room layout help! (1 Viewer)

[RyanL]

I have started construction on my theater and now have the following situation: Where to put eveything? This is the only rm in my house that will work for the theater. the long wall is 22 ft, with 2 un-even length side walls, one being 12 ft and one being 11 ft. and oposite the long wall there is a opening of about 8 ft that opens to the downstairs foyer which is 8'x10'. On the 12 ft wall there is no window, on the 11 ft wall, there is a 4 ft window in the middle and on the 22 ft wall on the side that has no window (12 ft end) there is a 4 ft window. Here is a drawing of the layout to give you a better idea:
The wife wants to put a fireplace in here somewhere, doesn't matter where. I already have a Bell O' AR-711 audio rack which is quite tall, and my TV will be probably a Mitsubishi 55" 16:9 HDTV compatible television. I like the impact of a BIG screen, so I hate to sit on the other end of the rm, Ideally I'd like to have my couch about 6 -8 ft from the TV, placing the TV on the 12 ft. wall and putting my equipment on the opposite wall (11 ft) in the corner of the rm. The only problem is I have nowhere to put my surrounds. I plan on having everything wired through the walls, with as little wires as possible, which is 1 reason I want to stay away from stands for the surrounds. Another reason is that the never seem high enough for me. I am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks in advance for all your help, guys . . . and gals.

 

[RyanL]

the pic didn't work, any idea how I would get the file to the BB? I tried a copy, paste, but it wouldn't go. Sorry . . . still a newbie. Thanks.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

If you paste in the link to your drawing, I can convert it to an "img" tag. It has to be on a web server somewhere.
- Steve

 

[RyanL]

Thanks for the reply. Here's a link to the pic:
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The picture:
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Thanks.

 

[MattV]

Here is my thought.
Place the TV on the 12' wall and set up your couch 6-8' back like you want to. As for your surrounds, ceiling mount them. It sounds like you like them high anyways. This would even give you enough room for a platform for rear seating.
Then you could set up the other end of the room as a nice seating area with your wife's fireplace on one of the side walls or in a corner.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[RyanL]

Thanks for the input, Matt. I was leaning that way. I was afraid with having to put the fireplace in the middle of the rm to appease the SO, but I like your idea and she might go for it. I'm open to any and all suggestions though, so feel free to keep 'em coming!

 

[Steve Tannehill]

I don't see how a fireplace would work in the middle of the room.
This layout is similar to a townhome I lived in several years ago. MattV has the solution...put the TV along the 12-foot wall, use the couch to bisect the room in the middle or thereabouts, then put the fireplace in the area behind the couch. That area could then be a sitting room (formal living room, whatever. In my townhome, it was a dining room, but that is because it was adjacent to the kitchen).
The equipment rack could either squeeze along the side of the television, or possibly fit on the side wall in front of the couch. I am not quite sure how end tables or side chairs would fit in a 12-foot width. It will be fairly tight. How many people do you intend to seat? Is a couch all you need?
Mount rear speakers on the ceiling. You can build a simple shelf/box and mount that solidly on the side wall, ceiling, or back wall segment to the opening on the right. You can then attach your speakers to that shelf/box. Or you can use speakers that have mounting brackets already.
- Steve

 

[RyanL]

Steve - thanks for checking this out for me. You had suggested a shelf/box, that's something new that I hadn't thought of. That shelf idea might be what I'm looking for. My ceiling is 8 ft. high and is drywall so it shouldn't be too much trouble to hang either speakers or a shelf or some other device.
Sorry if I confused you with the fireplace. My wife wanted the fireplace in the middle of the 22 ft. wall so that way you it could be seen easier and it would project heat into the room more evenly. I don't think it matters much though where it's placed as far as heating the room.
I was planning on having a love seat as the primary listening position, but a couch would serve the purpose just as well. I would like seating for at least 4 people total, but could get an XL sofa or a love seat with 2 recliners on either side.
The equipment rack is the only place of concern now. I like both of your suggestions on the layout. Maybe I could put it towards the middle of the 22 ft long wall, just behind where the couch would go. That way it would be easy to access, close by, yet away from the rear of the rm. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks again for your input Matt and Steve, it has been very helpful already.