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Best Window Treatments For Home Theaters And Media Rooms In Dover

April 17, 2019

For some homeowners in Dover, the home theater or media room is just not a hobby room, but one of the most inclusive rooms you could use.  The whole room is focused on the oversized 4k television.  The surround sound speaker system envelops 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 media room is used as a gathering place, you still want to get everything from your television.  It goes without saying, you need a window treatment that will totally black out the room, so that you don’t see glare on your screen. An added benefit would be if your window coverings could muffle outside sound.  As an added bonus, your coverings should have style even when the TV is off.  

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

Your Window Treatments Should Make The Room Pitch Black

Shutters in Theater Room

When you watch TV in a home theater or media room, you want the room on the darker side.  The obvious choice are shades that block all outside light.  Opaque cellular shades, roller shades or Roman shades will definitely keep the sun out. And with the right materials, you can make the room as black as you desire, where the screen is the main focal point.

However, while a cellular shade will make your room completely dark, they may not do a exceptional job at directing sunlight.  If you need the option to direct light as well, you should look at plantation shutters. Shutters will be able to shroud the room in complete darkness when you shut the louvers. However, sometimes you might want to let in some outside light, so the space doesn’t seem so stuffy. With shutters, you can let just a bit of light in, while making sure that you can watch television without a glare.  

Your Window Treatments Should Dampen Sound

Shutters in a living room with a tv

Your window coverings should black out sun glare, but don’t forget about the influence of sound.  Outside noise, such as children playing in the yard or a running lawn mower, can disturb you from your viewing experience. Sounds from your films and TV programs should also be preserved, as dialog and music can become muffled when it reflects off your window’s glass panes.

Cellular shades can do a great job keeping the room dark, but they usually are too thin to adequately hinder outside sounds. 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 can muffle outside annoyances, but might also distort your show’s sound and prevent you from enjoying a true surround-sound experience.  

Plantation shutters, in contrast, stop outside sound and keep inside sound nice.  If your street is mostly reserved, any plantation shutter should work just fine. Then again if you reside in an area that has more ambient noise, like close to a playground or on a busy street, you may want to use a denser faux wood shutter. Whatever treatment you pick, make sure you arrange your surround sound after after your treatments are installed so that you you get quality sound from your speakers.

The More Uses Of Your Media Room, The More Practical The Window Treatment

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

As larger screen televisions become easier to get, media rooms have begun to become the main recreational area.  Used for more than movies, media rooms are used for gaming, watching sports, and general entertaining. In this instance, you will need a functional window treatment that looks stylish 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 completely uncovered , letting in 100% sunlight, but does nothing for privacy or style. Plantation shutters let your room be used as a multi-purpose space, and not only as a movie room. And since you can open or close shutters to direct as much light as you want, you can deligate a back area where friends or family might opt to catch up or do something else. The rest of the group can then not be disturbed on the couch catching the double feature .

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

If your media room doesn’t have a lot of outside windows, then you may want a cellular, roman or roller shade.  If you prefer general use media room, then plantation shutters may be the best option. Either way, your Sunburst representative can help you out.  Call 301-835-1611 today to schedule your in-home consultation.