Apartment living is gaining popularity as our lives become more time-poor and our urban spaces expand. Although living in an apartment has many benefits, it can present more interior design restrictions than a house, townhouse or unit, especially if you are renting.
Even if you own your apartment, you often need to adhere to building guidelines and strata specifications.
If you are a cinephile and feel that your living choices have compromised your dreams of a custom home theatre, fear not!
The smart home experts here at SmartHomeWorks have a range of innovative tips and tricks that will help you work around the most stringent of apartment restrictions.
Read on for inspiration on ways you can integrate your dream home theatre setup into your apartment, and learn why SmartHomeWorks are industry leaders for designing and integrating smart home theatre, Sydney and surrounding New South Wales areas.
Projector or TV?
Even though projectors have come a long way and are still being used in many home theatre setups, smart TV’s may be a better option for a small apartment home theatre.
Projectors often require at least a semi-permanent setup, and even if you fabricate a modular or portable projector system, you are often limited for storage space in an apartment. Projectors also require more space between the projector screen or surface from where the viewers are seated, which is hard if you only have a few metres to play with.
With a typical small apartment, a 50 to 60-inch smart TV would be ideal for short viewing distances; anything larger, and you may find you will be straining your neck trying to take everything in.
If you want that cinema-quality experience, it is worth reinvesting your projector money into an ultra-high-definition, 4K Smart TV.
Smart TV is also easy to hook up to your favourite streaming services, like Netflix, Stan, Apple TV and Disney+, so that you can access your favourite movies and all the latest cinema at the push of a button.
SmartHomeWorks are at the forefront of smart technology and have access to all the best smart TV technology on the market. We can help you streamline your home cinema integration and find solutions that avoid permanent wall fixtures or bulky cabinets that take up too much of your limited space.
Cinema quality sound
A big part of the cinema-quality experience is the sound. However, recent advances in sound technology mean you don’t necessarily require a cumbersome 7.1 surround sound system to experience true cinema immersion.
A 5.1 or even 2.1 system in a small apartment may be all you need to get your desired effect. A smaller space fills up with sound with little effort, and a larger system may create more of a distorted cacophony rather than a crystal clear audio experience.
If you are new to sound systems, then a brief explanation of the technology will help you understand the difference between setups.
5.1 surround sound
A 5.1 surround sound system comprises five speakers and a sub for bass. This type of system is usually set up in the following way:
- A centre speaker projecting directly from the front of the screen
- Left and right speakers at the front
- Rear left and right speakers just behind your seating
The subwoofer is usually designed to be placed on the floor and is best situated along the room’s front wall, where the screen and three front speakers reside.
This type of setup often requires cables to be run along walls or under rugs or carpets for the rear speakers. This may not be ideal, especially in a tiny apartment.
If this is the situation you find yourself in, then a high-quality 2.1 system may be the best option.
2.1 surround sound
A 2.1 system can be just as effective as a 5.1 in the right setting and does away with the need to run wires to rear speakers.
A 2.1 sound system consists of the front left and right speakers that sit on either side of your smart TV and a subwoofer to project the low frequencies in your movies.
In confined spaces, industry-leading systems, such as Sonos and Dolby Atmos, provide such high-quality sound that it will feel like the sound is enveloping you, providing that authentic cinema sound experience.
When it comes to surround sound, bigger doesn’t always mean better, and a smaller system may work best with the natural acoustics of your room.
There are also some strategic measures you can put in place around a room to dampen or open up your sound to obtain optimal acoustics.
The sound specialists at SmartHomeWorks are experts in maximising the sound quality in any given space and can help you select the best system for your apartment.
Smart home theatre atmospherics
One of the most captivating aspects of visiting a movie theatre is the atmosphere; the dim lighting, the smell of popcorn, and of course, sharing the experience with your friends and loved ones.
Smart home automation can provide you with remote control of your entire environment, all of which can be controlled from any smart device, like a smartphone, tablet or laptop.
Examples of smart technologies that can help you achieve the ultimate apartment home theatre experience include:
- Smart control lighting
- Ambient noise control
- Smart air conditioning control
- Smart control blinds
- Voice command modules and more
Other aspects of your apartment can also significantly affect your cinema experience, including:
- Equipment and speaker placement
- Room construction or configuration
- Seat to screen height and distance ratios
- Acoustic treatments and more
SmartHomeWorks are industry leaders for smart home integration and home theatre setup Sydney, and surrounding regions.
With a highly qualified and experienced team of smart technology and audiovisual experts, and an extensive portfolio of world-class integrations, we can help you create the ultimate home theatre setup optimised to your unique apartment space.
Contact one of our specialists today on (02) 8197 1133 for more information about apartment home theatre integration or email your inquiry to design@smarthomeworks.com.au.
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