Single Room Solutions
In this next Blog article, we are going to take a look at some of the smaller custom installation projects that Majik House undertakes, and start by putting the record straight a little…
Here on our website you’ll see many of the wonderful projects that have been our absolute privilege to work on; invariably these are whole house commissions which incorporate full control for the lighting design, the AV, security and the networks that underpin them.
It’s undeniable that these include some quite incredible homes, a number of which have understandably won awards either for their architecture and/or the involvement of Majik House.
What we have perhaps been culpable of is not sharing enough about the many smaller bespoke commissions we undertake, typically the stand-alone home cinemas and media rooms, so here’s a starting point to put that right!
LET’S DO MORE WITH THE SPACE IN OUR HOMES
Embarking on a whole home project is a significant investment, something often planned with a major renovation or building of extensions, or even when a new property is being built from the ground up. We’re not all in a position to embark along this route but, conversely, that doesn’t mean we just have to be content with doing nothing.
The turbulence of recent years (COVID, booming property markets and recent rises in interest rates) has seen changes in where and how we live, and what we want from our homes. Whilst most of us are content with where we live, without quite the same urge to ‘move on and move up’ and increased mortgage commitments, there is still the desire to do more with our homes and make better use of our available space and enhance how we live.
Having a bespoke home cinema or media room continues to be high on many people’s wish list and is often something that can be achieved for a financial outlay (when compared with moving home) and without the need for significant building alterations. In fact, the majority of the smaller home cinema projects Majik House install need relatively minimal involvement from other construction trades and therefore can be completed in relatively short time.
A modest living room (4m x 5m) has the potential to be transformed into a true media room with impressive performance; just because this sort of space may not warrant a cinema screen and projector, an equally impressive AV experience can still be achieved with the current breed of 8K-HD televisions and supporting audio.
At this point we’ll always ask how the room is going to be used. The chances are that most of us will continue to use the room as we do at present: to watch our favourite soap or football match, where the kids can enjoy their cartoons, somewhere to curl up on the sofa with a good book and some background music.
Even though most of us don’t have the luxury of a separate room for watching films, it doesn’t mean that we need to compromise when we want to watch a movie with a great cinema experience.
If space in a single room is at a premium, consider custom cabinetry for the screen and speakers to be incorporated into, an approach which will also help with housing any supporting equipment such as a media server or amplifier.
Free-standing and bookshelf loudspeakers are worth including in the design; again, the options from brands such as Monitor Audio are as visually appealing as they are impressive in performance.
In-wall and in-ceiling speakers are most definitely worth considering and can free-up space in a smaller room. We fully appreciate that incorporating these types of speakers is a little more involved in terms of their installation, however the effect is immediately apparent and instantly delivers that cinema-at-home experience.
“We wanted a cinema room but didn’t know where to start. It was brilliant to find Majik House on our doorstep. Autumn, Kris, Zac and Tim made my daughter’s dreams come true and we are truly grateful. Work was designed, fitted and explained efficiently and professionally and we would recommend Majik to anyone wanting their own cinema be it big or small. Great service throughout.”
STAY SENSIBLE WITH THE SCREEN
It stands to reason that the bigger the screen, the better the cinema experience, right? Wrong.
The size of the room will dictate the size of the screen, but not just in terms of what can be fitted in the space available; the screen size is primarily determined by where it will be viewed from and can it be watched comfortably.
Having a screen that’s too big quickly becomes uncomfortable to watch, with the picture dominating the room and not relaxing in the slightest. Not convinced? It’s the same as sitting on the front row at your local cinema which, we’d suggest, is never a great experience.
So we’ll always stay sensible when it comes to screen sizes and rather recommend a dependable product that delivers high-quality images; at time of writing, this invariably includes brands such as Samsung’s QLED range, SONY Bravia and LG OLED TVs.
DOES IT NEED TO BE DOLBY?
Undertake any online research for audio for home cinemas and you’ll quickly find yourself in the realms of Dolby Atmos®, the spatial sound experience that has become the last word in audio for home cinema.
Having a smaller space doesn’t mean that achieving Dolby Atmos® is impossible but, from our perspective, we’d ask if you really need it?
The sound quality afforded by some of the products touched on previously will deliver the high-end performance that, to most of our ears, is so encompassing and immersive that anything more wouldn’t warrant the additional expense.
We can also recommend acoustic treatments for walls, flooring, soft furnishings and furniture as these all can affect the sound quality, but we won’t propose trying to achieve the Dolby Atmos® target if the end experience doesn’t warrant it.
A LIGHT TOUCH MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Understandably the picture quality and the sound are the first considerations for most of us, but watching a movie will always be compromised if the light in the room isn’t right, so please give due consideration to the lighting design.
Commercial cinemas are windowless spaces for good reason, and having to fudge the amount of light that comes into the room isn’t a great way to start getting to watch your favourite flick.
Custom blackout blinds are a worthy investment to consider; manually operated ones are fine but we’d propose something a little more stylish and in-keeping with your new media room. Whether wired or wireless, the motorised blind solutions from Lutron are an elegant approach and a delight to operate.
These blinds will also help with the sound quality by further reducing any hard ‘bounce’ from the glass in your windows.
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
A whole home custom install project is a significant undertaking, and starting with a single room is one way that our customers can find out first-hand what working with Majik House is like.
Just because a single room home cinema or media project is a smaller commission doesn’t for one minute mean that we afford it any less care and consideration, and will never take your choosing Majik House for granted.
To ensure we fulfil your room’s true potential, Majik House can either work with your chosen team, or make recommendations based on associates and contractors with whom we have worked previously. We are also more than happy to undertake the role of project managers and are frequently at the centre of client, architect and trade teams.
If you’re at the stage of thinking about making the most of a single room space in your home – living room or an under-utilised dining room, perhaps the garage, attic or basement – then please do get in touch and let’s start a conversation.
Our design team can see the potential in your home, and can make a few dreams become a reality that will provide years of enjoyment for you and your family as well as adding to the value of your home.