Media Rooms Provide Entertainment And More

(Technological advances, especially ones that provide entertainment value, are obviously a key component in today's society.)

And they are now becoming a key asset in the real estate world as well - that is in the form of new and improved media rooms and entertainment centers that are popping up in homes across the nation.

Entertainment rooms used to be considered a luxury only awarded to wealthy homeowners, but that thinking is completely in the past. Electronics are now more affordable than ever, making it easier for every type of homeowner to become the king or queen of their own media lounge, regardless of their income or type and size of home they own.

A recent article by Douglas McMillan of BusinessWeek.com, "Build the media room of your dreams," looks at the different types and expenses homeowners can put into constructing and designing their very own media room.

"Movie-theater-quality home audio and video products are more affordable than they have ever been, and homeowners are jumping at the chance to convert their living room, den or basement space into a supercharged media room."

"'Whereas before, (media rooms) were a luxury, now they are a lifestyle standard for a lot of people. Getting it done properly is important -- you want a system that looks good, is easy to use and operates when you use it,' says Andy Willcox, president of the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA), a trade group of more than 3,000 contractors, manufacturers, distributors and consultants in the $8 billion industry of residential electronic systems."

For those lucky home owners who have a lot of disposable income, the options are endless.

"If you're looking for the very best in home-theater design, many experts will point you to New York City's Theo Kalomirakis, a 20-year veteran whose honors include CEDIA's 2004 lifetime achievement award and best home theater award for nine consecutive years. Theo Kalomirakis Theaters' awe-inspiring architectural designs -- ranging in price from $50,000 to $18 million, and in style from 1920s-era ballrooms to futuristic space stations -- have been featured in Architectural Digest, The New York Times and House & Garden."

But if you are like the rest of us, and you do not have thousands or even millions of dollars to spend on an entertainment room alone, there are other options available.

"If you prefer everyday practicality over opulence, you can find one of many residential electronics contractors who specialize in integrated multimedia systems, those that blend into the look of your home and automate a wide variety of processes."

Then, there is always the option of building and creating your media room yourself, which is the cheapest and most cost-effective way to go.

"If contractor offerings are out of your price range, you should give careful consideration to a do-it-yourself project. 'You can do it all for about 30% of the cost and you wouldn't notice the difference,' says Danny Briere, co-author of 'Home Theater for Dummies.'"

"'I respect expertise, but in my mind there are only two reasons you would hire someone to come and do (a full installation): One, you really want to show off, or you just want to hand the whole thing over and have someone to tell you what to do -- like you would do with carpenters, plumbers, etc.'"

So as you can see, there are obviously a variety of options available for those who are interested in a media room, you just have to find the one that is best for you.

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