Basement & Movie Theater Finishing: Top 10 Ways to Hide Your AV Equipment
If you are getting ready to start your basement finishing project and are considering including a movie theater or at least a family room with some high powered home theater equipment, then you may also be wondering how to camouflage all that fancy gear!
Nothing kills the “new home theater euphoria” like an ugly pile of equipment in the corner or (even worse!) Equipment littering the base of your television or projection screen. But what should you do with all those things? How can you hide the equipment needed to create a high-octane movie theater? Should you be worrying about this with all the other things you need to do to prepare for the start of your basement finishing project?
Do not despair! Yes, this is the right time to think about this. In addition, we have presented the top 10 ideas to help you effectively hide your home theater equipment, without sacrificing the functionality of your equipment or your basement.
Drum roll please …
10. Don’t do anything. Ok, this doesn’t really hide anything, but if you are of a minimalist persuasion and don’t break out in a cold sweat thinking about looking at all your gear, then just put the gear on a shelf near your TV / screen. Your basement finishing project won’t be the first on the block to go with this setup.
9. Buy a large plant. Again, for minimalists, this is probably an acceptable solution. Disguise the team with a large plant that will still allow the infrared signal from your remote control (s).
8. Create shelves on a wall and cover the opening with a paint. While this requires a bit more effort to change DVDs and Blu-Rays, it is an effective way to hide your gear. However, overheating could be a potential hazard with this option.
7. Connect the components in your basement to work with the components in your television area upstairs. Absolutely, positively, it will NOT be seen from the basement. The big drawback is constantly going up and down stairs.
6. Cover wall shelves with closet doors. Done right, you can create stunning built-in elements that will blow your mind. your neighbors when they run out. You may need to leave the doors open to allow ventilation so the equipment does not overheat.
5. If you plan to have a wet bar nearby on your basement finishing project, plan for a cabinet to have glass doors and shelves for your gear.
4. Place your television or screen and its shelves on both sides. Next, install curtains (very theatrical) that will hide the equipment. If you really want to create the maximum effect with this option, put the curtain on a rail with a motor that can open and close it as much or as little as you like. Who knows, maybe you can even start charging admission ?!
3. Install an infrared eye and a repeater. The infrared eye (about the size of a dime) zooms in on the television / screen. The cable from the eye to the repeater is hidden behind the drywall. The repeater is installed in a closet / storage space / engine room or anywhere else where your equipment is hidden. When you use your standard infrared remote control, the eye tells the repeater to talk to the equipment and do its bidding.
2. Connect your home theater system to your existing home automation center and control the basement with an additional home center remote. While this is an amazing option, it only works if you already have a home automation program installed in the rest of your home or are willing to spend the money now to remodel it in your current home.
And the # 1 way to hide your AV equipment for your basement home theater system is … Put your equipment in any old room in the house and buy yourself an RF remote system. While this will still require the speakers and video wiring to be placed inside the walls, you don’t need any special wiring for the eyes to repeat the infrared signal from your remote. The remote RF signal will pass through walls and can communicate with the signal receiver up to 100 feet. outside.
Don’t worry about home theater in your basement finishing project! There is a solution for every budget. With a little help from a qualified professional and careful planning, you’ll soon be the talk of the neighborhood.
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