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Best Window Treatments For Home Theaters And Media Rooms In Salt Lake City

April 17, 2019

For some homeowners in Salt Lake City, the home theater or media room is more than a hobby room, but one of the most important rooms you use.  The whole room faces the oversized 4k television.  The sound system envelops you in dramatic scores and exciting sound effects. Now, it’s time to cover your windows with the best window treatments for your home theater or media room experience.

Even if your TV room is in a living or family room, you should get the most from your television.  It goes without saying, you need a shutter or shade that will completely block out light, so that you don’t get glare on your screen. It’s also nice if your window treatments could adequately block outside sound.  As an added bonus, your shutters or shades should keep some style even when the TV is off.  

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

Your Window Coverings Should Keep The Room Dark

Shutters in Theater Room

When you watch TV in a home theater or media room, you want the room free of outside light.  Your first instinct may veer to shades that shut out distracting sun and street lights.  Opaque cellular shades, roller shades or Roman shades will definitely block out the sun. And with the right materials, you can get the room as dark as you want, so you can create that authentic movie theater feeling.

However, as wonderful as cellular shades are at obscuring the sun, they won’t direct light very well.  If you want the opportunity to direct light as well, you may want to look at plantation shutters. Shutters will be able to completely block out outside light when you shut the louvers. But when the movie isn’t on you might need some natural light, so the room doesn’t seem so claustrophobic. With shutters, you can let just a bit of light in, so visitors can still gather after the TV turns off.  

Your Window Treatments Should Block Out Sound

Shutters in a living room with a tv

Your window coverings should black out outside light, but don’t forget about the influence of sound.  Outside noise, such as kids playing in the yard or a passing car, can disturb you from what you are watching. Music and dialog from your television should also be preserved, as dialog and music can become muffled when it bounces off your window’s glass panes.

Cellular shades can do a great job keeping the room dark, but they may be too delicate to adequately hinder outside sounds.  Blinds can have similar problems as they hang loosely around the sides. Drapes and curtains might block outside annoyances, but might also muffle inside sound and hinder you from hearing a true surround-sound experience.  

Plantation shutters, as designed, block outside noise and keep your movies sounding great.  If your yard is generally quiet, any plantation shutter can fulfill the purpose. But if you live in a neighborhood that has more ambient noise, like near a school or on a busy street, you will probably want to use a heavier faux wood shutter. Whatever covering you choose, make sure you set up your surround sound after the treatments are up so that you get the most from your speakers.

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

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

As bigger screen televisions become more in fashion, media rooms have started to be seen as a second family room.  No longer confined to movies, media rooms are also a room for gaming, watching sports, and general entertaining. Now, 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 raised, they dissapear into the window sill.  This leaves your windows bare enough , letting in 100% sunlight, and you forfeit privacy or style. Plantation shutters let your room be used as a general space, and not only as a home theater. And since you can adjust each one as much as you need, you can set aside a back area where friends may want to catch up or play a game. 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 Works For You?

If your home theater doesn’t have many outside windows, then you may want a cellular, roman or roller shade.  If you have a multi-purpose media room, then plantation shutters may be the best option. Whatever you choose, your Sunburst representative can show you all your options.  Call 801-515-3598 and schedule your in-home consultation.