Basement Media Room Remodel

       For this project, Lelch Audio Video created a brand new entertainment space in a refurbished basement so the family could come together and host friends. We divided up the basement into two distinct areas: a media room and bar. It was necessary to design a two-zone system since the family wanted both areas to be standalone while retaining the ability to manage them together. This way, some of the family could enjoy a movie in the media room while others watched a game at the bar.

To create the ultimate escape for this family, we integrated high-performance Paradigm speakers in both the media room and bar AV systems. The media room showcases a 119-inch screen, ceiling-mount projector, and 5.1 surround sound. For the bar, the family wanted us to incorporate a Samsung TV they already owned. All of the basement’s speakers link back to the house’s main whole home audio system.

For control, it was important to the family to have a fluid solution for added ease-of-use. We had already installed a Control4 system for audio, lights, security and more in their main-level family room, bedroom, and kitchen. We extended that system to the brand new media room in the basement so they could stick with the control solutions they liked.

We wanted to make it easy for the family to pull up and watch their favorite entertainment. Since they planned on using a Roku stick and Apple TV, we also needed to add a strong networking foundation to the basement. This way, the client could take advantage of streaming services without having to worry about any lagging signals when watching movies, catching up with their favorite shows or listening to music.

       With a budget of just over $24,000, we were able to design a two-zone entertainment space that met all the client’s needs. The main challenge was creating an isolated system in the bar that had its unique control and video sources while also linking it all back to the main media room. To do this, we used a Sony receiver with a two-zone audio video matrix.

We used AudioQuest cables to connect the Sony receiver to the main media room components. For optimal video performance, we opted for a traditional ceiling-mounted Sony ES projector and a fix- frame 119” Da-Lite Projection Screen. The Sony ES receiver was then also linked to the Samsung TV and Paradigm speakers in the bar.

For both zones, the client wanted to have access to a 4K Ultra HD Roku stick, Apple TV, and Direct TV. Since so much of the entertainment in the refurbished basement would be streamed, a good deal of the project focused on creating a strong networking infrastructure. We used a Ubiquity router, three access points, and 24-port switch. This ensured that the signal could handle the heavy bandwidths while covering the entire basement.

The final step was creating an easy control solution for the client. We used a Control4 system that the family could manage through a hardwired remote, tablet, mobile app or Amazon Alexa. Along with managing the AV components in the room, the family could also adjust motorized shades, lights, and security through the same control solution. Their Control4 system was not isolated to the basement, as it could also manage the whole home audio and TV system in the main level.

       In conjunction with the interior designers at the Finished Basement Company, there are a few unique adjustments we had to make to the media room design to fit the clients’ stylistic leanings. The first issue we encountered was with the Sony projector. The basement had a lot of duct work, so we collaborated with the Finished Basement Company to create a recessed soffit design to mount the projector.

In order to create a sleek, modern look and optimize the space in the basement, we also went with a recessed screen. This presented an additional challenge during installation. We consulted with our partners to find the ideal niche for such a large display.

Perhaps the biggest challenge of all came down to the family’s stylistic vision for their motorized shades. The shades were not included in the original scope, which required some revisions to the initial plans. They also wanted to go with Hunted Douglas shades, which we typically don’t work with. We had to design a hard-wired shading solution that linked up to the Control4 system. This way the client got the style of shades they wanted without losing any functionality.

Functionality was the other big priority when it came to the media room design. The family was particularly impressed with the ease-of-use they got from the Control4 smartphone and tablet app. The app let them switch seamlessly from different sources as well as adjust the lights and shades in the room to create the ultimate viewing environment. Since then, they have added an Amazon Echo to the room and love using voice commands to manage their media room.