9 Tips for Creating a Sophisticated Media Room

Media or entertainment rooms are no longer expected to just be a place to watch movies, but also a place to play board games, work out or even just relax away from the main house. This room provides a great opportunity to display large collections of items, like books, or vintage collectables, as you don’t want wall art distracting from the movie screen! A library is also another option in this part of the house — books make great decoration without being overpowering. The all important seating arrangement should no longer be old-fashioned theatre-style seats, but could be a movable sectional, low floor cushion-like seating or just large deep sofas placed in a 'U' style for ultimate viewing of a screen. Cozy and intimate are the key words, and don’t forget to give your family and friends a throw, extra pillows for comfort, foot stools and floor cushions… — Zoe Hoare-Mead, English Country Home

It is no secret that the TV, when placed in a room, is the focal point. I like to dress it up or hide it all together. I have found that recessing the TV and creating a frame around it helps tie the entire design together. Most television manufacturers now offer an 'Art Mode' for the screen. You can choose from thoughtfully curated artwork and photography specific to the frame an update as you see fit. — Holly Kopman, Holly A. Kopman Interior Design

Many of us are not fortunate enough to have a full home theatre where we live, but that does not mean you can not have a great home media experience. If your space is contemporary, then sticking to clean lines is essential. Even if you do not have the space for a piece of furniture to accommodate a wall-mounted monitor, you can always paint the TV wall a contrasting color to create the illusion of a media wall. I am presently working with a client with that exact issue. The wall where the TV is going is short due to the home's construction, so we are painting that wall black to match the TV when it is not on. When it is turned on, the black wall helps to enhance the picture and the overall experience. — OASIS HOME by NLM DESIGN INTERIORS

In this space, the television is concealed by a flat steel door which is hung from a motorized ceiling mounted track. The inconspicuous operational system allows the door to appear part of the steel fireplace. Two symmetrical bookshelves flank the fireplace so the whole wall becomes the architectural feature in the room, instead of making it all about the TV. Designer tip — do your research on placing televisions above the fireplace to make sure they are properly vented! — Hyde Evans Design

We married the best parts of a dedicated media room with the comfort and flexibility of a teen hangout space. Acoustically paneled, fabric-wrapped walls are punctuated by a rift-oak feature that grounds the big screen and wraps onto the ceiling plane. The motorized, reclining leather sofa in the back of the room sits behind 3 colorful, easy-to-move lounge chairs that facilitate reconfiguration for multiple functions. All sit on top of a custom-designed wool area rug that softens the space and helps dampen sound. — Giselle Loor, B+G Design

Most everything in interior design, from lighting to furniture is influenced by the architecture of the home, and the TV is no exception. Take cues from the rest of the house when deciding about how to display (or hide) a screen. This house has a lovely feature that picks up on the molding of the beach house and hides a TV in a room where media doesn’t want to dominate. Luckily, technology has given us many beautiful options should media take centerstage. — Sabrina Speer, D2 Interiors

Our firm is based in New York City and even in the most generous projects, space is always at a premium. That being said, we haven’t had too many requests for a dedicated home theater room. In this particular project, the rest of the loft was flooded with light so we found an interior space to reduce the amount of daylight coming into the room. The media room needs to serve many purposes other than just a room to watch movies with comfortable and deep seating along with enough space for food and beverages to enjoy while watching your favorite movie or sporting event. Another important item is to reduce the amount of downlighting in front of the television in order to reduce distracting reflections off the screen. — Bill Suk, Suk Design Group

We find that clients’ love the use of rich dark-brown wood in their homes because it adds warmth and sophistication to any space. Timeless yet oversized bronze lighting hangs above the wet bar separating the media room where old vintage posters are mounted on seamless acoustical paneled walls. This combination of wet bar and media room allows the homeowner to enjoy a mixed drink or two while reclining back in their elevated theater seating. —Cynthia K. Godoy, CK Interior Design

Wallpaper is no longer that bad word no one wants to utter. It is stylish, colorful and adds amazing textures to any space. Theater-like drama was infused with all walls covered in a textured dark navy wallpaper; wall sconces add dramatic lighting; and both the recessed ceiling and TV niches are clad in 100-year-old barnwood. Using a large denim sectional and upholstered ottoman, we created inviting and functional places to hang out. Three wall-mounted TVs along with a custom-integrated sound and lighting system make this sophisticated media room the go-to hang out spot for family and friends. – Emily Esposito, E. Esposito Interiors