Family TV Rooms: Isolate and Enhance Your TV Viewing

As central as the TV has become in the American home, it should come as no surprise that more and more homeowners are creating a room just for their TV. And why shouldn't you have a room dedicated just to watching your TV? After all, if you're going to spend thousands of dollars on a 48-inch flat screen TV with surround sound, you might as well design the room where you put the TV to maximize your viewing experience. With the new technologies associated with video and audio quality, creating a room to house this electronic equipment will ensure you get the most from your TV. More than an entertainment system, you can create a true home theater in your house.

TV Room Lighting and Furnishing
The two most important features of a TV room are the lighting and the furnishings. This should come as no surprise, as you obviously want to be able to see your TV and be comfortable. Luxury sofas, loveseats, and recliners are standard. Rather than a traditional set of three, however, you might tailor your furniture and its arrangements to match more of a theater setting. Three large loveseats, for example, arranged in an elliptical pattern with allow a larger number of people to fully enjoy their view of the TV. You'll probably still want end tables to hold drinks, lamps, and other small items. The TV room is also a great place for an auxiliary refrigerator or, better yet, a home wet bar.

Dimmer lights are an excellent idea in a TV room for several reasons. You may or may not want the lights on while you're watching your TV, but there are also many situations where you'll want a dim illumination that will allow you to see your drinks and popcorn without interfering with the light from the TV. More than artificial lighting, you want to manage your room's natural light. You can always install new window curtains and blinds, but the best idea is to try to arrange the setup of your TV room so the window lets in light perpendicular to your TV screen eliminating any glare.

TV Rooms and Family Quality Time
Of course, TVs needn't cause distance in your family whether you have a living room TV or a TV room. In fact, you might convince yourself that you're spending family quality time because you're spending time in the living room, although when you get there, inevitably, all you do is watch TV. By designating a room for the TV, it's easier to keep track of how much time you spend watching the TV and to allow for more interactive time with the family. A home theater should lend itself more toward watching a movie as a family event without paying $9 a ticket. Some homeowners even install a lock on their TV room. This will keep you from finding your children planted in front of the TV with a vague zombie look on their faces.

Of course, you may decide to keep your living room TV, but many people find that building and/or transforming an area into a TV room allows them to do new and interesting things with their old living room. The seating area can become focused on other things when there isn't a living room TV to consider. Whether you want to make this area into a gaming area, a home office where you can work and the kids can do their homework, a simple seating area for conversation, or an extra dining area, chances are the functional options for your living room will increase exponentially without the TV.