Best Window Treatments For Home Theaters And Media Rooms In Southern California

April 17, 2019

For some homeowners in Southern California, the home theater or media room is more than a specialty room, but one of the most important rooms you could use. Your large 4K television becomes the definite focal point in the room. The surround sound speaker system covers you in dramatic scores and exciting sound effects. Now, it’s time to install the best window treatments for your home theater or media room experience.

When your home theater is used as a family room, you still want to get the most from your TV. Nevertheless, you need a window treatment that will adequately block out light, so that you don’t see glare on your screen. It’s also helpful if your window treatments could completely dampen outside sound. Last but not least, your window coverings should show some style even when your movies aren’t playing.

So what are the best window treatments for a home theater or media room?

Your Window Treatments Should Make The Room Dark

Shutters in Theater Room

When you watch TV in a home theater or media room, you want the room as dark as possible. Your first instinct may veer to shades that shut out all outside light. Opaque cellular shades, roller shades or Roman shades will block out the sun. And as the shades cover the full window, you can make the room as black as you need, even to a point where the solitary brightness will derive from the screen.

However, as good as cellular shades are at obscuring the sun, they may not direct sunlight around the room. If you need the opportunity to direct light as well, you may want to consider plantation shutters. Shutters can completely block out outside light when you shut the louvers. But there are times you might need some outside light, so the room doesn’t seem so closed in. With these window treatments, you can adjust how the light shines in, while still ensuring that you can view the television screen without a glare.

Your Window Treatments Should Hinder Sound

Shutters in a living room with a tv

Your window treatments should block out outside light, but don’t forget about the influence of sound. Outside noise, such as neighborhood children horsing around in the yard or a running lawn mower, can distract you from what you are watching. Sounds from your films and TV programs should also be preserved, as your program’s sound can become muffled when it hits your window’s glass panes.

Cellular shades can keep the room dark, but they usually are too thin to adequately stop outside noise. Mail-order and store-bought blinds can have the same issues as they are usually loose around the sides. But you can have great coverage with well-measured, custom-fit faux-wood blinds and hardwood blinds when properly installed by a Drapes and curtains might block outside sound, but might also muffle your show’s sound and prevent you from enjoying a true surround-sound experience.

Plantation shutters, on the other hand, can keep outside noise out and keep your shows sounding pure. If your yard is generally quiet, any plantation shutter should work just fine. Then again if you reside in a community that has more outside activity, like in a child-friendly area or on a well-traveled street, you should use a heavier faux wood shutter. No matter what treatment you choose, make sure you arrange your surround sound after after your treatments are installed so that you a full experience from your speakers.

The More Versatile Your Media Room, The More Functional The Window Treatment

Bedroom with shutters and oar over tv photo courtesy of Kathy at The Daily Nest

As bigger screen televisions become in vogue, media rooms have begun to be seen as the main recreational area. No longer confined to movies, media rooms are also a room for gaming, watching sports, and general entertaining. If you use your room for more than one purpose, you will want a functional covering that looks great when it’s the room is being used for other purposes.

When a cellular or roman shade is up, they dissapear into the window sill. This leaves your windows open , like the window treatment doesn’t exist, but won’t help privacy or style. Plantation shutters let your room be seen as a multi-purpose space, and not only as a space to watch movies. And since you can adjust each one to direct as much light as you want, you can designate a side couch where friends or family may want to visit or read. Everyone else can then not be disturbed on the main part of the room catching the double feature .

Which Window Treatment For Your Home Theater Or Media Room Is Best For You?

If your home theater or media room doesn’t have a lot of outside windows, then you may choose a cellular, roman or roller shade. If you have a general use media room, then plantation shutters could be best. Either way, your Sunburst representative can assist. Call 888-611-2474 and schedule your in-home consultation.

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