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Deschamps on Design: Proper Planning

Deschamps on Design | Proper Planning

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Taking the right steps at the very beginning of a home theater design will save both time & money and help ensure you get the room you want

by Maria Deschamps
December 14, 2022

Adequate planning is the key to having an exceptional home theater—and the key to adequate planning is to bring in an interior designer who specializes in home theater design from the very beginning of the project. As a designer who specializes in that area, I find I am often hired after many vital decisions have already been made. But having all the right professionals in place from the start ensures that the process will be both straightforward and cost-efficient. Proper planning also helps to create a more harmonious and pleasant working environment.

With many of my projects, the home has already been built and the theater design has been left until the end, or I have been hired during construction. About 90% of my new clients retained me because they realized the designer who was doing the rest of their home wasn’t the right person to do the theater. But often, key structural elements are already in place by the time I’m brought in, which means the client has to either accept significant compromises or make major changes to the surrounding spaces.

A designer who specializes in home theaters will have essential knowledge of these rooms that regular interior designers often do not because they’re rarely asked to do spaces like these. A home theater designer will be able to calculate the proper viewing distances so you’ll be able to maximize your screen size. They will also establish the correct angles for placing speakers to create an immersive sound experience. And they will be able to work in tandem with your custom integrator to optimize both. The important point is that things like these should be determined before beginning the interior design concept for the room.

Also consider retaining an acoustic designer, who can not only determine how to prevent sound from bleeding out of and into the room but also how to make your theater sound its best. Since the placement and incorporation of acoustical treatments can have a big impact on a theater’s design, treatments need to be decided on before I can begin to develop an effective design concept.

In two recent projects, both clients had engaged a non-specialized designer to completely renovate their basements, which included adding a home theater. In each case, I was brought in during construction, after the theater design had been finished. Not only had viewing distances, speaker placement, and acoustic treatments been ignored but insufficient space had been allowed for seating and for placing the projector. Remedying these issues meant tearing down existing walls and redesigning ceiling areas adjacent to the theater.

These kinds of drastic changes were bad enough, but colleagues have told me about situations where they had to dig out an area 6 feet deeper than the original room in order to achieve the correct ceiling height or needed to move structural columns to create the proper viewing angle. All of this could have been avoided if a home theater designer had been involved before any of the work had begun.

The money that goes into fixing avoidable mistakes could have instead gone into improving the experience of the theater by upgrading the quality of the audio and video gear, buying motorized custom leather seating with heating and massage functions, or even adding a complete bar area to the theater. When I recently bumped into a client and asked him how he liked his theater, he said, “I love it—it’s my favorite room of the house. But I wish we had built that bar you suggested.”

Engaging the right theater designer and custom integrator at the start of a project helps to ensure that everyone wins, resulting in a room that comes with a minimum of headaches and delivers the maximum of pleasure.

Maria Deschamps is a certified Interior Designer, IDC, NCIDQ, APDIQ and has been designing home theaters and media rooms since the year 2000. She also designs high-end residential, restaurant, and commercial spaces, and is a partner at TKG, the Theo Kalomirakis Group.

How to Find the Perfect Integrator

Deschamps on Design: Why Not Wallpaper?

Deschamps on Design | Why Not Wallpaper?

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Better Sound Through Design

Star Gazing

Creating with Light

Omexco’s natural, recycled sari silk, handwoven paper strings, and raffia made with artisanal techniques

Wall coverings have evolved so far from their wallpaper past that they now offer a vast, unexplored world in private cinema design

by Maria Deschamps
September 9, 2022

Wallpaper has come a long way since the thin papery material, busy with flowers or paisleys, our grandparents used in their homes. There is now so much more to discover with almost infinite variations, including customization. Most people wouldn’t even consider adding a wallpaper to a home theater but with all the new options, it’s really hard to resist.

The negative connotations of wallpaper are so strong that some of my clients simply cringe when I say the word. But if I say “wall covering” instead, they suddenly become more inquisitive. And when I present samples of textured wall covering, they begin to see that there are possibilities beyond traditional wallpaper and lose their ambivalence.

I love color, I love pattern, I love texture, and when these elements are combined in the right way, it is the ultimate choice for me. Textured coverings are my favorite. By using a thick velvet, velour, or corduroy, an entertainment space can be transformed into an entirely new atmosphere. These coverings create warmth and intimacy. They also often have acoustic properties that reduce reverberations or echoes—obviously a major consideration when designing a home theater.

Corduroy patterns with wide or narrow lines in dark colors are perfect for a theater room. When used vertically, they give the illusion the ceiling is higher since vertical lines create height. (Conversely, horizontal lines make a room look wider.) Corduroy gives a wall a soft comfy feeling, and when we look at it or touch it, we feel warm and cozy.

Velour wall coverings now have reliefs and can be found with many different geometrical patterns and shapes. There are even ones that mimic wall panels or wainscoting. These can be used to emphasize an area of a room or a focal point on a wall and give depth.

Another favorite form of wall covering with amazing acoustic properties are the ones made of cork—yes, cork! This material is not only environmentally friendly, it’s designed with multiple colors and textures, and can even have patterns with sparkle.

Speaking of wall coverings that sparkle: One of my home theater clients insisted I design a new bedroom for their 11 year old, who was moving from one end of the house to the other and dreaded the relocation. To motivate her to make the move, I had to design something spectacular so I used a magnificent multicolored wall covering full of sparkles and glitter that lit up the wall behind her bed. When she saw the room complete, it made her feel like a real princess, and the room became bright and beautiful, just like her.

Different patterns are plentiful. One trend is foliage—lots of plants and big leaves. Another is animals, a jungle look with exotic birds. Patterns like these can be an exciting choice to use in an area like a home theater foyer.

Grass cloth has also made a comeback and is now available in many colors and textures. It is even available with metallic accents. Silks are a sexy way to go. Wall coverings with smooth metallic shiny finishes with 3D effects are an amazing complement to a modern space—a perfect choice to give a theater’s rear wall some interest.

What I love most about wall coverings is that they can just be in the background. They don’t have to have a big pattern that stands out. Using an elegant texture on a wall instead of paint gives dimension and will produce a sophisticated look.

The options are nearly infinite. For a price, some manufacturers will customize a covering, allowing you to have a personalized color and pattern—the ultimate for exclusive design.

The best way to make a covering work well is to not only select the right one but to also place it on the appropriate wall. Where you enter a room determines which wall is the focal point. Most often, this is the wall I would select to create an impact with wall covering.

Here’s my take: Think outside of the box and discover the many new options that exist and give wall coverings a chance. You won’t be disappointed!

above | when the projection screen is raised, a TV is revealed, backed by a cork wall covering with acoustic properties

Secret Cinema

Belgian manufacturer Omexco offers many options of eco-friendly cork wall coverings with metallic details or printed designs

foliage, a jungle look, exotic birds, animals, and colorful plants are possibilities for a home theater foyer (Arte International)

Deschamps on Design: Better Sound Through Design

Deschamps on Design |
Better Sound Through Design

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Star Gazing

Creating with Light

Origins

Acoustic panels, imaginatively deployed, can be the difference between a great- and terrible-sounding room

by Maria Deschamps
July 26, 2022

About the only people who really get excited about discussing acoustic treatments are acousticians. With clients, treatments are way down at the bottom of the list, below deciding what type of pad to use under the carpet. But treatments make a huge difference in the sound quality of a room—and, while they have a reputation for being unsightly, that really doesn’t matter because they can be inconspicuous when properly designed.

Given that, why oh why are luxury theater designers just installing acoustic panels on top of their drywall? I have seen far too many installs of 24 x 48-inch panels directly on a wall or ceiling, either in a theater or music studio—and they are uggg-ly! As a consequence, a lot of my new clients say to me “Do we have to have acoustic panels?” and my response is “Yes, you do, but we can make them part of the design, either by hiding them completely or by dressing them up so you’ll never know they’re acoustic panels.”

Certainly, hiding the panels by installing them behind a stretch-fabric system is a much better and cleaner alternative. In that case, all of the panels are hidden—no one sees them so you don’t have to worry about what they look like. Because of that, it doesn’t matter what color or texture they are. A stretch fabric is indeed the preferred solution for acousticians since they can install as many panels or baffles as they need and put them wherever they want. The speakers are also hidden behind the fabric, and the nice thing is that the result is a clean, flat surface.

Stretch fabric systems aren’t for everyone, however, and it’s not as easy as you would think to find a fabric that meets all the technical criteria acousticians require, like elasticity, acoustic transparency, breathability, and opacity. Imagine, we must start with these requirements and then make sure the acoustically transparent fabric also meets the design concept and color criteria that satisfy the designer and client.

This Maria-designed home theater uses custom-designed round acoustic panels accented by LED strip lighting

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE

One thing is for certain: Acoustic panels are a must in a home theater. They reduce reverberation and minimize noise pollution. They play a major roll in increasing sound quality—not to be confused with sound isolation, which is what keeps the sound inside from traveling outside of your theater and vice versa. When designing a theater, we need to specify and design surfaces that reflect and surfaces that absorb sound. Acoustic panels absorb sound. They are made mostly of fiberglass and come in several thicknesses.

What I love about these panels is that they’re easily customizable. Although they still need to be covered with an acoustically transparent fabric, we can use another finish—like a sexy wall covering—next to them. Using different finishes gives us more possibilities to create an interesting concept. We can make them any size or shape and we can place a long run of several panels side by side with an inconspicuous joint. Once the exact locations of the surround speakers are determined, we can design the panels to hide the speakers behind them. We can also layer panels on top of each other to increase the density and functionality as well as create design interest. Finally, we can carve out recesses on the edges of panels to hide LED strip lights—and you know how much I love indirect lighting!

My take is that creativity is paramount in a private theater, so the space should be distinctive and authentic. Technical elements like acoustic panels shouldn’t inhibit design creativity, and by customizing them they can really be part of the “Wow!” factor. So please, no more 24 x 48-inch wall panels—design something magnificent!

For this media room, Maria used custom-made acoustic panels with an organic curve along the top with indirect LED strip lighting behind

Deschamps on Design: Star Gazing

Deschamps on Design | Star Gazing

“Design your own universe and control everything from brightness to color to timing within a millisecond with the flick of an app”

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Creating with Light

Origins

Star ceilings have evolved from being the epitome of home theater kitsch to highly sophisticated, customizable, and tasteful additions to premium private viewing spaces

by Maria Deschamps
June 7, 2022

Fiber-optic ceilings were once so pervasive that they came to be seen as a tacky clichè and have long been out of favor in high-end home theaters. Overused and often just slapped on, they were, as home theater expert Theo Kalomirakis says, “the lazy man’s solution to ceiling design.” But star ceilings are coming back into favor with interior designers, thanks mainly to tremendous changes in the technology behind them.

Speaking from my own experience, most people planning a dedicated home theater now request a star ceiling. Perhaps it’s to counteract the claustrophobia of the COVID lockdown or maybe it’s because of the renewed interest in space travel. In any case, star gazing has always been cathartic. I think back to my first visit to Greece and seeing all the outdoor theaters, which took my breath away. According to Theo, people in Greece attend outdoor entertainments not so much because of the movie or spectacle that’s playing but because of the environment it’s being played in. Similarly, I often reminisce about my visit to the Pantheon in Rome and looking up into the beauty and majesty of its iconic dome with its open aperture at the top that looks directly out at the sky above.

When architect John Eberson started designing atmospheric movie palaces in the early 1920s, his concept was to bring the outdoors in. He started by simply painting clouds and stars on domed ceilings, which evolved into making the stars twinkle and using projection to give the impression the clouds were moving. It was entertaining just to be in his theaters and gaze up.

Star panels are the contemporary equivalent of that experience, consisting of thin strands of fiber-optic cable that carry light to each tiny star. The size, shape, and intensity of the light points determine the number of strands needed—anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand.

As for what’s new in star ceilings, customizable panel sizes and shapes are just the beginning. No more being limited to fixed options, no more big control boxes (which were huge compared to the small, sleek 3.5″ x 5.5″ ones today), no more heat, and no more noise. How about showing your horoscope signs, your favorite planets,

The star ceiling in the Great Hall of the Grand Rex theater, Paris, designed by John Eberson

shooting stars, or the entire Milky Way? Place each item where you want and decide what color you want it to be. Design your own universe, and control everything from brightness to color to timing within a millisecond with the flick of an app.

Speaking with Epixsky, a leading producer of fiber-optic star panels, I discovered their business has expanded tremendously—partly because they now design ceilings for the medical sector as a way to calm patients during medical or dental procedures. Their latest development is airbrushing custom designs onto panels. In a luxury private cinema, adding something like a contemporary family crest could help make the ceiling design exclusive.

The latest star ceilings are functional as well as decorative. Not only do they house and support the strands that carry the light, they can also act as an acoustic panel to absorb sound—which is perfect for a home theater ceiling! The panels can also be customized to fit additional recessed lights or ceiling speakers. The fabric used to cover them is acoustically transparent so the sound of speakers hidden behind them can be clear and concise, and you can choose fabric from a variety of colors and textures.

You can’t just tack one of these panels onto your ceiling, though, and expect it look integrated into the design of the room. The details around the panels need to be meticulously attended to. Framing the ceiling with coves of indirect lights is one approach. Creating outlines with moldings or linear LED strip lights is another. Adding movement to the design—a twinkle here and a shooting star there—can be a really subtle touch, while at the same time ensuring that the ceiling remains decorative and not a distraction or the focus of attention.

Authenticity in design is very important to me. I prefer to use items made by artisan craftsmen, natural materials, and original art instead of mass-produced synthetic materials and lazy trompe l’oeils. But since it would be prohibitive at best to have an indoor theater where you can actually look up at the night sky or that recreates the Pantheon’s oculus, opting for a sophisticated, customized star ceiling can take you almost all the way there, lighting up your home cinema with your own private universe.

This rendering of one of Maria’s recent home theater designs features a fiber-optic ceiling with animated shooting stars

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE

The oculus at the crest of the dome of the Roman Pantheon, shown in an 18th century painting

Deschamps on Design: Creating with Light

Deschamps on Design | Creating with Light

“Changing the color of lights changes the look of the room and in consequence can change your mood”

Recent innovations are taking residential lighting well beyond simple illumination, opening up dramatic new avenues for designing entertainment spaces

by Maria Deschamps
April 12, 2022

Lighting isn’t simply about illuminating spaces anymore; today, it’s much more than that. It’s now used as part of the design concept of a space, and the opportunities are endless. This was beautifully illustrated by this year’s Oscars, which brought a lot of attention to the stage at the Dolby Theater and the details of everything around it. As an interior designer, I must pay attention to details, and the lighting really stood out for me.

Designed with 5,000 linear feet of LED strip lights combined with 90,000 Swarovski crystals, the entire space was simply magical. The lighting heightened the impact of everyone and everything that happened on that stage. I have to applaud Jason Sherwood for his design. He certainly astonished me. It’s a TV broadcast I will never forget.

More and more, we are integrating technology in our homes, and lighting is becoming a big part of that. LED lighting has come a long way, making it easier to obtain a specific color and temperature—an option that didn’t exist just a few years ago.

There’s something inherently theatrical about these new types of lighting that make them a perfect fit for entertainment spaces, whether we’re talking about a dedicated home theater room or a more open area like a media or great room. Changing the color of lights changes the look of the room and in consequence can change your

mood. Since colored lighting can be intense, your first encounter can be similar to the feeling that comes over you when you get off an airplane in somewhere like Maui—your entire body is affected, you get a burst of enthusiasm, and you discover a new world.

Using color-changing LEDs is a quick and easy way to change the overall design and atmosphere in a room. In the past, designers used paint to freshen up an interior since it’s not expensive and can make a huge difference. Today, color-changing lighting is the new paint—a non-physical layer with infinite colors that can be changed in a millisecond.

We used to have to choose a light bulb with a static color temperature but today we can control the color and temperature with the brush of an app. These options open up great creative possibilities. You can change your ceiling color from white to blue, and all of a sudden you’re looking at the midnight sky. If you wash the walls in your gym with a nice green light, instantly you feel like you’re outdoors.

I have used LED strip lighting in every home theater I’ve designed since it was introduced. The excitement and drama projected from these strips arouses your emotions. A home theater is a space where we can afford to venture into new elements, and this new kind of lighting can be a necessary component. Using LED strips behind panels or walls or in a cove are logical locations for indirect lighting because they project a soft glow and can be used as a background or general light.

The options are endless, and exploring them is exciting! I’m currently engaged in renovating a commercial theater where for the first time I’ll be using LED strip lights (all, of course, color-changing) that are surface mounted. I must admit it’s a challenge, but working with experienced professionals has given me the knowledge and confidence to prepare for the project. I’m hoping in the future to be able to integrate Swarovski crystals with LED strips in a private theater and create the kind of dramatic impact I witnessed on the Oscars’ stage.

indirect color-changing LED light strips are hidden behind custom-designed acoustic panels to enhance the atmosphere in this private theater

The colors of the indirect LED lighting in the Global Wave Integration showroom in Burbank, California easily transition from natural daylight to very warm tones to cool blues

“You can change your ceiling color from white to blue, and all of a sudden you’re looking at the midnight sky”

Deschamps on Design: Origins

Deschamps on Design | Origins

“I not only loved movies.
I loved the experience of
moviegoing.”

Maria’s retail design work for Montréal Luminaire & Quincaillerie

Maria initiates her column on home entertainment design by tracing the path that led to her decision to specialize in theaters & media rooms

by Maria Deschamps
March 2, 2022

I’m an interior designer who focuses almost exclusively on home theaters and media rooms. Since that’s not a typical career path, I thought I’d begin this series of columns by describing the moments in my life that inspired me to take that journey. Those diverse experiences have given me a unique perspective on entertainment spaces—one I’m eager to share here going forward.

I was 11 when I decided I wanted to be a designer. It was one summer during my first trip to California, a breath of fresh air for an upstate New York girl.

I loved Hollywood and Disneyland, and especially enjoyed the Missions, the Danish town of Solvang, and the famous Madonna Inn. But Hearst Castle was the place where it really hit me. The immense entrance, the high opulent ceilings, the oversized chandeliers, the multiple rooms, the magnificent carpets and prominent artwork—everything was impressive!

I had so many questions: Who lived here? How much time and money does it take to build a home like this? How do they get the lights to work in that pool? The first thing I did after I returned home was draw a floorplan of my bedroom. I wanted to start designing right away.

At that time, we lived within walking distance of a movie theater, the Riviera in North Tonawanda, where I spent many Saturday afternoons. We would arrive early and I would absorb the design and architecture with my box of Cracker Jack in hand. I not only loved movies, I loved the experience of moviegoing.

Ever since that summer, I’ve paid attention to things like detail, lighting, space planning, and strategies for traffic flow. I’ve been inspired by architects throughout the United States and around the world, and have had the chance to travel across the US and to visit Central America, Europe, and Asia, where I’ve experienced some amazing spaces.

My education in San Francisco was an experience in itself. What better city to start building a foundation for a design career? After college at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, I began my career in Reno, NV but soon followed my heart to Montréal.

There, I focused on commercial design. I began as a pencil-pusher for a retail design firm, which gave me the basic footing for learning how to customize anything in an interior space. I went on to manage and direct design departments for three major international retailers. This allowed me to understand roll-outs, budgets, branding, and the importance of design impact and the environmental effect on consumers.

The turning point came when I designed my own dedicated home theater. That theater became my escape room. I was totally immersed in the environment and really appreciated and absorbed whatever I was viewing. I wanted to be able to design that same kind of environment for others. I wanted to design exclusive environments.

It was while I was submerging myself in home theater design that I discovered Theo Kalomirakis. I became an admirer and followed his work. We met a few years ago at the custom integrators trade show, CEDIA, and soon after decided to establish The Theo Kalomirakis Group (TKG). It’s an honor and pleasure to be part of TKG with both Theo and Steve Haas, who is a master in his specialty of acoustics. This is truly an exciting new venture.

I look forward to offering design insights here on new trends in home entertainment, including things like circadian lighting and video walls, as well as sharing experiences on my projects, which I hope will motivate and inspire your own ventures.

The Riviera Theater in
North Tonawanda, New York

The Roman pool at Hearst Castle

“The turning point came when I designed my own home theater.
That theater became my escape room.”

Maria Deschamps

Deschamps on Design: Proper Planning

Deschamps on Design: Why Not Wallpaper?

Deschamps on Design: Better Sound Through Design

Deschamps on Design: Star Gazing

Deschamps on Design: Creating with Light

Deschamps on Design: Origins

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