Without a doubt, a home theater system is one of the most exciting things you can add to your home. Home theaters can range in complexity from a nice TV with some comfortable chairs to a full-on viewing experience, with a flat screen high definition television, surround sound system, and more. Whatever setup you’re going for, there are a number of different components to think about to make your home theater system as enjoyable as possible. Today we’re going to talk about some of the most crucial components of your system: sound systems, wiring, and projectors.

We could spend five blog posts talking about all the different ways you can use custom lighting in your home theater, but for now we’ll stick to the basics. The most important things to consider when installing home theater lighting are:

Lighting arrangement – you can combine the layout of your light fixtures, blinds, and curtains to create the perfect lighting setup. One thing many people do in their home theaters is arrange recessed lights in rows, but ultimately you can do whatever you want-just make sure you have everything planned out so your electrician can wire things properly.

Lighting intensity – nothing makes you feel like you’re at the movies more than lights that dramatically dim just before the movie starts. And with a remote-controlled lighting system complete with dimmer switches, you can achieve the same effect in your own home.

Of course, the goal for your home theater system should always be comfort. Make sure you have soft, even lighting throughout with no glares or sharp contrasts—any excessive lighting will ruin the mood you want. You also want to make sure your TV isn’t so bright that is looks out of place or hurts people’s eyes—try to find a balance between TV viewing, contrast reduction and optimal visual comfort.

Types of light fixtures – to fully customize your home theater, be sure to take a look at all the options you have available for lighting. These include:

After lighting, wiring and projectors should be your next concern when building your home theater. Keep long wires organized and out of site with cable tidies and make sure to label everything clearly so you know what goes where.

In-wall wiring is something to be handled with caution. It’s best to call an electrician to fit your in-wall wiring. To be safe in the home, in-wall wiring should be well-insulated and kept out of reach of children and drafts.

If you decide to go with a projector instead of a TV, make sure you choose a good brand that will fit your wall or screen size. This is key: a projected image that is too small won’t fill the screen, but if it’s too large it may extend beyond the wall.

Your sound system will make or break your home theater experience. A good sound system won’t be too loud or too quiet. Instead, it should fill the room with good quality sound to make your guests feel like they’re really in a theater (or in the movie!).

You can put literally anything you want in your home theater system. So when you’re ready to set it up, call Kolb Electric! We offer home theater wiring and can help set up your lights and wiring to create the ultimate viewing experience.