10 cinema room ideas for your spare room

Going to the cinema is great.

But leaving the house during Winter? Not so great.

Which is why, the real dream is to bring the cinema home. If you have a spare room, or have a loft or basement to renovate, you’ve got the perfect spot for your very own cinema room.

It’s the perfect place to come together as a family and watch all your favourite films on the big screen.

There has been a huge increase in the number of people looking for cinema room ideas since the start of the pandemic. Without being able to head out to the movies, plenty of people wanted to find a way to entertain the family in the house, while still getting the same out-of-house experiences.

So rather than always huddling around in the lounge to watch a DVD on your standard TV, here are 10 cinema room ideas you can incorporate into your spare room.

Grab the popcorn and take a look:

How small can a cinema room be?

A lot of people ask ‘how big does a home cinema need to be?’ Not everyone has the spare for a full cinema room with 10 seats and an entire snack stall…

But the truth is, your cinema room can be as small or big as you want. Or at least, as big as your home allows.

If you’re a solo dweller, your cinema room could even be a one seat space! Alternatively, the room could be a little bigger so you have the space to invite friends over for a movie-marathon.

How to make your room look like a movie theatre

So, if you’re looking for cinema room ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Below are a number of things to consider and incorporate into the room so that you get the full cinema experience at home.

1. Use the basement or loft

As mentioned above, basements or attics make great cinema rooms. Not just because they’re out of the way, but because there’s very little natural light.

For the real cinema experience you need almost total darkness. So you can really focus on your film. Basements and lofts offer this already, so there’s less to do to prep the room in the first place.

2. Paint the walls black

Whether you go for a straightforward black paint or a dark grey, make sure the walls of your cinema room are as dark as possible. In fact, black is one of the most pinned living room ideas of 2021 - and we can only assume it’s for that cosy cinema room style.

Even if you’re not in the basement or attic, there’s still plenty of ways to make the room naturally darker. And as paint doesn’t cost and arm or a leg, it’s the perfect first step to creating your dream cinema room.

3. Think about acoustics

When it comes to watching the big screen, you don’t want anything to get in the way of a good time. Which is why considering the acoustics within the room is so important.

Plush carpet is a great sound buffer, and will prevent echoing ruining your film. It’ll also help to reduce the noise pollution escaping into other rooms of the house.

For added protection, and a little Hollywood glam, you could even create pulled-seam upholstered boards for the walls. These will provide more sound proofing while also adding a sophisticated look to the space.

When you’ve got that sorted, you’ll need to think about what sound system you can realistically afford. Depending how big the room is, you may need multiple speakers or a surround sound system.

4. Consider screen size

If you’re going to put the effort into creating a specific cinema room, rather than using the lounge, you’re going to want a larger-than-life screen.

But you also want to make sure you’re not having to strain yourself to see the picture. If the room is shallow, rather than deep, you’ll want to make sure the screen isn’t too big.

To find the right size, first measure the room itself and the wall on which you’ll put the screen. You can use tape to create a square on the wall and see how it looks and feels.

5. The perfect seating

As for a home cinema sofa, we think our Model 03 sofa is the perfect choice. It’s chunky, it’s comfy and there’s plenty of room for the whole family.

Because our sofas are modular, you can decide how many seats you’d like in a row. Alternatively, you could do two rows of seats with two sofas.

For those that love to be comfy in the cinema, corner sofas  will fit all your family and friends for the ultimate movie night.

6. Set the mood with lighting

Unless you’re using the room for multiple purposes, you want to ensure your cinema room has low, ambient lighting. The space is for relaxing and watching films, so you don’t want the lighting to be a distraction.

Spotlights in the floor, or short table lamps can create a moody aesthetic that’s perfect for the cinema room: There’s just enough light to help you find your snacks.

Alternatively, side wall lights can work. Find a shade that directs the light downwards, so as not to take away from the relaxed atmosphere.

You can find more inspiration for atmospheric lighting on our living room living blog.

7. Hollywood glamour decor

As mentioned above, there’s nothing quite like 30’s Hollywood style. And what perfect place to flaunt glamorous decor than a home cinema?

If you’re looking for a classy cinema room with retro nods to 30s Hollywood, a gold drinks trolley is the perfect accent piece.

Also look out for lampshades or cushions with fringing and a few glitz and glam pieces.

8. Soft furnishings

Soft furnishings are another useful tool for buffering sound. But they also make the space extra snug and cosy. Afterall, the added bonus of having a cinema room is that you can get comfy in blankets and your snuggliest PJs. You can do this at the real cinema, but you may get a few stares…

Heavy drapery in a dark shade can be used to line the entire room if you’re feeling fancy. This will help to keep the space entirely dark (opt for a blackout lining), even if there’s lots of natural light flooding the room.

9. Create a snack area

No cinema room would be complete without all the extras you can enjoy at the cinema. And while you might not fancy having a nacho counter, hotdog stand and a pick n mix wall, there’s still plenty of less extravagant options to choose from.

Using a drinks trolley, small table or bookshelf, you can create the ultimate snack area filled with sweets, popcorn and all the good stuff. You could even plug in a mini-fridge and fill it with your favourite drinks before the movie starts.

10. Paint the ceiling

As one final attempt to make the room pitch black, you can also paint the ceiling black. Add a handful of glitter into the pot to create a little sparkly like the night sky.

How do you make a fun movie night at home?

Even with your fully-equipped room, you can still do plenty more to create a fun movie night.

If friends are coming around for a new film, you could get everyone in the mood with some light movie trivia. Or, let everyone create their own ice cream sundae to enjoy during the viewing.

For kids and teens, you could make the cinema room a dedicated sleepover room. It’s perfect for giving the kids their own space to have fun and hang out with their friends without hogging the living room. Grab some air beds and duvets and create the perfect den.

These are just a few ways to make your home cinema room the best it can be. But as with any viewing party, it’s important to be comfortable. Which is why serious consideration needs to be done  when finding the perfect cinema room sofa. To get started, you can shop our corner sofas.