THE BRIEF
In June 2017 we met with a client to discuss the upgrade this Stellenbosch Home Cinema upgrade in his recently purchased house. The existing home cinema was just a home media room with a plasma screen tv on one wall, a projector and projection screen and NAD surround sound amplifier with PSB floor standing front speakers and dipole surround speakers. The “acoustic treatment” was just carpet that had been installed onto the walls and there was no lighting control whatsoever. We were challenged by our client to find a suitable solution for this Stellenbosch Home Cinema upgrade.
To begin the process of this Stellenbosch Home Cinema upgrade we brought our client through to Sphere Custom Designs’ home cinema experience center in Cape Town. We introduced our client to what is possible if we are given suitable freedom to design a cinema solution for him with our style. As discussed, our client was happy with allowing us the freedom to design the home cinema as we wanted, but at this stage of our relationship we would have to use his existing equipment and integrate it into the design.
We were happy with his requests and started the process of finding a suitable design in our style that hides all electronics and equipment as much as possible, but delivers an enjoyable, immersive cinema experience. Thankfully the garage backs onto the cinema, so the equipment could be located in a vented equipment cabinet here.
We presented various options to our client in terms of wall constructions and lighting options. The home cinema design that we agreed upon was to create a width of the room through the use of LED lightboxes on the walls which are framed in timber panels. Surrounding the lightboxes are fabric walls which conceal acoustic treatment. We chose to build timber columns on the side and rear walls to accomodate the surround sound speakers, these are illuminated with downlighters to highlight where the speakers are located.
The lighting control is taken care of via a Rako lighting dimmer and control system with a wireless keypad fixed to the switch gang at the entrance to the room, as well as a portable unit for use while seated.
This met our clients request to use the existing AV equipment that was included in the house when he purchased it; a NAD AVR, PSB speakers and subwoofer, Optoma HD projector and a Marantz bluray dvd player.
It was great to work along side the team at Sphere Custom Design here in Cape Town on the design, build and installation of this home cinema.
The photo set attached previews the progression form the cinema room that we were presented with, through to the first stage of stripping the room and then finally the completed cinema room.
Special thank you to the Mirror Edge Networks team for their hard work on completing this home cinema build and to Jon-Erik Munro for his photography work during this build process.
For more information about this cinema, or if you would like us to design and build a Home Cinema for you, please head through to our Contact Us page and complete a contact request form so that we can start the discussion process with you.
