Home Theater Lighting Guide: Lighting Ideas for Your Home Theater
When you’re a movie lover, escape from the chaos of the world is as simple as a trip to the theater. What’s even better is that with today’s technology, it’s shockingly easy and increasingly affordable to have a movie theater experience at home.
Widely available virtual reality technology and luxury home theater seating means that many home theaters are even better than the movie theaters in San Diego. Real cinema buffs know that home theater lighting is what makes or breaks the experience. Without the proper home theater light fixtures, you’ll never achieve the professional movie theater ambiance you aim for.
If you’ve never considered home theater lighting design and don’t know where to start, it’s okay! This list of great home theater lighting ideas will help you out.
Dimmable LED Home Theater Lighting
What’s the most exciting part of going to the movie theater? Aside from the movie itself, the moment that has everyone bristling with excitement is when the commercials end and the lights turn down.
Can you imagine it? It’s breathtaking every time!
Can you imagine how your friends and family would react to that kind of drama in your home theater? It’s sure to impress, but what’s the best way to make it happen?
Dimmable LEDs will give you the professional results you want at an affordable price, and they help cut down your electric bill.
Sitting on Light Beams
Watch your next movie while sitting on rays of light.
Does that sound ridiculous? You might change your mind when you see just how good under chair lighting looks.
Why put lights under your home theater seating? Aside from the coolness factor, lights under theater seats serve a few functions, including making it easier to find your chair. Next time you or a guest drops something, it won’t be lost until the end of the show.
Lighting under your chair is a great way to solve these common problems without disrupting the viewing experience. Because the lights are so low and blocked by viewers’ feet, they don’t have an impact on the room’s overall lighting.
Your average La-Z-Boy doesn’t come with lights though, so how do you set up under seat lighting? The most common solution is LED strip lights glued or attached to the furniture.
Eliminate Tripping Hazards
Lighting under home theater seats is a good way to ensure that things aren’t lost between the seats. However, what’s the situation in your home theater when someone has to use the restroom during a film? It’s not always convenient to stop the movie, but someone stumbling down the walkway or falling down the steps, isn’t any better.
Luckily, you don’t have to choose between interruption and disaster. Lining your walkways and steps with theater floor lighting, often in a LED strip or rope format, shines enough light for you and your guests to see where you’re going. If you just want to highlight your stairs, you can get small bar LEDs for that purpose alone.
Can Lights? Can Do!
When you go to a concert, play, or red carpet event, what do you see shining on the main event? It’s always a row of can lights positioned to flatter. Your screen will be the clear center of attention, whether or not anything is playing, if you highlight it with your own set of can lights.
If that’s not your cup of tea, can lights are a great home theater ceiling lighting option. They’re easy to maintain, not bulky and can be repositioned at your convenience. Their classic look adds charm to any home theater’s decoration.
Comfort Your Eyes with Bias Lighting
Bias lighting is light shone from behind your screen, usually achieved with LED strip lights. If the lights you select approximate daylight’s color temperature, then the border reduces strain on your eyes, by giving them something consistent to focus on while light and dark scenes alternate on screen.
Suggesting you light your home theater screen might seem ridiculous. After all, don’t you want the darkest possible environment to watch a movie in?
The thing about bias lighting is that it doesn’t actually affect anything on the screen, because the light is shining from behind. It does change the room’s overall lighting, but if you can adjust to it, it can save your eyes a lot of grief.
If you find that it’s just not for you, or isn’t working in a situation, you can always turn the bias lights off, or even repurpose the lights.
Brighten Your Day with New Lighting Fixtures
These home theater lighting ideas will get you well on the way to designing a custom movie theater that will knock your guests’ socks off. Now that you have an idea of what’s possible, are you looking for a way to put your plans into action?
If you’re in the San Diego area, Lighting Distinctions is ready to work with you and set you up with all the home theater lighting fixtures you need. If you need lights for other areas of your home, we’re here to help with that, too.
Whether you’re setting up a new home movie theater, renovating your current theater, or working on another lighting project, our over 25 years of lighting design experience will guarantee your design turns out even better than you dreamed.
Browse our site for inspiration, and when you’re ready to get started, get in touch with virtually no effort. A free consultation is available to you right now, so what are you waiting for?