The owners of this home theater must feel like kings of the world. After all, the elaborate dome of this 20-by-14-foot room was modeled after the ship from the movie “Titanic.”

Only this Tennessee-based family doesn’t have to worry about icebergs; they can sink comfortably into their chairs. “It’s still new to us. We like to entertain, so it’s great to have the theater, and there’s a pub room next door. I can see us using it a lot,” says the lady of the house. “It’s great to watch a movie or a ball game and feel like you’re at the stadium or at the movies. It totally removes you from everything else.”

The dome in the theater has 1,230 fiber-optic light strands to give the effect of the night sky. It was the brainchild of interior designer Donny Hackett of Casa Cinema Design in Hendersonville, TN, who, along with Professional Audio Video Engineering (PAVE) of Nashville, designed the theater for a local Parade of Homes showcase.

Though the ceiling is elegant and stunning, the dome presented some challenges to the audio. “Inherently, domes are terrible for sound,” says PAVE’s Mike VanParys. “So we placed some acoustic panels around the room to absorb sound and pointed the speakers [for better directionality].”

The room features other titanic luxuries, such as a projector and screen that provide superwide CinemaScope pictures like those shown in commercial theaters. In fact, this room boasts the first CinemaScope installation with a Vidikron projector to be used in Tennessee.

The Vidikron Model 30 ET projector shines its 2.35:1 image—wider that HDTV’s 16:9 image—onto a custom-made 120-inch screen. Curved pocket doors in the back open at the press of a button, and a motorized bookcase swings open to allow entry into the adjoining pub room. The equipment is hidden behind a framed picture in the back, which lowers at the press of a button. Meanwhile, high-end LSA Group front speakers and Tru Audio surround channels are located in the front pillars and ceiling and receive their signals from a Marantz receiver and DVD player. Everything is controlled by a Crestron home control and lighting system.

As stunning as their room is, the new homeowners are planning to make some improvements. “We’re going to add some cocktail tables with a couple of seats,” says the homeowner. “And we may get some beanbag chairs so we can get 12 to 15 people in there comfortably.” Who would have thought that sinking in the Titanic could feel so good?

Room Design
Casa Cinema Design
Hendersonville, TN
www.casacinema.com

System Design
PAVE
Nashville, TN
www.proave.com

About the Author:
Steven Castle - Contributing Writer

Steven Castle is a writer, editor, and humorist who recently completed Filthy Rich Things, a savage satire on our thirst for success and wealth. He also is Electronic House's senior editor and co-founder of GreenTech Advocates.