11 Great Ways To Save Space In A Home Theater! (Tips/Tricks)
11 Great Ways To Save Space In A Home Theater! (Tips/Tricks)
Ways to save space in a home theater include using wireless speaker kits for additional surround speaker placement options, using wireless subwoofer kits, proper cable/wire management, hiding home theater components, wall mounting your TV, using a projector, implementing different seating, utilizing built-in lighting, using bass shakers, installing ceiling speakers, and wall mounting speakers at elevation for more floor space.
The great thing about home theater is the sheer amount of customization you have with it.
From soundbars to subwoofers, there’s a plethora of ways to make it truly your own.
But that said, the room itself can sometimes be a limiting factor because of how big some of these components can be.
This can make the room feel smaller than it actually is.
So wouldn’t it be nice if there were ways to save some more of that space?
Luckily there are and we’ll be going over the various ways you can do exactly that.
So without further ado, let’s get to it!
1). Using Wireless Speaker Kits For Surround Speakers
So one of the first things that might help you to save some space is using a wireless speaker kit for your surround speakers.
Given that surround speakers should ideally be placed on both sides of your seating position at around 1¹/² to 2 feet above ear level seated, sometimes this might not be feasible with your current setup.
So to enable further placement capabilities, using a wireless speaker kit could help with exactly that.
While there’s still technically wires, it makes use of a transmitter so that the speakers themselves don’t have to be physically connected to the receiver via wiring.
That way, they can be placed anywhere in the room where there’s an outlet.
The wires basically get shifted, if that makes sense, since the speaker would get plugged into an outlet elsewhere.
Setting things up this way can give you more leeway with placing your stuff within the room.
Now there’s actually 4 different types of these speaker conversion kits and many types of models, but the Rocketfish RF-WRSK18 is one of the easier models to set up in my opinion.
Plus the sound quality of the speakers when connected to it still sounded great.
Check Availability Of Rocketfish RF-WRSK18
Here’s more details on how to set it up along with info regarding speaker kits and speakers in general.
https://easyhometheater.net/how-to-make-surround-speakers-wireless
You could also technically go the entirely wireless route by installing a separate power source, bluetooth transmitter, and amp in each surround speaker.
However the issue with this is that it can be time intensive and somewhat complicated if you’re not familiar with this kind of modification.
So a speaker kit can still be a great way to open up additional placement options.
2). Using Wireless Subwoofer Kits For The Subwoofer
Suprisingly, there also exists wireless kits for the subwoofer as well.
A subwoofer kit can help with being able to place it in a spot that’s not as prevalent which can save space.
This one is pretty awesome in that regard.
Check Availability Of DYNASTY PROAUDIO WSA-5TR
Subwoofer placement for optimal sound though can be somewhat involved — depending both on the type of sub & the number of them that you plan on using.
Even the acoustics of the room can play a big part in this.
Additionally some subwoofers support bluetooth capabilities, and it may be possible for them to use a bluetooth adapter to go entirely wireless (besides the power cable of course)
That could allow for you to place it somewhere that’s out of the way.
3). Making Wires Less Noticeable
Having wires everywhere not only affects the aesthetics of your room, but make things feel more cluttered overall.
So hiding the speaker wires can be a great way to deal with this.
Luckily there’s many ways to achieve this, from tacking them to the perimeters of the room with a wire tacker, to using cable covers or cable raceways to run them around doors and along walls.
Even painting them or running them under the floorboards are options to get them out of the way.
Properly managing your wires and cables can be a great way to make your home theater look more clean and contemporary.
Here’s even more ways to hide your wires if you’re curious about that.
https://easyhometheater.net/hiding-speaker-wire-solutions
4). Hiding Home Theater Components
Another way to free up more space is hiding the home theater components that are currently visible or prominent in the room.
Using a wire rack for your receiver and other AV equipment can help with streamlining the look of your entertainment room by having it all in one general place.
One with lockable wheels is preferable as you’re able to move it to wherever in the room, (or even another room or closet) then lock it in place.
Check Availability Of Metal Frame AV Cart with Keyboard Tray
Installing your speakers in the wall can also help so that they aren’t taking up the space that they usually would while being more low key.
This can even be done with equipment so that it’s just the display visible.
Here’s more on hiding your home theater equipment.
https://easyhometheater.net/hiding-home-theater-equipment
5). Wall Mounting Your TV
Speaking of TVs actually, wall mounting your TV is another great way of saving space.
By wall mounting it, you can forgo the burly stand that may otherwise take up more room.
Running its cables through the walls with the just the screen visible can give the room a really clean look.
Plus there’s even articulating mounts that allow the TV to swivel in the direction you want.
6). Using A Projector
Or if you want to forgo the TV all together and save even more space, a projector is also an option.
Whether you want to simply project onto the wall, or use a dedicated projector screen, these can offer even more flexibility in terms of positioning.
They can be ceiling mounted, or simply placed wherever is best.
Keep in mind though that for a smaller room, a short throw projector in particular will be key.
That’s because different projectors have various optimal distance ranges where they provide the best image quality.
However in a smaller room such as a bedroom or dorm, that same distance may not be possible.
So the benefit of a short throw projector is that it’s able to be placed closer to a surface, while still providing that wide image.
That way you still get the larger image without having to worry about shifting the room around a bunch.
The Optoma GT2000HDR short throw laser projector is a great option in that case.
Check Availability Of Optoma GT2000HDR
7). Implementing Space Saving Home Theater Seating & Furniture
Implementing space saving home theater seating & furniture can be a great way to make things feel more spacious.
In particular, seating that’s smaller or concentrates the listening area into a singular area can allow for more room to move.
Luckily there’s many different choices when it comes to this and it’s really going to boil down to your preferences and the type of room your home theater is in.
From home theater seating to a recliner, there’s a host of viable options that provide flexibility in getting the room to feel the way you want to.
Here’s a guide into picking the right kind of seating for your room along with some ideas.
https://easyhometheater.net/home-theater-seating-ideas
8). Utilizing Built In Lighting
Lighting in your room can have a big impact on not only the ambience of it, but even the way your content on screen looks.
But moreso, if your room has a lot in the way of physical lamps or lights situated on the floor, then it might be taking up additional space it doesn’t need to.
This can be freed up through implementing more integrated lighting solutions including task lighting, bias lighting, or even more recessed lights.
9). Using Bass Shakers
Let’s say you want to use a smaller subwoofer or even forgo one all together to save space, but still want to enjoy that tactile feeling that quality bass provides.
What can you do in that case?
Well one option is making use of bass shakers.
Bass shakers are small devices that attach to the seating and emit low frequency sounds that you can feel.
They’re an awesome way to keep that immersive thump that a larger subwoofer would provide, while being able to use something that’s more manageable in size for your space.
https://easyhometheater.net/are-bass-shakers-worth-it
10). Installing Ceiling Speakers
Another great way to get some of that room space back is through the use of ceiling speakers.
Ceiling speakers are passive speakers that are specifically designed to rest within the ceiling itself.
They project the sound downwards towards the listening position and come in various sizes.
What’s really cool about them is that you can still enjoy surround sound while also saving space.
That’s because there’s no visible speaker cabinets or stands, and the ceiling itself acts as the speaker cabinet.
This can benefit your sound quite a bit since the natural room acoustics can help boost bass and treble — providing for a more lively sound.
They also allow you to enjoy realistic object based surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos & DTS:X which really can add to the immersion.
Here’s more on them if curious along with how to pick the right one for your room.
https://easyhometheater.net/the-best-ceiling-speakers
11). Wall Mounting Your Speakers At Elevation
Another option in being able to use more of your room involves wall mounting the speakers themselves; particularly at elevation.
Doing this allows for a few benefits.
The first is the more obvious advantage of having more floor space to move around since the speaker isn’t physically placed there.
This could allow for additional seating options, and/or better subwoofer placements.
Plus you can better maintain the overall aesthetics of the room if they’re out of the way.
But an even bigger advantage I’ve found is that height speakers sometimes sound better than at seated level.
Due to them being higher up, they can provide a better sense of directionality which really amps up the believability of the audio.
That improvement to spatial imaging can give you a more realistic and dynamic experience with content.
That of course depends on the speaker and characteristics of the room, but I’ve often found that to be the case.
So just by placing your speakers above, you might both save space and improve your entertainment experience.
I’d recommend an articulating mount too so you can aim them towards wherever you’re seated to really dial things in.
These are really good in that case.
Check Availability Of Mount-It! Speaker Wall Mounts
Bonus Mention: Room Color Can Play A Factor
Just figured I’d quickly make mention of this.
While not expressly related to physically saving space per se, the color of the room itself can still have an effect on how spacious the overall room feels.
More specifically, using lighter wall colors can make the room feel more open while darker colors can make it feel smaller.
The exact color to use depends on lighting conditions, and whether you’re using a projector since the wall’s color has an effect on image quality.
But some shade of gray can be a good middle ground in that regard.
https://easyhometheater.net/does-the-color-of-the-wall-matter-for-a-projector
https://easyhometheater.net/home-theater-paint-color-ideas
Final Thoughts
That brings us to the end with this one.
In short, there’s many things you can do to free up room in your own entertainment space, so hopefully the examples provided here were helpful in showcasing exactly that.
But that’s it for now.
Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.
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Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)
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