Recently Filed in Themed Theaters

The homeowners of this theater recently got married in the tropics and wanted to recreate the experience every time they set foot in their media room. “They enjoyed the Polynesian decorations and styles they experienced on their honeymoon, and asked us to deliver a theater in this theme,” says Robert Kowalski of Berwyn, Ill.-based Automated Lifestyles. “Our challenge was to deliver a room that felt comfortable, with class and without getting too gaudy with Tiki treatments.” Tiki torches may not have made it to the… View this story
Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Themed Theaters • Cool Homes

It looks like a temple from an Indiana Jones movie. Inside the man-made cave in Tom and Joleen Comstock’s back yard are Mayan artifacts, an altar and throne, a treasure chest that puffs out hot air, secret passageways and crystals embedded in the walls made of combination of Styrofoam, concrete rebar. But there’s more than meets the eye in this subterranean space. Hidden among the trinkets is an entire home theater system. Indiana Jones never gets his prize without battling a few obstacles first, so… View this story
Exterior • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows

Forget being acoustically treated—this home theater was artistically treated. One step into the basement of this suburban New York residence, and you’ll feel like you’re in the heart of a hip-hopping nightclub. Its owner is a part-time disc jockey who wanted an entertainment space that could serve as a mini-disco, but that would also include a powerhouse home theater. “A friend of [the homeowner] did the painting and it’s just so unique. It jumps right at you when you get in there, and you’re not… View this story
Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Themed Theaters • Cool Homes • Slideshows

What’s not to love about an Irish pub? Free-flowing music, beer and conversation serve up hours of entertainment. These Pennsylvania homeowners were inspired to renovate a lower-level media room using their large collection of Irish walking sticks as a springboard for an Irish pub theme. But there’s much more fun on tap: There’s a full-fledged home theater, three other high-def TVs, a poker table, a billiards table and a well-stocked wine room. The multifaceted lower level can accommodate plenty of patrons. “You can put five… View this story
Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Themed Theaters • Cool Homes • Slideshows

Having a special area to watch movies was important to the owner of this entertainment space, but so was a spot to store his collection of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Not willing to compromise on either interest, he split his unfinished 40-by-25-foot basement in half, dedicating each portion to two totally different passions. The homeowner had a clear vision of how each space should function. The entertainment section, for example, would be designed with a bar, poker playing niche and a general sitting area. The designers at… View this story
Basement • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows

That terminator is out there. It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. That’s fine and dandy for the Terminator, but for Darren Mortensen, that mantra made for the perfect home theater—as well as the opportunity for a career change. When Mortensen first thought about creating his own home theater, he wasn’t working as a Christmas elf; he was a respiratory therapist, specializing in acute cardio-pulmonary support and trauma. A noble profession is no match… View this story
AV Components • Movies and Music • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows

Marc McManus has always had a technological bent. His father owned a RadioShack when he was a child, giving him a natural affinity for gizmos and gadgets. “We were the first to own a Beta Max player and later, a first-generation satellite dish,” he says. “My dad bred me to be a gadget freak from early on.” Indeed, Marc’s day job is a mechanical engineer, which proved handy when he was ready to design and build his own basement home theater.  Marc and his wife,… View this story
Basement • DIY Home Theaters • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows

Some sports fans visit hallowed places like Cooperstown, NY, or Canton, OH, for a dose of nostalgia and memorabilia. This Palm Beach County, FL, homeowner visits his garage. At least it used to be a garage. Now it’s a shrine to his alma mater, the University of Florida, and its ultrasuccessful athletic program. This isn’t your typical fanatic’s room dressed up in school colors—blue and orange may have been too loud—but is a treasure trove of autographed balls, jerseys, trophies and more. It’s also the… View this story
Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows

It may look like a contemporary family room with a surround-sound system. But this “Texas industrial deco” space doubles as a recording studio for homeowner David Ronn’s rock band, Plastic Farm Animals. Oh, and there’s the plastic and fiberglass Silver Surfer hanging on the wall. The Silver Surfer has always been one of David’s favorite comic book characters, so when the “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” came out, David went to eBay and got his hands on the item used to promote the… View this story
Family Room • Media Room • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Audio • Cool Homes • Slideshows

A little bit of sawdust, a cowhide rug and a mechanical bull go a long way toward infusing a Texas theme in a space, but not in this refined home theater, dubbed the Lone Star Theater by owner Terry Williams. “We are Dallas natives, but we didn’t want this to look like ‘Billy Bob’s’ Texas. It’s not a country and western feel, it’s more like a tribute to the small theaters you would find in old Texas towns like Waxahachie or Hillsboro,” says Terry. With… View this story
DIY Home Theaters • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes

When Tony and Penny Caciolo decided to add A/V into their Coopersburg, PA, home, they didn’t just want to get into the action; they wanted to be transported to a different place.  One of Tony’s favorite places is Italy, which is where the couple spent their honeymoon and Tony frequents on business. So instead of spending more time on the other side of the world, he brought that little corner of his life into their home.  “We love Italy,” Tony says. “We traveled around Europe… View this story
DIY Home Theaters • DIY Theaters of the Year Awards 2008 • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows

A bottle of rum may be enough of the pirate’s life for some. However, for Paul and Emily Konold, it’s all about the home theater.  On one of the Konolds’ yearly pilgrimages to Disneyland, Paul didn’t just have a good time—he had an epiphany. While taking a ride on the childhood favorite turned box office monster “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Paul came up with the idea to turn his home theater into an homage. “I have always loved that ride as a kid,” he says.… View this story
Movies and Music • DIY Home Theaters • DIY Theaters of the Year Awards 2008 • Themed Theaters • Home Theater • Cool Homes • Slideshows