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Best Window Treatments For Home Theaters And Media Rooms In New Brunswick

April 17, 2019

For some TV and movie lovers in New Brunswick, the home theater or media room is just not a specialty room, but one of the most used rooms you use.  Your large 4K TV becomes the focus in the room.  The surround sound speaker system envelops you in cinematic scores and rich dialog. Now, it’s time to put up the most functional window treatments for your home theater or media room experience.

Even if your home theater is in a living or family room, you need to get the most from your TV.  It goes without saying, you need a covering that will adequately black out the room, so that you don’t see glare on your screen. An added benefit would be if your coverings could adequately block outside sound.  As an added bonus, your window treatments should have style even when your movies aren’t playing.  

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

Your Window Treatments Should Keep The Room Dark

Shutters in Theater Room

When you watch a movie in a home theater or media room, you want the room on the darker side.  You may want to start with shades that block all outside light.  Opaque cellular shades, roller shades or Roman shades can effectively keep the room dark. And as the shades cover the full window, you can have the room as dark as you need, where the television is the star attraction.

However, as wonderful as cellular shades are at obscuring outside light, they may not meet your needs when a show isn’t in session.  If you want the benefit of directing light in addition to blacking out the sun, you may want to look at plantation shutters. Shutters can shroud the room in complete darkness when they are closed. But there are times you might want to let in some natural light, so the space doesn’t seem so closed in. With plantation shutters, you can let just a bit of light in, so all your shows aren’t always in pitch blackness.  

Your Window Treatments Should Dampen Sound

Shutters in a living room with a tv

Of course, your home theater or media room should be dark, but don’t forget about the significance of sound.  Outside noise, such as neighborhood children playing in the yard or a neighbor dog barking, can disturb you from what’s on the screen. What comes from your television should also be preserved, as your program’s sound can become distorted when it reflects off your window’s glass panes.

Cellular shades can make the room dark, but they may be too thin to adequately block out sounds.  Blinds can have the same issues as they are usually loose around the sides. Drapes and curtains will hinder outside noise, but might also dampen your show’s sound and prevent you from hearing a true surround-sound experience.  

Plantation shutters, in contrast, can keep outside noise out and keep your shows sounding nice.  If your neighborhood is mostly reserved, any plantation shutter probably will fulfill the purpose. However, if you reside in a neighborhood that has more ambient noise, like near a school or on a busy street, you should use a denser faux wood shutter. No matter what treatment you pick, make sure you reposition 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 Practical The Window Treatment

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

As bigger screen televisions become in vogue, media rooms have begun to be seen as a multipurpose room.  Used for more than movies and television, media rooms are also a room for gaming, watching sports, and general entertaining. If you use your room for more than one purpose, you will need a practical window covering 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 , like the window treatment doesn’t exist, which may not be the best decision. Plantation shutters let your room be seen as a utilitarian space, and not just as a space to watch movies. And since shutters can easily adjust to a variable amount of light, you can set aside a back area where people may want to talk or read. The rest of the group can then not be disturbed on the couch enjoying the movie .

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

If your media room doesn’t have a lot of outside windows, then you may want to opt for a cellular, roman or roller shade.  If you prefer multi-use media room, then plantation shutters may be the best option. Either way, your Sunburst representative can show you all your options.  Call 732-301-6168 and schedule your in-home consultation.