This might just be one of our favorite stories yet. A homeowner from Arvada, Colorado, turned his basement into a full-blown home theater—and he did almost all of it himself! With over 25 years of experience as a custom home builder, he took his love for movies to the next level.
And we at Dreamedia got to play a small part by offering expert advice and helping him choose the right gear for the job.
Let’s walk through what makes this theater so special.
A Smart Start with the Right Plan
Before the build even began, this customer reached out to Dreamedia’s national sales director, Kellen Fleener, for a consultation. He’d already been following our YouTube channel for years, using it as a guide for planning his ultimate theater.
The result? A stunning 7.4 Dolby Atmos system with plans to expand to 9.4.6 in the future.
Building From the Ground Up
One of the best parts about this theater is what’s behind the walls. Soundproofing was a major priority, and the customer went above and beyond to get it right.
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Staggered Wall Construction: All the interior walls were built with 2×6 top and bottom plates and staggered 2×4 studs to reduce sound transmission.
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Decoupled Everything: Every wall (except the concrete ones), the ceiling, and the riser are all decoupled. This helps keep sound inside the theater and stops vibrations from traveling through the house.
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Rockwool Insulation & Soundboard: Rockwool insulation, sound clips, RC channels, and layers of soundboard and drywall were used throughout the room.
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Smart Details: Outlet boxes are sealed with putty pads to prevent sound leaks. Even the double doors are solid core and sealed to block audio from escaping.
The Equipment
Now let’s talk gear! This setup is stacked with some of our favorite brands:
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Projector: AWOL Vision 3500 Pro, a 4K ultra short-throw laser projector. It sits inside a custom-built cabinet and slides out when in use.
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Screen: 132″ ambient light rejecting screen with LED backlighting.
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Speakers: A mix of tower, center, and surround speakers, plus four 12-inch subwoofers (yes, four!).
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Receiver & Amps: Marantz Cinema 40 with offboard amplification from Monoprice Monolith.
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Sources: Kaleidescape Strato, Roku with Dolby Vision, and DirecTV.
The sound is incredibly balanced, and the bass will shake your seat without bothering the neighbors upstairs—thanks to all that sound isolation.
Lighting That Sets the Mood
Everything in the room is controlled by Control4—down to the puck lights, rope lights, step lights, and sconces. With just one button, the lighting changes to fit the movie vibe. There are also scenes pre-programmed for different times and types of viewing.
Acoustic Perfection
This room looks great and it sounds amazing, too! Here are our picks for acoustic paneling:
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Acoustic Panels: V Acoustics panels are placed on walls and the ceiling to absorb sound and reduce echo.
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Diffusers in the Rear: These panels scatter sound for better surround effects, so every seat is a good seat.
When you walk from the theater into the open basement lobby, the difference in sound quality is huge. It really shows how well the room was designed.
A Lobby with Theater Charm
Just outside the theater, the homeowner built a fun concession area with:
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A popcorn machine and candy station
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A microwave and an under-counter fridge
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A dishwasher for easy cleanup
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Movie posters and a custom digital movie board synced with Kaleidescape
It’s like stepping into a real movie theater, with better sound and more personal touches.
The Cleanest DIY Rack We’ve Seen
We have to shout out the A/V rack. It’s incredibly clean and well-ventilated, with fans to keep everything cool. Inside, you’ll find:
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Arachnis networking gear
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WattBox power protection
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Control4 controller
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Roku, DirecTV, and video processors
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Three amplifiers with plenty of room for upgrades
Final Thoughts
This theater is a true passion project—and it shows. From the layout and design to the equipment choices and final finishes, every detail was carefully thought through. And best of all, the homeowner says it was all worth it. He and his family use the theater several times a week and already have plans to expand.
If you’re dreaming of building a home theater like this one—whether DIY or with our full design and install support, reach out to Dreamedia. Our team is here to help with every detail, from speaker placement to control systems, lighting scenes, and everything in between.
Ready to design your own dream theater?
Contact us today for a free consultation.
