Movies are great, but the experience of going to a movie theater to catch the latest hit can leave a lot to be desired. As in-home theater technology continues to get better, many people are choosing to forgo the packed cinema in favor of building out a home theater system of their own.
Home theater screens are bigger than ever, featuring 4K images and eye-popping features like HDR and rich, inky blacks. Today's wireless surround sound systems can rival even the room-shaking sound of your local cineplex. And, nobody could ever say the stiff — and sometimes sticky — seats at a theater are more comfortable than their favorite recliner at home.
If you’re looking to put the finishing touches on an incredible home theater experience with amazing lighting, consider these smart home products and integrations to add that extra wow factor you’re looking for.
Dimming the lights for the show
As you’re crafting the perfect home theater set up, lighting can make all the difference. A high-quality security and smart home hub like Xfinity Home makes it easy to integrate home theater lighting products into your space from a variety of technologies and manufacturers.
The right ambiance is the name of the game as you’re choosing lighting products, so you’ll want to minimize any overhead lighting that would shine directly into viewers' eyes. In addition to table and floor lamps, place home theater LED lighting products, like light strips, behind your TV and below your couches.
Once installed, connect the lights to your smart home app for localized dimming on the fly. Dim the lights low when the film’s title sequence begins, and consider keeping your walkways indirectly lit but slightly brighter so your guests can find their way out if needed.
Setting the right mood in the room
To add to your home theater lighting ideas, consider using your newly installed home theater ambient lighting to match the mood of the movies you’re watching. Pairing your smart lights with an app like the Xfinity app lets you change the dimness and color settings of your bulbs on a whim to capture the right mood. For example, think pastels for the latest romantic comedy or intense colors for an epic superhero adventure. Some lighting products, like Philips Hue, even integrate with a range of third-party apps to dynamically shift the colors along with the image on the screen.
Welcoming your guests
Once your home theater gains a reputation as the place to be, you’ll have friends and family stopping by often to check out all the new releases. The advanced technology of your smart home can help make this a fun experience.
If you install an outdoor smart camera, you can get an instant notification on your smartphone when your guests arrive. Use a smart lock on your front door to let your guests in — even if you’re upstairs getting the movie ready — and set up a routine so your front porch lights turn on as they approach.
With the right smart home technology, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish with a well-lit home theater set up. The only problem you’ll have is convincing your guests to go home at the end of the night.
