In recent years, people have spent more time at home, and the home theater has become an essential part of family and social life. Home theaters offer an easy way for your family and friends to get together and enjoy a movie, binge-watch a series, or cheer on your team in a game.

If you’re setting up a home theater for the first time or renovating an existing media room, don’t forget your home theater seating. With so much focus on sight and sound, it’s easy to forget the importance of comfort.

The reality is you need to think about your home theater seats as much as the screen and speakers. Read on for our top home theater seating ideas!

Home Theater Seating Essentials

Investing in high-quality and durable seating today means you’ll enjoy the benefits of your new home theater setup for years to come! Here’s what to look for in home theater seating to make sure you have a superior viewing experience.

1. Dedicated Space vs. Multi-Purpose Space

Home theater seating comes in many shapes and sizes so you can come up with seating arrangements to suit your design and purpose. If you have a dedicated home theater room, you might consider installing rows of cinema-grade seats like in a public movie theater.

But if your media room doubles as a family room, living room, or home office, you may want to mix and match moveable home theater seating to fit in with your other room furniture.

2. Seat Comfort

It’s a good idea to test out your seating and see how it feels. You want it to be just as comfortable after three hours as it is when you first sit down. After all, what’s the point of having the latest visual and sound technology if your home cinema seats aren’t inviting?

An adjustable headrest or power headrest will keep your neck from getting stiff when you recline the chair, and you won’t have to tilt your head up to view the screen. You might also want to explore lumbar support.

3. Seat Durability

Most cinema seating is thoroughly tested and can hold up to the best of use. But check the manufacturer’s warranty to make sure your investment will stand up to daily wear and tear.

Companies like the American-based Elite Home Theater Seating have some of the best home theater furniture warranties in the industry.

4. Seat Cost

Maybe you’re just getting started on your plans and wondering how much a home theater costs. Whatever your budget, the cost of home theater seating will likely account for a minimum of 15% of your total spending.

If you’re prepared to pay for the best projector and speakers, you don’t want to skimp on seating with a bunch of old bean bags and tired recliners.

5. Easy Cleaning

Most theater seating is manufactured in high-quality leather which makes for easy cleaning. If something gets spilled, simply wipe it off with a cloth and treat the leather periodically as needed.

Microfiber is another popular option for home theater seating. It’s strong, doesn’t scuff, and wears well. Velvet is also a commonly used fabric, but it’s not as easy to clean as leather.

6. Seat Accessories

A footrest and cup holder is a must for theater seating. No one wants to fumble for their drink in the dark. Some chairs also have lighting underneath them to help you navigate a dimly lit room.

Home theater seating may be fixed upright but keep in mind that recliner seats increase your level of comfort for those longer viewing sessions.

7. Distance from Walls and Screen

Place your seating far enough from the back wall so you have room to power recline your chair if wanted. It’s also important to place your first row of seating far enough back from the screen so you don’t feel like you are looking up into the action.

As a general rule, you want to keep a distance of at least four feet between the viewer’s head and the side walls, as well as the back wall. Keep the same distance between viewers and surround sound speakers so you don’t feel the bass vibrating in your chest the entire movie.

8. Installation

It’s possible to find home theater seating you can install yourself, especially if you need to be able to move your seats to accommodate other uses for the room. But if you’re considering home theater seating like you’d find in your local movie theater, you probably want to call in the professionals. There is no need to void a warranty on your new seating due to improper installation.

DIY home theater Installation may save you money initially, but you’ll likely be better off with a professional installation in the long run and here’s why:

• Professionals can install all equipment safely and get the job done faster.
• Professionals have access to equipment you might not be able to purchase as an individual consumer, since the manufacturer wants to be sure it will be installed correctly.
• If you get in over your head, you may end up needing to call a professional anyway so then you won’t have saved any time or money on your DIY project.

Get the Best Home Theater Seating in Richmond!

When planning your home theater room, make sure you set a budget that includes all the important features that will contribute to your total viewing experience, from screens to projectors, speakers, and seating. To read how much a home theater normally costs, click here.

If you have questions regarding home theater seating, our customer service experts are here to answer them. You can always count on Moseley Electronics for your professional home theater design and installation needs. To learn more, click the button below.

Home Theater Design & Installation in Richmond, VA