How to DIY Home Theater Seating with Riser on Budget
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Before getting to this phase of the project, we did paint the walls using lime wash and built a corner shelf and slat wall.
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Table of Contents
Materials
- 2x4s
- 2x6s
- 2x8s
- 3″ wood screws
- Plywood sheet for platform
- 1/4″ plywood for bedframe
- Rug
- Power extension strips
Tools we used
Step 1: DIY home theater seating plans
The very first step was to evaluate your available space. Considering the dimensions of the room, the location of your projector screen, and the placement of your home theater system helped us determine the ideal seating arrangement and the number of seats we can accommodate.
Here are our room dimensions and plan:
What is the best color for a home theater room?
The choice of color for a home theater room can depend on personal preferences and the overall design theme you’re aiming for. However, many people opt for dark colors such as deep burgundy, navy blue, or charcoal gray. These darker shades help create a cozy and immersive atmosphere by minimizing light reflections and enhancing the cinematic experience. Additionally, dark colors can contribute to better light control, which is crucial for achieving optimal viewing conditions in a home theater setting.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Seating
My actual plan was to build a long lounge sofa but I failed miserably because I could not upholster it right. So when we went to get more fabric, we found this gem in Hobby Lobby and a light bulb went out! we changed the plan completely.
Once we measured it all, we divided the width of the media room into three sections – for two twin-size beds on either side and a riser in between. We got 5 of these gorgeous lounge chairs from Hobby Lobby. Three of these will be on the back row and the remaining two will be on the front row.
Unfortunately, they aren’t selling these anymore, but I grabbed some similar options for you here.
However, these chairs might not be perfect for you if you don’t like low seating. So, explore different home theater seating options that align with your vision. From comfortable recliners to stylish cinema-style seats, local furniture stores often offer a variety of choices of home theatre seats. Look for various type of seats that not only fit your budget but also enhance the overall aesthetic of your home theater seating setup.
What is the ideal size for a home theater room?
The Ideal room dimensions should be “H (Height) x 1.28H (Width) x 1.54H (Length/Depth)”. However, we hardly ever have a perfect media room. So I’d say if you have rectangular room with a good space between seating and teh screen, you can make it as a media room.
The distance between the screen and the seating area is crucial for an immersive viewing experience. As a rule of thumb, the viewing distance should be approximately 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal size of the screen.
Step 3: Building the beds on either side
To build the twin-size bed frames on either side, we worked with 2x4s to make the legs and support frame, and 1x6s as bed slats on top. The total height of the bed frame is 12″.
We used 2x4s to make two rectangular frames. They support the bed on both edges as shown. Then in the middle, we put 2 inverted U-shaped structures.
On top of them, we put 2x6s as slats. We left about a 3-inch gap in between each of them. To secure them in place we screwed them to the 2×4 frames using 3″ screws
Step 4: Assembling the Riser for Home theater seating
How high should a home theater riser be?
The height of a home theater riser should be around 12″. The ideal height of the riser varies based on the room and the furniture you have. If you have recliners on the front row, the height should be more. If you have lounge chairs like us, it can be low. So after experimenting with some heights, we decided to get the height around 8″.
Now that we’ve got our beds set up on either side, let’s dive into the exciting part – building our DIY home theater seating riser platform right in between them. We opted for 2x8s, quickly assembling them with 3″ screws, and cleverly using 2x4s in between to keep costs down. Aligning them at the top ensured a sturdy and economical foundation. The height of the riser came to be 7.5″.
With the free-standing base smoothly slid into place, we secured it to the beds on either side using screws strategically. Now, onto the platform top – we used sturdy plywood, reinforcing it with screws from the top.
Step 5: Add Carpet
We handpicked the stunning Loloi rug to grace our DIY home theater seating platform, opting not to nail it down. This rug’s weight alone keeps it perfectly in place.
The platform is slightly wider than the rug. So we finished it by securing it with sticky tiles on the plywood sides.
Now the seating area is almost ready and it’s totally turning into my dream home movie theater with 2 rows of seating with a rised platform
Step 6: Framing the beds
Now to frame around the side beds, we used a quarter sheep plywood. We cut the pieces to size and painted them using a roller. Then we nailed it around the bed frame.
We intentionally made the beds to fit a twin mattress. So we placed these twin mattresses on either side of the stage.
Step 7: Adding power outlets and final touches
A great way to enhance the overall experience is by ensuring the convenience of having a power outlet nearby. Consequently, we opted to integrate power outlets into the bed frame on both sides of the stage. We employed an extended power strip, securing it in place by screwing it into the plywood sheet of the frame. To create the rectangular hole, we utilized a jigsaw and a power drill. Finally, we affixed it securely around the bed frame using nails.
Dark colored lime wash and blackout curtains further contribute to the ambiance, creating a captivating movie room atmosphere. It will the perfect place to have a moody color to help you focus on your movie.
Coffee table
My favorite finishing touch is the coffee table. We couldn’t find a table that was short enough, so I improvised by using an ottoman and a coffee tray to create the illusion of a coffee table. It ended up being the perfect height for the lounge chairs, and, interestingly, it can also serve as an additional seat if necessary.
Sit Back, Relax, and Enjoy
Creating your DIY home theater seating with a riser is not only a fun project but also a rewarding one. With a bit of creativity and careful planning, you can transform any living space into a cinematic haven. I hope this step-by-step guide and helps you make your own home theater dreams a reality. The finished result will be so worth it. Happy watching!
I am passionate about changing my builder-grade house into a home I love. I love DIY and sharing all my successes and failures in this process and I hope to inspire your next project. Thank you for hanging around!