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Media rooms offer homes a versatile space to entertain family and guests, watch movies or simply listen to music. It’s a space where the kids can play video games or board games while also allowing parents to retreat and watch late-night TV as little ones sleep. So it goes without saying that media rooms are designed to be flexible, adapting to how you wish to entertain yourself and others.
When it comes to designing a media room, you also want versatile, durable and sound-absorbing flooring to take on whatever life throws at it. Explore these media room ideas and top flooring options to lay the foundation for your design.
Top Media Room Flooring Options
When it comes to designing a media room from the ground up, flooring plays an important role. Whether you plan to use the media room for binging Netflix series and hunkering down for movie marathons or intend to log hours of practice with the band, the right flooring can reduce reverberation caused by loud noises.
For instance, hardwood flooring and laminate flooring are great options, but installing these will require more thought to other sound-absorbing materials. With this flooring, the sound and reverberation can travel much farther, disrupting other rooms in the home–not to mention reduce the sound quality of your expensive sound system.
Instead of dealing with issues in the future, it’s critical to install the right flooring. Let’s take a look at our top picks for the best media room flooring.
Luxury Vinyl
Metro Plus, Beauflor, Barnwood Crossing Coffee
If you want the look of hardwood but need more acoustical harmony, check out vinyl plank and tile flooring. Vinyl plank and tile are designed with a high-def print that resembles anything from genuine hardwood to elegant stones, slates and more. Whether you want a homey, rustic style media room or a theater-inspired Egyptian-themed space, you’ll find a luxury vinyl to suit your tastes.
Plus, luxury vinyl is much more affordable in comparison! Another advantage of luxury vinyl plank and tile is that it is moisture-resistant and is offered in waterproof collections, making them perfectly suitable for basement-situated media rooms and the occasional soda spill.
Discover Vinyl Plank and Tile Flooring
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is another fantastic flooring option for media rooms, especially those situated in a basement or lower level. For homeowners who appreciate real hardwood, engineered hardwood floors offer a few advantages. For one, they are less susceptible to shrinking and expanding, which makes them suitable for moisture-prone areas or spaces with fluctuating humidity levels, such as basements.
Keep in mind that whatever floating floors you use, thinner flooring materials require an attached substrate. While you can attach engineered hardwood to a plywood substrate, in a media room, it’s also a wise idea to use underlayment pad to reduce the noise reverberation.
Browse Engineered Hardwood Flooring Options
Media Room Design Ideas
Once you’ve chosen the perfect flooring, consider the rest of your media room design. Here are some of the best media room ideas to get you started.
Invest in Entertainment Tech – A large, high-quality TV and a decent sound system are media room must-haves, so make sure to do it right! For movie nights, incorporate a full HD TV and surround sound system, and hook up gaming systems for Xbox and Wii. Even if you intend to hang the TV on the wall, invest in a console that can hide remotes, wires and console systems out of sight. You could also have a projector and retractable screen.
Add Comfy Seating – Add a seating area of plush sofas, chairs or even a large sectional. Whether it’s in front of the television or around a spacious table where the family can play board games, seating makes the space more relaxing and inviting while also tamping down noise levels.
Consider the Decor Details – Decor and other design elements also come into play, especially in terms of acoustics. Consider thicker, light-blocking curtains for movie nights and area rugs to help with acoustics as well as comfort. If you aim to create a home theater experience, go for dark wall colors that lend to the picture quality, and choose customized lighting with dimmer switches and sconces.
Enjoy Family Time with a New Media Room
Whether you choose to design a versatile media room or a full-blown home theater, make sure to find your perfect floor to handle daily life, kids and pets. Be sure to check out our virtual flooring showroom to explore the numerous flooring options available at your fingertips. Find something you like? Hit us up for flooring samples so you can see them directly in the space!
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