My 2025 DIY Dream Is to Level Up My Living Room Into a Sick (and Chic) Home Theater
A separate screening room isn’t in the cards for my rental apartment—but these upgrades would change the game.
A separate screening room isn’t in the cards for my rental apartment—but these upgrades would change the game.
If you love watching movies (and hosting movie nights) as much as I do, you’ll understand and appreciate my desire for an optimal home theater setup. It’s not a great space-saving project for a typical New York City apartment—in my case, a two-bedroom rental in a prewar building—but I’ve got a few ideas. And although I already have a living room that accommodates a DIY home theater, it could be even more astounding. So ahead: a survey of what I’m currently working with, and how I’d level up if I were to have a bottomless pit of money to play with.
Let’s start with what I consider the three most important elements: the seating arrangement, the screen, and the sound.
Leo Motion Reclining Leather Sofa
Power-reclining seats and adjustable headrests let you find the position that's most comfortable for you. The elevated backrest and extra wide arms make this sofa extra functional.
My current couch is a sectional I acquired from a former roommate. Unsurprisingly, the chaise is everyone’s favorite spot. But why should only one viewer lounge? My dream couch would be this three-seat recliner leather sofa so that all viewers have the option to kick back like they’re in a luxury Regal.
Optoma HD146X High Performance Projector
Embrace the huge-screen cinematic experience with the affordable 3,600 lumens Optoma HD146X 1080p home theater projector. The excellent color reproduction and high-quality 25,000:1 contrast ratio ensures images up to 301-inches look incredible for unmatched immersion for movies and gaming.
When it comes to the screen, I prefer projection on a plain wall over a flat-screen TV. The reasons are that TV technology evolves too quickly (motion smoothness should be illegal) and it’s a hassle to mount a TV. My current projector is a Dr.J, which is fine, not great (you can find these for under $100), so my ideal upgrade would be an Optoma which has a chef’s-kiss picture quality. And I’ll need primo audio, of course. I use a single Bose Bluetooth speaker that I love (it sits on the coffee table), but I have surround sound aspirations. I’d get a set of these wireless speakers and place a speaker on either side of the room. Plus, I love how compact these are—I can bring them out for movie nights and tuck them away when they’re not in use.
If I’m being real, a home theater should operate in total darkness, so I’d invest in blackout window treatments. I don’t mind the cellular shades that I have right now—I’d simply swap out the soft-white filter for an opaque, inky finish so that zero street lights interfere with my viewing experience.
Finally, a list of nice-to-haves. First, a fun but pretentious gag would be to own a multiformat Panasonic player that can run VHS, CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. (I absolutely do not own any Blu-rays or VHS tapes.) I’d place this hypothetical player and my hypothetical movie collection inside a well-designed console table. This console would also hide any unsightly cords and my laptop whenever I stream a flick using an HDMI hookup.
Last Gallery Organic Walnut Nesting Tables
Organic shaped nesting coffee tables by Last Workshop, 2023. Table One: 58" x 32" x 16"H Table Two: 46" x 25" x 13.5"H
Lastly, I’ve always thought large nesting tables would be too extravagant for my modestly sized apartment—which is why I wouldn’t hesitate to get this expensive set for all the snacks and drinks I’d serve.
Now, if anyone has a login to Max and the Criterion Collection for me, please get in touch. You are welcome to join me for movie night anytime.
Related Reading:
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A Home That Dramatically Replicates a Starry Sky in Its Living Room
