · 12-02-2009, 12:54 AM

A few years ago I managed to convince the missus to let me change our garage (built on side of the house) into a dedicated movie room. Unfortunately I cannot find the pictures of the conversion which is a shame.
Due to our plot of land the outer wall is angled. After building an internal stud wall to create a passageway from the back door to the garden I ended up with a room that is just over 2.4m at the garage door widening to 3.6m across the rear and is 4.5m long.
I've always loved my room but now (as I'm now single ; ) want to give it a makeover.
My main plan is to put a false wall from front to back to make the whole room 2.4m x 4.5. The area that is walled off to the right I want to use to house all my equipment on a rack and maybe have a glass door on the room side to allow access to the equipment to put discs in and remote control functions etc. I'm also planning on having wall racks in this area for my movies.
So I'll be left with just 2.4m width which is a little worrying but I'm thinking I'll benefit from a better sound experience with a proper rectangular room.
I'm hoping to install a starlight ceiling by fixing an 8'x4' sheet of MDF that I can drop mount, I figure in the new size of the room it will be big enough for the right effect. I have 3 joists I can use for fixings.
As we have Bluray and games in the front room etc and I'm a single Dad now, I tend to watch movies in my room on my own so will probably offload my 2 seater leather recliner in favour of a single chair

I'll be keen for any obvious advice, I may be interested in fitting a small aircon unit as the room is freezing in the winter and boiling in the summer.
Please feel free to give me some pointers or even laugh at the mess of a room I have right now, after looking at some of the rooms in the gallery forum I feel so dirty

and it has inspired me to get it sorted once and for all.

Front of the room (obviously), a bit messy with wiring as just had VM install and put a STB in the rack and ran cabling into the kitchen. The big white fluffy thing is indeed a home made Xbox360 I was given by a good friend of mine

This is the back corner of the room where I plan to have my equipment/movie storage area once walled off.

I love my movies 'n' stuff but it looks so messy

My pride and joy HD1 is great, but again everything looks so messy it's depressing

museumsteve · 12-02-2009, 1:10 AM

Had a quick play with a free 30 day trial of Room Arranger

and this is what I'm hoping for

GlynG60 · 12-02-2009, 8:00 AM

I like your plan.
Just thinking about what you might like to do for an equipment rack, have you seen this thread?
It looks like a really neat and cost effective solution, that would work in your room

madprofessor · 12-02-2009, 8:18 AM

Be careful to consider the accoustic impacts of what you're doing. Some especially designed recording studios (one in particular a friend of mine, who is a sound engineer, talked about) didn't have a single pair of parallel walls. This was great because the room didn't have any standing waves.

Because of that, you might see your tapered room as good thing - it may possibly be more neutral, accousticly. Why do you think that making it more rectangular will improve things? That's a genuine question, not a dig.

Bear in mind I'm not an audio expert myself - I'm just passing on what I've heard in the past.

If you do find you have bright spots, there are sound deadening panels you can get, some of which are nicely finished and won't look too out of place in a living room.

museumsteve · 12-02-2009, 8:54 AM

Thanks for the replies

The first and main issue I have is speaker placement for the right rear speaker which against the right hand wall currently.It isn't practical to have it moved into the room to match the position of the left speaker.
Another issue is hiding the equipment and movies, I really dont want anything in the room anymore, just a clean area with a seat and a screen

The right hand wall is brick which I always planned on having boarded for a better finish and possibly to try and prevent sound 'bouncing' off the wall, especially as it's the longest wall.

museumsteve · 12-02-2009, 9:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlynG60

I like your plan.
Just thinking about what you might like to do for an equipment rack, have you seen this thread?
It looks like a really neat and cost effective solution, that would work in your room

I'm thinking along those lines. I was thinking of something adjustable like dexion or such like cos like many I do chop and change my equipment quite a lot. Assuming it all goes to plan I will be looking forward to being able to get behind my equipment for cabling with ease

Quantas · 12-02-2009, 2:06 PM

Steve, as you have noticed from my build it is a perfect rectangle, not being an audiophile I have to say that there are no issues for my untrained ear. I too justed wanted a complete clean look in the room free from clutter and hid all my "gear" behind a false wall. In all honesty I think my sound is great, I've used an audio meter to ensure the sweet spot is where I want it. Beyond that I just watch the films

I noticed you have the same plaque as myself......

museumsteve · 12-02-2009, 2:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantas

Steve, as you have noticed from my build it is a perfect rectangle, not being an audiophile I have to say that there are no issues for my untrained ear. I too justed wanted a complete clean look in the room free from clutter and hid all my "gear" behind a false wall. In all honesty I think my sound is great, I've used an audio meter to ensure the sweet spot is where I want it. Beyond that I just watch the films

I noticed you have the same plaque as myself......

Thanks for the reply mate. I was talking colours with my mate who will be helping me and we had pretty much decided on the same colour that you have..so I think I may just clone your room lol
I have a bunch of plaques that will be sorted properly once the room is done

andy900uk · 12-02-2009, 6:05 PM

i think its a great idea what you are doing will be watching with interest.
Andy

museumsteve · 15-02-2009, 8:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlynG60

I like your plan.
Just thinking about what you might like to do for an equipment rack, have you seen this thread?
It looks like a really neat and cost effective solution, that would work in your room

I'm not sure I paid proper attention when you first posted this mate so apologies for that. I've just had a good luck and love the idea, the end result is fantastic and I'll certainly be using some of his ideas (if not most).

The builder is in next Monday and reckons 3 days start to finish (including painting so I'll start dismantling my room tomorrow.
Tonight I'm planning the AV rack and looking at options for my ceiling feature/lighting. I've decided against the fibre optic route cos I'm not doing the whole ceiling only 8'x4' so gonna go with downlighters and probably a ropelight for 'uplighting effect'
I have a lot of electrics and cabling to sort as I had the sparky in last year to give me banks of power points at the front of the room lol..now I dont really want any :D
I keep pondering about having a stage at the front of the room, is there any real benefit or is it purely aesthetics?

museumsteve · 16-02-2009, 4:39 PM

Took a trip to B & Q today to get the components for the av racking, some socket covers and draught excluder brush for the cable inlets and some 53mm drain pipe which I will be using to run the cabling to the front of the room. As the walled off area narrows down to almost nothing I figured I could use a 2m drain pipe with a 90degree end, which will meet the back of the cable inlet socket, to clip on the inside of the wall at a down angle which allows me to drop cable through it and then I'll have access to them from the cable inlet at the front corner of the room

museumsteve · 16-02-2009, 6:53 PM

I've now done the sockets for the cable inlets..which was very quick and easy to do and so cost effective (or cheap lol)
The Transform covers form B&Q were only £1.50 and £2 each.
The white ones are to be fitted to skirting conduit from B&Q and then painted black along with the front wall behind the screen.
The others are for subwoofer (the one with the square space as it needs to allow for speaker cable as well as co-ax), right rear speaker and the largest one is for the front/centre speaker cables to exit the false wall.

And I've order some ropelight from TLC

GlynG60 · 17-02-2009, 4:45 PM

Very smart cable inlets

mikeaitch · 17-02-2009, 10:16 PM

I would also like to put my tuppence's worth coming from someone with a similar width room.

Firstly, I agree 100% with the previous comments about not having a perfect rectangle if you can. The sound from all those speakers bounces around like mad and messes up the image placement and the bass, so if possible try to make it at least slightly irregular if possible. Also strongly recommended is acoustic treatments- never been a big fan before my last build- but now having used them I wouldn't do another without them. There are lots of solutions out there and you don't need to spend a fortune. All those hard walls are a killer! I guess the bigger the room the less of a problem this is- but I found it a bit of a pain, an luckily had 1 wall set at an angle.

I found a great 2 piece a/c unit , an LG for £260 which allowed me to dispense with the radiator and keep it just the right temperature, with remote control to boot. Not as good a Quantas' setup though but I like it

Love my fibre optics, but it is a bit laborious doing it- well worth the effort if you can be bothered but I can see why people don't bother!

Your colours seem fine imo - I can tell you that the HD1 rewards you well the darker the decor...

PS don't forget a strong drawcord for pullin cables through your drainpipes..

museumsteve · 17-02-2009, 10:22 PM

Thanks for the post Mike

The front, right and left walls will all be plasterboard when the jobs done so only the rear wall will be brick. I have velour curtains at the front corners and having a full length set of curtains across the back as I cannot change the electrics on the wall as they feed a shower-room/toilet. I'm looking at having some fabric panels on the side walls and a nice thick carpet when done.
The room wont actually be exactly retangular as the left hand wall is offset to allow for the passageway from front to the back garden.
Would a front stage be of benefit perhaps?
Also, be very interested to know more about the A/C unit you mention.

Thanks again

madprofessor · 17-02-2009, 10:28 PM

Hi,

If you're going to have a plasterboard wall, it might be worth considering putting two thicknesses of plasterboard on. It makes the wall feel a lot more solid and you may find that having 2 touching boards stop each other resonating (same as the reasoning between the two piece platter on the Linn Sondek LP12) so help to avoid adding too much colouration to the sound.

Also, these sound boards might be worth considering if you find the room too coloured:

Quiteloud Audio

mikeaitch · 21-02-2009, 4:00 PM

If you do, be sure to stagger the joints, and you might want to consider using Green Glue between the sheets for an easy ( and invisible) upgrade

PS sounds like you're going to have a great sounding room!

museumsteve · 23-02-2009, 10:04 PM

Started work proper today so ripped out carpetting and started moving electrics around.
We started work on the lighting feature which includes a ropelight and will have 6 or 8 downlights in. It's approx 7ft x 4ft.
Also slightly changed plans and having a proper door into the 'equipment room' and having a stage at the front.
Air Conditioner is being delivered tomorrow (along with my Harmony One).
Tonight I'm sorting out piping to run cables from the house into the equipment room, the pipes will be behind the rear stud wall of course.

museumsteve · 25-02-2009, 9:24 PM

Couple of days on now.
Frame work done yesterday and boarding started going up today.
I've done most of the rear cabling and tonight will do the front/centre/sub cables as stage being done tomorrow with rest of the boarding.
Lights are looking good, I'm pleased with the ropelight effect in the dark room.
The carpet fitter hasn't got back to me yet (boo) so I'm not sure when the floor will be done but if all goes to plan most will be finished this week which leaves me the weekend to get my kit in the 'equipment room' and Monday should be a day of painting.
I still cant find a nice Cream coloured recliner though

I'm going over my budget as it is with extras like Harmony One, air con, 15.4" HDTV (being inset into wall by door for when I dont want to use the projector but want to listen to SACDs etc) so I cant really justify spending £500 on a brand new chair.
Anyway, some more pics from the last couple of days.

KobeoneHD · 26-02-2009, 7:46 AM

good work there fella. Love the lighting feature. Keep up the good work and keep those pics coming

KobeoneHD

madprofessor · 26-02-2009, 8:06 AM

If I were you I'd paint before getting the carpet ...

mikeaitch · 26-02-2009, 11:21 PM

Just found out I can get one of those a/c units, seems like you don't need it now....

museumsteve · 26-02-2009, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madprofessor

If I were you I'd paint before getting the carpet ...

Painting is due to be done Monday and carpet by the end of next week hopefully

museumsteve · 26-02-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeaitch

Just found out I can get one of those a/c units, seems like you don't need it now....

I got an itchy buying finger Mike so ordered one anyway, but thanks for the consideration

museumsteve · 27-02-2009, 12:02 AM

The rear boarding and insulation was put up today as well as most of the skirting and the opening for the AV rack

madprofessor · 27-02-2009, 8:21 AM

Assuming you're going to have bare plaster, there'll be a lot of painting to do! Many coats on that, plus you'll presumably have some woodwork (door, architrave, skirting etc). I'll be impressed if you do all of it in a day!

museumsteve · 27-02-2009, 8:45 AM

I dont expect him to finish it all in one day, I'm hoping to have the walls and ceiling done so I can start on the fittings and then the woodwork by the end of the week before the carpet is done.

mpaul0055 · 27-02-2009, 10:52 AM

Great Work Steve

Love the floating ceiling

Looking forward to seeing the final result mate,..

museumsteve · 01-03-2009, 8:28 PM

Painting starts tomorrow. Tonight I'll be running cables into the 'equipment area' to where the AV rack is going, running light switch cables which will feed a 3 x 600w gang remote/touch varilight switch and starting on the AV rack supports.

Stage was top of the agenda today. An MDF top with a ply front. The area under the top will be sand filled. The top will be carpeted with same carpet as the floor and the front curved ply will be painted cream the same as the woodwork in the room, it should break things up nicely.

museumsteve · 03-03-2009, 1:23 AM

Started painting today as well as finishing the stage and fitting the small TV. I'm very pleased with the progress but have come to terms with the fact that I have at least one more week to go before it's done. Carpet fitter is calling me tomorrow to arrange a day (hoepfully saturday) but I am still struggling finding a chair..grrr
I spent the evening getting some of the cream on the woodwork and I am very pleased with the results alongside the red walls.
This week I can only get a few hours in each evening and then Sunday and Monday as full days with my builder buddy.
I still have 2 of my original cinema seats (proper cinema fold up ones) so thinking about bringing them out of retirement and having them on the back wall (recovered to match the colour scheme) as both a feature for the room and for sitting on from time to time...but I wont decide until the room is finished. I'll get the carpet fitter to leave an extra length of carpet in case I want it for the seat plinth if I do use them.