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Lighting the Home Entertainment Area

More and more homes today have a separate area or even an entire room of the house dedicated to home entertainment. Extensive stereos and home theater systems have become common. Lighting the areas where they reside presents interesting challenges.

Images on large HDTV or projection TVs look best when the lighting scheme is done right. The most obvious guideline is to avoid creating any glare off the screen, shoving light into the eyes of those viewing it. That suggests putting the lights behind the TV. But that introduces the possibility of having them shine directly into the viewers' eyes.

There are many ways out of the dilemma.

Track lighting is a typical and very effective method. A row of focused lights pointed at the wall can bounce light into the room. That lights the area, but diffuses the result to achieve a good balance of the need for illumination versus avoiding glare. Track lights come in a hundred styles, suitable for every decorating need. But ensure that you place and use them correctly in order to avoid a number of possible drawbacks.

High wattage incandescent track light bulbs can produce high heat. Apart from the chance of harming the track light fixture, a problem easily solved by using the recommended wattage, an incandescent can dry out paint quickly. That produces peeling and discoloration. Halogen bulbs, in combination with a dimmer, can create the right illumination, but they may still produce the same effects if left on for long periods. Consider LEDs.

LEDs will provide a bright spot from each bulb but consume very little electricity by comparison to other types. They cost a bit more up front, but they last practically forever. Many will illuminate for 10 years or more. That makes them efficient and low cost over the long run.

Accent lights provide another key element of the lighting design for the home entertainment section of the home. That all-important 'movie theater' look that enhances the mood is best achieved with accent lights.

Look at what's on the walls the next time you go to a smaller movie theater, one that seats about 50 people, say. Some fixtures are rather dull, others are elegant. But they all give an indirect lighting effect that helps create the right atmosphere.

Equipment will look better when accent lights are used correctly, too. Good home theater systems and stereos can run into thousands of dollars. That's not just electronics to produce images and sound. That's furniture, and high-end furniture at that. It deserves the best lighting to enhance that stylish look the designers spent such effort creating.

Keep accent lights directed away from the eyes. Direct them onto equipment when you want to create a spotlight effect to emulate a showroom. Angle them away from the gear when you want to create dramatic looking shadows. In either case, make sure the placement doesn't interfere with the ability to use the controls. Accents shouldn't overwhelm the effect of task lighting and you won't always use the remote.

Provide your home entertainment area with good lighting and you'll create a practical scheme with just the right mood for eating popcorn or sipping that glass of wine while you enjoy the show.