Nowadays, a home theater is becoming a must as people tend to avoid cinemas because of the pandemic. Having a place where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite shows is becoming a trend, and people are buying surround systems, larger televisions, and other accessories for their homes. However, the seating is also a must, and it should not just compliment a room but also make it should also make its occupants comfortable. Other factors affecting your choice of home theater seating are the maximum number of people who will use the seats simultaneously and the desired theater size.
Here are additional tips on how you can match your seating with the fantastic entertainment that your audiovisuals bring.
Know the size of the room
Before you start shopping online or from any of the local shops, you need to know the size of the room that you’re going to work with. Check out this link: https://www.sciotovalley.com/furniture/home-theater-seating for the dimensions and features you may look for in a home theater couch.
The chairs are bulky and usually large, giving you a spacious feel when you sit on them. Measure the walking areas and the rooms that will be needed around the chairs. Ensure at least 18” to 24” allowances at the front and back.
Learn more about home theater seating materials available
Natural leather
It is common to find natural leather as a material in theater chairs for many great reasons. They are inviting and warm, and it’s much more comfortable to sit on them for a more extended period of time.
You might find them to be ideal choices if you’re going to have a three-hour movie marathon, and they also appear elegant. Leather is aesthetics and comfort rolled into one, so you might want to consider getting them.
There’s the full-grain leather that uses the hide’s top layers. They retain the imperfections and grain of the hide, which are not common in a home setting. They are the most expensive varieties that are usually premium and high-end.
Top-grain types use the hide’s top layer, but overall, the surfaces are sanded to remove the grains and the imperfections. They are more flexible and have a smoother finish than the full-grain ones. The high-end types are some of the best for your home, and they usually have high-quality craftsmanship.
You might also want the corrected grain leather, or the split-grain produced using several layers of skin after removing the top layers. They are tougher and less common than furniture.
Bonded leather is made up of fibers and leftovers glued and mixed together. They are mixtures that are extruded on fiber sheets. They vary in quality, but they can become flaky in time. However, the good ones are considered to be durable, and they can still manage to look great.
Faux leather
Another alternative to consider is faux leather, a machine-made material that resembles the real one. The ones like leather gel are commonly used in the home setting. There are PVC and PU types, which are faux pass types ideal for those who care about animal life.
They provide maximum comfort, which you’re likely looking for at home. Plus, they are more affordable, add warmth to the room, and provide natural comfort you won’t get with every piece of furniture.
More about fabrics for home theater seating
Several fabrics are used in home theater seating, whether in a small room or a larger one. The fabric types will fit easily with your home decor, and there are various color options.
The selections may often come down to whether you want the feel of the leather or fabric. Leather tends to have a more reflective feature compared to velvet.
Plush fabrics like velvets tend to have a lesser impact on sound quality. Of course, it’s essential to balance the performance versus the looks, and as a rule of thumb, the effects of your seating arrangement on the AV are usually negligible and minimal.
Velvet has many features, and it offers lots of solid patterns and colors. It’s plush, absorbent, and luxurious, which are the qualities that many people are after.
However, when you consider the fabric itself, know that it may eventually require stain treatments regularly, mainly if it’s frequently used. Some have fire barriers and stain-guarding features that you may want to know about if you want to add a layer of protection.
Leather comes in various colors, and it’s very durable. They have a traditional look, but they are also contemporary designs. If you have accidentally smudged or spilled your drink, you can simply wipe it clean. However, it will cost more than other materials and may stretch over time.
Have you ever thought about adding home theater seating? Are you watching a lot of movies at home during the pandemic? Any movie recommendations?
Top photo credit: Lloyd Dirks lloydaleveque, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons