Off to the movies!

A home cinema can be the entertainment centre of the home, but make sure you follow a few basic rules.

As the world continues to change the way people look at their homes, entertainment is taking centre stage.

Is there room for a pool and play area for the kids? Can an outdoor kitchen be added for those special celebrations that can’t be held in a restaurant?

And what about a home cinema for enjoying the experience of a night at the movies without leaving home?

Georgia shares her home cinema tips with The Block Shop.

“A home cinema can be a great addition to a house and create a space for the family to come together,” says Block contestant and style guru Georgia.

“But like any area in a home, it has to be well-planned and well-executed to make sure it fits the purpose intended… and more.”

With a home cinema, that means thinking about how the space can be used when you’re not screening a movie, while making sure every box is ticked when it is.

“Do it right and It becomes another space for the family to enjoy,” Georgia says.


Ronnie and Georgia created a home cinema that made The Block judges envious!

Top four home cinema basics:
Sight, sound, seating and surround.

1. Sight

“One of the most important parts of the home cinema experience is the images that’s seen,” Georgia says.

“If you’re not going for a large-screen television, that means a projector and the key here is to find the best you can, not the cheapest.”

Consult with an expert if you can, Georgia says, someone who can view the space you are planning to convert and tell you what the best option is.

“It can be a case of spending as much as you can afford to get the best quality, but that’s not always the case, talk to the experts and shop around,” Georgia says.

“The screen itself is important, but not as much as the projector so if you have to skimp, that’s the area you can save a bit and really invest in high-end electronics.”



“If you’re not going for a large-screen television, that means a projector and the key here is to find the best you can, not the cheapest,” Georgia tells The Block Shop.

2. Sound

“Sound is the other major part of the cinematic experience and once again it’s a matter of investing in a quality sound system with quality speakers,” Georgia says.

“Surround sound with a good sub-woofer is essential to make sure the sound fills the room as it was intended to.”

And make sure any extra sounds are cut out.

That means sound-deadening panels in the ceiling and curtains on the walls to keep the room as “dead” as possible until the sound system kicks in and sound insulation in any walls and ceiling to keep the movie’s noise from leaking through to other areas of the home.

“Great surround sound makes you feel like you’re there in the action and in a real cinema, you really want to be able to enjoy what's coming out of the speakers,” Georgia says.



Sound is the other major part of the cinematic experience and once again it’s a matter of investing in a quality sound system with quality speakers,” Georgia says.
 

3. Seating

“I know a lot of people like the function of the cinema chair recliner but personally I hate what that looks like,” Georgia says.

“I'm all about the aesthetic, so it's got the look good so I wanted to create a room that felt like a Gold Class movie experience but at the same time was still connected to the rest of my home.”

For Ronnie and Georgia that meant tiered seating with occasional chairs and an ottoman at the lowest level then couches raised above that to ensure every seat had a great view.

“They were the comfiest we could find so you immediately walk into that room, lay back on a couch and think OK this is heaven, I could chill here all day and watch movies or television.”

But by not dominating the entire floorspace with fixed recliners, Georgia also left space for board games, read or just a place to relax.

“Just think about getting the most in terms of function out of every space that you can,” Georgia says.



Ronnie and Georgia selected the stunning Cloud sofas for their home cinema.

Kirsty and Jesse selected a more traditional black leather recliner chair for their home cinema.

4. Surround

This final category is what gives a cinema room it’s character and what ties it to the rest of the house.

“My motivation in life is dessert and lollies,” Georgia says. And so my favourite thing about going to the movies is going to the lolly counter and buying things - I just love it!

“So, I think it’s essential to have a lolly drawer in your cinema room, a little bar fridge so we can have drinks and think about the décor too, it should reflect a cinema – that’s where those acoustic curtains come in again, they just look the part!

“But again, don’t ignore the fact this is a room that is part of a home and it’s a place where you can include storage as well - you can never have enough storage in any house!

“The lighting too is super important, you've got to create the mood of lights going down as the movies starts, floor lighting in case you want to move around in the darkness of a film, but you also want to have an option for where you’re not watching a movie and just hanging out there. You need to have good lighting when it’s turned up too.”

Tick those boxes, Georgia says and you can build a space for the family to enjoy.

“It comes down to thinking about who you are designing your home for and thinking about how they going to use it,” she says.



“My motivation in life is dessert and lollies,” Georgia says. And so my favourite thing about going to the movies is going to the lolly counter and buying things - I just love it!"

View The Block revealed cinema rooms HERE