Home Theater Design: Game On

Game On
Filed Under: Pro Interiors $$
Posted Tue Dec 2, 2008, 5:12 PM ET — By Jamie Sorcher

For parents who want peace of mind, there’s no better solution than constructing a game room/home theater where all the neighborhood kids want to hang out. That is exactly what one Frisco, Texas, homeowner and professional home builder did, and the results have been a slam dunk. Project manager Randy Garcia of Audio Video Innovations in Houston, TX, says the installation allows the family’s three boys to always invite their friends over to watch movies or play video games instead of going out somewhere.

According to Garcia, who outfitted the 1,300-square-foot game room/media room for multipurpose use, homes in Texas don’t have traditional basements. Most Texas homes have lower levels, but not underground. This 7,300-square-foot home has three levels, with the game room/media room located on the ground level.

The setup is perfect for watching movies in the theater portion of the room since it’s in the darkest part of the home. It also allows the boys—ages 11, 13, and 15—to get as loud as they want and not disturb anyone. Not surprisingly, the homeowner’s children use the room very often for gaming and movies (they have an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3), but they also like that the room’s double doors open right out to the pool and basketball court.

Working with a $25,000 budget, Garcia fashioned a multi-use room that features an Optoma H79 DLP projector coupled with a 106-inch Da-lite Cinema Contour screen for the theater (which has seating for eight). There’s a 7.1-channel surround system that includes Elan THP in-wall speakers and a Sunfire HRS-8 subwoofer (compact style with an 8-inch woofer and built-in 1,000-watt amp) powered by the Denon AVR-2308CI A/V receiver, all of which is controlled by a Universal Remote MX-3000.

The game room includes a pool table, foosball table, air hockey table, card table (for the parents), and a bar. It is equipped with an LG 50-inch 50PC5D plasma HDTV, two Elan MM650C in-ceiling speakers, and an in-wall touchscreen remote, the Elan Ole2, which controls the audio sources.

“The parents like knowing the kids are at home and in an environment that is safe,” says Garcia. It’s no wonder this multipurpose room makes staying home a win-win for everyone.