Photo credit: www.elitechoice.org
If you go to local home shows, something you see more often these days than you saw in the past is the edition of a media room, usually in the basement. The idea of a media room created for the express purpose of viewing movies, and possibly adding other entertainment, is catching on, and will add value to your home.
Most media rooms are added to the basement because it gives designers the opportunity to enhance the sound, as well as helps make the room purposefully darker for visual media. Many basements may have small windows that really aren’t all that necessary in many locations, so a designer might forego windows for the acoustics. Even with adding windows, it’s easier to block extraneous light from coming in because those windows are usually much smaller and easier to cover.
Not all media rooms have to be in the basement, however. Houston Lifestyles & Homes Magazine had an article where they gave great tips on how to have a media room in other places throughout the house, and different ways someone could darken the room when they were ready to watch movies or television. The article even talked about the type of equipment that you might want to buy, such as the largest screen TV available, and whether you want to go with traditional furniture or theater-style seating.
A media room doesn’t only have to be used for visuals, though. It’s been suggested that a media room could also be used as a family room, as an extended office, and even as a game room. Many people have added things such as pool tables and ping pong tables to their media room, and of course, the media room would be a great place to play video games.
How much would adding a media room cost? It depends on where you live, where you want it in your house, and how much you’re willing to spend on everything you need, and there’s plenty that’ll you’ll need. A company like Theo Kalomirakis Theaters could cost you anywhere between $50,000 and $18 million, which would put a media room out of the park for most people. If you’re willing to do a lot of the work yourself, you could probably modify space for as little as $20,000, most of which would be the equipment such as the TV, surround system, and wall paneling, as you wouldn’t want to leave concrete up to support your sound. The accouterments to making the room look good will eat up the rest of the costs, but nothing says it all has to be done at once.
Realtors will say that a house with a media room will have added value and sell better on the market. I haven’t been able to find proof of that, nor any idea of how much more value a house with a media room has, but it would seem to be a nice selling point for any interested buyers.
See more:
KB Home Media Room
Designing a Home Theater Room
Ultimate Media Room Technology
Mitch Mitchell is a consultant who writes and participates in many different fields, including real estate finance issues. 
Personally I love media rooms. Nothing like watching a great movie in pitch black room with the surround sound blasting. But, 18 million…geezz. You could buy a theater for that amount!
I find that media rooms may peek a buyers interest, and it may be something they want in a home but it doesn’t necessarily add value. I would say that there are buyers who want a media room and buyers who don’t care for one. The ones that want one will pay a little more, the ones that don’t wouldn’t pay a dime extra for a house with one.
I think media rooms definitely add to the appeal, though most are not designed for interaction with friends or guests. They are simply laid out like a movie theater which in my opinion is not very personable.
.-= Tracy CA Homes´s last blog ..Holidays On The Farm (Lathrop, Ca) =-.
Matt, I agree with you on that $18 million; the rich just don’t think like the rest of us. lol
Tracy, in my area, few media rooms are set up like theaters with theater chair seating. Most have those couches with the cup holders in them, which does offer more of a fun and friendly atmosphere.
.-= Mitch´s last blog ..Bank Of America Pays Off Loan; Citi Next =-.
I agree. I think media rooms definitely peek an interest in a buyer. They make for a great place to relax, kick back and watch a great movie like you are actually in a movie theatre. However, $18 Million is a lot of money for this.
Those high-end media rooms are really expensive. You can have your own media room for less though the acoustics, the design, and maybe the equipment won’t be as good.
I think that media rooms are a great addition to the home and offer a get away from the busy day. I believe the added value helps the sale of the home.
I would love to see what you can get for $18M. Wow. Our media room is a big screen and surround system from Best Buy with extra insulation in the ceiling. Recommend watching Top Gun and then Pearl Harbor for the test drive. Lots of fun watching everyone jump when the planes ‘sneak’ up from behind.
Media room is one of the best features of a house. I like media rooms but 18 million too much expensive .
Media rooms are an excellent addition to homes and buyers love them. I see the in second and third floor bonus rooms as well as in basements. I have heard that in Califonia new homes are turning the traditional family room into a media room. I think that sounds pretty smart. I hope to see this trend moving across the country.
.-= Chapel Hill Real Estate´s last blog ..Chapel Hill Makes Two Best Places Lists =-.
I think that in most markets, one can get a media room or a home theater for less that 50,000 if they buyer shops a bit. Of course a media room would add value, who doesn’t love a good movie or concert.
.-= donnie@Chattanooga Home Theater´s last blog ..CEDIA Expo – New Home Theater & Remote Control Systems =-.
The media rooms have been sprouting up in almost every luxury home in my area over the last 5 years. Those that are done real well can certainly help the value of the home.
.-= Hopkinton MA Real Estate´s last blog ..In Real Estate When in Doubt Disclose! =-.
I would love to see what an 18 million dollar media room looked like! Maybe it has gold-encrusted TV remotes?
For me, my living room is as close to a media room as I’m going to get. If I move into a bigger house a decent media games room would be number one on my list as a buyer.
.-= Simon @ Cheap Surround Sound´s last blog ..Cheap surround sound =-.
Woah, having a mini movie theater in da house? That’s cool!
.-= Jen@Extendable Dining Table´s last blog ..Advantages Of Extendable Dining Table =-.
Media rooms are definitely the best thing to modernize our homes. But 18 million is too much expensive. Maybe the prices will eventually fall.
I transformed my basement into a nice media / office room. When i say media, i say classical music and books/magazines, and also the best place where i can write my work. It cost me around $7,000 and i done most of the job. The sound system cost $3.000 and the rest was the soundproofing and other small stuff. So it can be done with much less.