At their very core, dedicated home theaters have the primary purpose of controlling room conditions to such an extent that audio and video performance are optimized, the viewer is immersed, and escapism happens. However, the owners of this home wanted something altogether unique when they designed their own residential cinema.
Randall Starr, systems designer at Bjorn’s Audio Video, San Antonio, Texas, had recently installed an automation system in the home of the client’s son and daughter-in-law. The son loved his system so much, he recommended Bjorn’s to his parents, whose home occupies the same 110-acre property as their son’s does.
“It was clear from the beginning that they thought differently than most homeowners who undertake a dedicated theater project,” says Starr. “When we talked with them, we learned that while they wanted a huge theater, they didn’t want it to be just a theater.” With his active lifestyle spent golfing and hunting, movies were simply not altogether that important to this homeowner. However, accommodating and catering to his grandchildren, who visit often and would be using the theater extensively, was. “So the question then became: How do we make the home theater work with the homeowners’ lifestyle?” says Starr.
Bjorn’s and CinemaTech, the firm responsible for the theater’s design aesthetic and overall layout, crafted the theater to eliminate the usual dead space between the screen and the first row of seats—an unfortunate byproduct of proper viewing distance. For this 25-by-30-foot room with a 12-foot ceiling, that’s a lot of negative space to tackle. The solution? A 20-foot-wide Bavarian Style CinemaTech Custom Curved Leather Sofa Bed, which would not only rid the theater of that empty front space, but would maintain proper viewing distance from the screen and give the grandchildren a place to kick back and relax; this would also reserve the 12 Act I motorized CinemaTech color-block theater seats for the adults.
“It’s a very cool solution, because the kids can pile up in the front row with their blankets and stuffed animals and pillows,” says Starr. “Because, let’s face it, no kid really wants to sit in a theater lounger.”
At the rear of the cinema, doors lead to a trophy room that showcases the owner’s collection of hunting prizes, including a pair of full-size fighting grizzlies. The homeowner would need to regularly mount a scissor lift to access the game mounted at the upper parts of the very tall room, so having the ability to move the lift through the rear of the theater was crucial. To ensure easy accessibility, CinemaTech and Bjorn’s created a bar area with captain’s chair seating that can be easily moved to make way for the lift. Problem solved.
Even the video system is a reflection of the homeowners’ preferences, featuring a 16:9 Da-Lite 200-inch-wide fixed screen. “Originally, we had specified a screen that included adjustable masking,” says Starr. “Although the customer had ample resources, he was very cautious not to spend money on things that he did not need. We therefore did some large pricing changes, primarily on the video system, which resulted in a nearly $40,000 savings.” The Runco projector complements the screen perfectly, providing a stellar image, regardless of the shape or type of content played.
Audio is equal to the video, with a Procella 7.2-channel surround-sound system providing the room with powerful audio and low-frequency energy. The homeowners can upgrade the audio system down the road, thanks to some thoughtful prewiring by Bjorn’s. The room’s acoustical treatments, designed by CinemaTech, attenuate the room sound. The firm also created the star ceiling, chose all the materials and sconces, constructed the millwork, and handled other design details.
Theater Design CinemaTech Custom Theaters, Addison, Texas, mycinematech.comEquipment
Cables AudioQuest, Monster
Screen Da-Lite
Receiver Integra
Network Luxul
Power Panamax
Sources Oppo
Speakers Procella Audio
Control RTI
Projector Runco
Another interesting feature that demonstrates Bjorn’s painstaking attention to the homeowners’ preferences is the use of an RTI remote, instead of more sophisticated touchpanels, to control the video throughout the home. “RTI remotes are extremely intuitive and very easy to use,” says Starr. “There are matching remotes in the trophy room and the master bedroom, and they all can be used interchangeably.”
Making the theater, and in turn the entire nearly 15,000-square-foot home, user friendly without overwhelming these grandparents with technology was, in fact, one of the biggest challenges Bjorn’s faced. “The homeowners didn’t want the frustration that accompanies too much technology, with keypads and touchpanels in every room,” says Starr. “They wanted their large home to be as easy to run as a three-bedroom house. This simplicity is, really, one of the best ways to design electronic systems because you are designing for the customer, not yourself or anyone else.”
The end result of this project is indeed reflective of this philosophy in every detail—from the furniture to the control system to the aspect ratio of the screen on the wall. Just add family and you have a highly customized entertainment experience that provides way more than just great A/V. EH
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