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Having a demonstration at one of the UK’s growing number of facilities designed to show just how good a home cinema can be is the very best way to introduce yourself to the joys of 21st-century entertainment.

Many Home Cinema Alliance (HCA) members have their own demonstration suites or have access to those created by some of the brands and distributors they represent. Wherever you live, you are never too far away from a venue that will welcome you into the joys of owning your very own home cinema. Use the dealer locator on the HCA website to find your nearest.

In the same way as you would visit a kitchen showroom to get a feel for how different materials and functionalities will look and feel, the concept here is the same. However, we would argue the impact is much more profound. The long experience of our members tells us that when first introduced to the performance delivered by today’s systems, people are simply blown away by just how good they are, far exceeding what potential customers had imagined a home cinema could look and sound like. Today’s systems are made by some of the most advanced audio-visual manufacturers in the world and have been honed to create the very best performance possible. All of today’s immersive sound formats, like Dolby Atmos, or visual 4K treats like Dolby Vision, are delivered at the peak of their abilities, providing the very best immersive experience you will have ever had. There really is no substitute to seeing and hearing just how good today’s systems are. We promise you will be impressed—very impressed.

Good looks too!

The understanding of just how well a home cinema system can fit into your home does not stop there with a demonstration. All of the UK showrooms also underline just how attractive and aesthetically pleasing these spaces are. You don’t just want your system to perform well; you want to understand how it will be woven lovingly into the fabric of your home, and the country’s demonstration suites do exactly that, giving a direct example of how the equipment merges with the chosen aesthetic for a space. Whether you opt for a dedicated home cinema with a style of its own, say an art deco space echoing the golden age of picture palaces from the 1920s, or a system that is woven into an existing room, maintaining the current aesthetic, a visit to a demonstration suite will help you solidify in your own mind what will work best for you.

Another huge benefit of visiting a demonstration suite is zeroing in on just what sort of system and setup will work for you. HCA members are skilled at asking the right questions and examining different setups to see exactly what type of approach would suit you and your family. Some people like a lot of bass and want their cinema to play very loud, while others prefer a more laid-back approach. Perhaps you want to listen to lots of music on your system, or maybe sport is a big part of what the cinema will play. All these factors help our members build a picture of just what type of system is going to work for you. Also, our members know that different people experience audiovisual content in different ways; we all have in-built preferences for the types of audio delivery or how something is presented visually.

Experiencing different types of content, played in different ways, is the very best way to build up a detailed image of what is going to work for you.

One last thing to mention: a day out or even a couple of hours at a home cinema demonstration suite is huge fun. You will get to watch some of your favourite content in a way you probably won’t have experienced before/ All of our members are skilled at hosting and making you feel special, catering for your every need during the visit. Whether you end up investing in a system or not, we guarantee the day will be a really enjoyable, eye- and ear-pleasing experience long remembered. Book your demonstration today!

The good news is that Home Cinema Alliance (HCA) members are able to provide you with a multitude of viewing options from many types of setups. From super-sized TVs to conventional projector and screen partnerships and the increasingly popular short-throw projection category, there really is something for everyone and a wide range of budgets. No one solution is ‘better’ than the other. With the help of one of our skilled members, you will discover the right option for you and your home. This is the great thing about home cinema: it is a system designed specifically for you and your home.

Projector and Screen Combination

It was the case for some considerable time that the ‘best way’ to create a home cinema was by partnering a high-performance projector with a screen, similar to a commercial cinema. This is still often the preferred method as it produces very impressive results and is perhaps best suited to the cinema ‘purist’ looking for the highest performance available. These systems are often installed in a room used solely for entertainment. That is not to say these rooms cannot be welcoming and enjoyable spaces when the system is not in play mode. A modern home cinema is often as strong in its aesthetic and comfort performance as it is in delivering high-performance audiovisual experiences for movies, sport, and gaming.

A projector and screen combination offers several performance advantages, such as the use of an ‘acoustically transparent’ projection screen, which allows audio to pass directly through it. This means the speakers can be placed directly behind the screen, locking the audio tightly with the images to provide crystal-clear performance, particularly for dialogue. However, these systems often require controlling the amount of sunlight in the space to achieve the best performance. There have been advances in this area that have made this less of an issue in recent years, but some consideration is still wise.

Super-Size Me!

A category that has developed strongly in recent years is the availability of very high-performance and very large TV products. These include specialist products like the ‘Wall’ from Samsung, which use a modular system to build very large bespoke screens, up to 150in in some cases. More conventional TVs, which use established single-screen approaches, have also developed and can offer some seriously high-performance big-screen options.

Taking the ‘big TV’ route often means that the home cinema system can cope with higher amounts of sunlight, as these systems tend to be brighter than most projectors. In turn, this means a wider range of rooms and situations will be suitable for this type of approach. The quality of imaging with these types of products has improved significantly in recent years, and while many ‘purists’ would argue that projectors still have the edge, there is a lot to like about the ability of these products. Audio must be planned well, as speakers cannot be placed behind these screens, but many owners appreciate the versatility, high-quality images, and fast response times offered by this product sector, which gamers especially love.

Short-Throw Projectors

Offering a ‘third way’ for home cinema fans, this is another category that has developed strongly in recent years. This approach uses clever technology to project an image onto a screen from very close range. This means that all the imaging equipment needed to create the desired immersive experience can be stored at one end of the space, much like a TV setup.

This has several advantages, including making it easier to accommodate this type of system in a wider range of spaces than a conventional projector and screen. It is also often more straightforward to install. Additionally, it is possible to have the whole system integrated into attractive cabinetry that keeps the equipment hidden away so that it is only on show when required. When called upon, the screen rises up from the cabinet while the projector springs to life, still hidden within the cabinet, offering a compelling proposition for many.

Whatever option suits you and your family, one thing is certain: engage with one of the experienced members of the HCA, and you will be taking your in-home entertainment experiences to a whole new level.

What Is A Dedicated Home Cinema Room?

A dedicated cinema is a room designed exclusively for viewing films, gaming, watching sports and entertaining friends in a cinematic environment. This room tends to be set apart from the main living areas, allowing for complete immersion in a space dedicated to entertainment. The interior design often, but not always, involves darker tones, luxury seating, and automated and accent lighting to build atmosphere and provide the right level of immersion and excitement.

The space might include attractive acoustic treatments to achieve the highest possible sound quality. The equipment—including speakers, processing, and, most commonly, a projector and screen—is installed to deliver the very best high-performance experience possible. A strong focus on detail and performance ensures that when you settle down to watch a film, you experience complete immersion with no distractions from the outside world. The privacy of a dedicated room makes it a haven for movie buffs, music fans, or gamers looking to take their experience to new levels.

Media Rooms

A media room blends high-performance entertainment experiences into an existing living space. These projects incorporate equipment into your chosen living area, often remaining completely unseen until needed. Advanced integration techniques and today’s technology mean the equipment can be completely hidden from view or subtly woven into the fabric of the room. Features such as drop-down screens and speakers concealed in the walls ensure the room's aesthetics remain untouched while still providing an excellent entertainment space in the home's main living areas.

It’s an approach that many families love and has been one of the fastest-growing choices in the market over the last few years. This setup can be used in both period and modern homes—you’d be surprised at the variety of spaces that can be accommodated.

An HCA member will be able to assess your space and provide a detailed proposal on what can be achieved. Media rooms are a good choice for families who want to maximise the functionality of their main living area, turning it into a multi-purpose space—a place to relax and read or to deliver a full-on entertainment experience. This approach is also ideal where space is at a premium and a dedicated cinema room is not an option.

With an emphasis on equipment integration, a media room can still offer high performance. Today’s technology and the expertise of HCA members mean that systems can be both discrete and capable of handling challenges, such as high levels of ambient light found in more multi-use living spaces.

What Approach Is Right for Your Family?

The decision between a dedicated cinema room and an integrated media room will depend on your home, available space, and, most importantly, your priorities, needs, and preferences.

Our experienced members can conduct a comprehensive assessment of these factors and help you make the right decision for your home and family. It will depend on your home and the spaces available, of course, but also on the type of content and activities you enjoy. HCA members know precisely the right questions to ask to ensure you receive exactly the right system for your needs and home.

Investing in an exciting high-performance home cinema system created by a member of the Home Cinema Alliance (HCA) offers a wealth of benefits. Combining all these advantages means our customers often report that the home cinema is everyone’s favourite room in the house.

High-quality fun!

First up, who doesn’t enjoy movies, music, sporting events and gaming at the highest possible standard? Unfamiliar with what an HCA company can deliver? Then imagine all your favourite content presented in a convenient, easy-to-control space where everything looks and sounds as good as it possibly can.

Our members use modern audio and visual formats such as 4K imaging and Dolby Atmos surround sound to offer a fully immersive experience, as good as, if not better than, any commercial cinema. This level of enjoyment and excitement is available across any content or activity you want, when you want it, right in the heart of your home.

Family time, relaxing time

We all know that families today can often be time-poor. Finding space in the day to relax with other family members or unwind can be hard to achieve. With a home cinema created by one of our members, seamlessly woven into the fabric of your home, this becomes second nature.

Family movie nights, where the experience is so good it brings everyone together regardless of other commitments, become a regular occurrence. With everyone enjoying the content, you don’t just get to wind down and have fun – valuable time with the family is created in an often busy and distracting world. If the kids are all out or in bed, older family members can relax and get lost in a movie, discover the latest binge-worthy box set or take on that final challenging stage of a game.

Beautiful rooms

If you were imagining our members’ cinemas as purely functional spaces, high-performance but perhaps not the most attractive, think again. Our members work closely with interior designers and, of course, you, the customer, to create spaces that look and feel amazing – even when the system is turned off.

An HCA project starts with the principle that the space must be comfortable, well-designed and attractive before it can become an effective entertainment area. This holistic approach to design means that a home cinema often becomes not just the most fun room but also the most visually appealing.

Today’s integration techniques allow our members to create dedicated home cinema spaces that offer stunning interior design, including plush furnishings, as well as beautifully automated, controllable lighting and shading. The space may match the look and feel of the rest of the home or take on a particular theme – perhaps introducing a touch of Art Deco from the golden age of cinema.

Our members can also design systems that blend seamlessly into an existing living space. These remain completely hidden until called upon, so you can enjoy your favourite room – perhaps an elegant Georgian living room – with added high-performance entertainment options. 

A place of tranquillity

These days, it can be hard to find ‘me time’ – a space to relax and reflect on life and what lies ahead. Many customers use their home cinemas for just that. Yoga, meditation and exercise can all be enhanced by the audiovisual options available in a well-designed home cinema.

How about taking time to listen to a favourite album with some subtle low lighting? Another popular option. With the acoustic treatment, interior design and attention to detail that go into each HCA cinema, these rooms are simply relaxing places to be. Even settling in with a good book on the cinema’s comfortable seating is a well-loved way to unwind.

We love our home cinema!

In short, there are countless ways to use a home cinema beyond its main function of delivering outstanding high-performance entertainment. This is why home cinemas really do become the favourite room in the house.

Talk to one of our members about starting your journey towards true 21st-century entertainment and relaxation.

For over 60 years, KEF has been defined by a relentless pursuit of unrivalled high-fidelity sound. With the commitment to acoustic excellence and obsession with creating immersive audio experiences, every speaker is engineered to deliver pristine, natural sound. Honouring the original Coda speaker series, which made high-fidelity sound much more accessible, Coda W builds upon that pioneering spirit with modern refinements. It blends KEF’s renowned acoustic excellence with thoughtful, contemporary design. The result is an all-in-one speaker that delivers high performance, seamless connectivity, and intuitive usability – making high-fidelity sound effortlessly available to today’s listeners.

The exceptional acoustic performance of Coda W is powered by KEF’s 12th-generation Uni-Q® driver array, delivering precise and natural sound reproduction. Featuring the latest Bluetooth® 5.4 aptX™ for seamless wireless streaming, an integrated phono preamp for direct turntable connection, and versatile connectivity for TVs, desktop computers, and beyond, it offers uncompromising flexibility. Available in five carefully curated finishes, each blending distinctive character with timeless appeal, catering to a wide range of aesthetic preferences.

High-fidelity sound

At the heart of the Coda W speaker lies a large 5.25-inch 12th-generation Uni-Q® driver array, delivering remarkably detailed performance. This cutting-edge technology is the result of decades of KEF’s acoustic expertise, backed by advanced simulation and precision engineering. This signature technology acts as a point source, with the tweeter positioned at the precise acoustic centre of the woofer, recreating how sound is produced naturally. This ensures uniform dispersion throughout the room, creating an exceptionally natural and immersive listening experience.

Coda W offers a combined 200 watts of system power. Both the primary and secondary speakers are equipped with dedicated amplifiers for the tweeter and woofer, delivering room-filling sound from the compact cabinets. To refine performance even further, KEF’s Music Integrity Engine®—a proprietary suite of DSP algorithms—has been specially tuned for Coda W, enhancing overall performance by providing remarkable sound integrity, detail, and accuracy.

Leveraging Bluetooth® 5.4 aptX Adaptive™, Coda W offers high-quality, low-latency audio for seamless listening, delivering exceptional clarity and a reliable connection. The aptX Lossless™ codec supports CD-quality resolution up to 16-bit/44.1 kHz, enabling the speakers to reproduce sound with impeccable clarity and dynamic range while preserving the pristine details of your favourite music.

Plug-and-play with turntable, TV, or more

Coda W is engineered for seamless integration into any lifestyle, offering the freedom of wireless streaming and versatile wired connectivity. It excels both modern and classic audio sources, serving as a hub for high-fidelity sound. For a modern listening experience, Coda W allows you to stream music wirelessly from a phone, tablet, or laptop. Bluetooth connectivity ensures a simple, convenient pairing process and the freedom to play audio instantly.

Coda W effortlessly embraces classic analogue sound. It is turntable-ready, featuring an integrated phono pre-amplifier that connects directly to most turntables without the need for additional equipment. For turntables with a built-in phono preamp, Coda W also supports RCA (LINE) input, offering flexibility across different setups. This allows listeners to rediscover the authentic warmth and depth of their vinyl collections.

With HDMI ARC connectivity, Coda W easily connects to your TV, making it simple to set up a home theatre system. Featuring a USB Type-C port input, it elevates your computer audio and supports high-resolution audio decoding up to 24-bit/192kHz. For further flexibility, an array of additional inputs, including RCA and optical, accommodates sources such as CD players, Blu-ray players, and game consoles, establishing the Coda W as a truly versatile audio hub.

For those seeking deeper bass, Coda W features a dedicated subwoofer output, allowing for easy connection to a compatible KEF subwoofer. This is ideal for enhancing your home theatre experience on movies or enriching music with extended low-frequency response. For greater placement flexibility, the optional KW1 wireless subwoofer adapter kit enables a pristine wireless connection, eliminating cable clutter.

Instant control at your fingertips

Designed for seamless operation, Coda W features intuitive top-panel buttons for quick access to essential functions and source switching. The KEF Connect App puts complete control at your fingertips. Select EQ presets to match your taste, manage speaker settings, update firmware, and explore the latest features—all from a single, intuitive interface.

Timeless design meets acoustic precision

Coda W embodies minimalist elegance through its clean, rectilinear lines and subtle detailing, offering a timeless silhouette that blends vintage charm with modern refinement. It brings understated elegance to your living room, home studio, study or reading nook, enhancing each space with sophistication.

Designed for both visual harmony and acoustic performance, Coda W is available in four curated finishes: Nickel Grey, Moss Green, Midnight Blue, and Dark Titanium. Each finish is selected to integrate naturally into a wide range of interiors while making a distinctive stylistic statement.

A 3-metre interspeaker cable is included as standard. For greater flexibility, Coda W is also compatible with the optional 8-metre C-Link interspeaker cable, allowing for customised speaker placement to suit any room configuration. Additionally, Coda W can be paired with the optional SQ1 floor stands, which offer a stable platform for elevated positioning and optimal listening height.

Summary of features

•             5.25” 12th Generation Uni-Q driver array for accurate, pristine sound

·       Music Integrity Engine® (MIE) – KEF's proprietary DSP algorithms enhance sound integrity and detail

•             Plug-and-play connectivity for almost all turntables (RCA (Phono) with Integrated phono preamp)

•             Bluetooth® 5.4 aptX Adaptive™ for high-quality and low-latency audio

•             aptX Lossless™ support for CD-quality resolution up to 16-bit/44.1kHz over Bluetooth

•             Extensive connectivity for TV, desktop, and more (USB-C, HDMI ARC, optical, RCA (Line), subwoofer output)

•             System power: LF 70W Class D, HF 30W Class D, Max. SPL:102dB

•             Optional 8m C-Link interspeaker cable for versatile speaker placement

•             SQ1 Floor Stand is available as a separate accessory

•             Available in 4 finishes: Nickel Grey, Moss Green, Midnight Blue, and Dark Titanium

 Home Cinema Alliance members can advise you on creating the best experience for your home, but it’s useful to have a little knowledge up front about the different content delivery systems available.

Hard disc playback is still an option for many, particularly those with collections of DVDs or Blu-rays they want to continue enjoying. Some caution is needed here. Studios are beginning to see the cost savings of not releasing titles on Blu-ray and are instead opting for our next category of content delivery: streaming. These are the services we are all now familiar with, which have significantly changed the way people consume content over the last decade. Convenient and often packed full of exclusive content, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Paramount, Disney+ and YouTube have all played their part in making viewing more immediate.

The last category to mention is only available through professional home cinema installers and involves high-performance movie server and playback options from a brand called Kaleidescape. With its own digital movie store and hardware options to play back content, the system is designed to be state-of-the-art in terms of home movie playback. The important difference between this system and streaming is that the content is downloaded before playback. But how do these systems compare?

Delivering an immersive experience

The art of creating a good home cinema lies in getting as close as possible to the vision the creators had when producing the content. This involves delivering the best imaging and surround sound possible.

In terms of video, it’s important to understand that most sources use some kind of compression to get the image from storage to your system. The amount of data that ends up on your screen will significantly impact image quality. For comparison, the average throughput for video on a Kaleidescape system is 58 Mbps. For a 4K Blu-ray disc, it’s 48 Mbps. For Apple TV+, it comes out at 16 Mbps. Apple TV+ is usually considered the best streaming platform in terms of quality, but as you can see, it lags significantly behind the other two. With the space available on a Blu-ray disc a large amount of information can be made available. For Kaleidescape the content is downloaded (in around 10 minutes providing a strong internet signal is in place) and therefore can deliver a much larger amount of information from a locally stored server or playback device.  

In case you’re wondering whether you would even notice the difference, consider the furore over the Game of Thrones episode ‘The Long Night’, when viewers complained they couldn’t see what was happening in this pivotal episode. This was in no small part down to the compression used to broadcast the content, and it’s far from a one-off.

Audio is hugely important in creating an experience that will long be remembered. Where would Jaws be without its soundtrack? Where would Star Wars be without its amazing John Williams score? All of this is before you consider the atmosphere created with skilful sound effects and mixing. Again, the amount of information available to a system and how it is delivered matters. Audio throughput from a Kaleidescape system and a 4K Blu-ray is 5.3 Mbps. Apple TV+ and Netflix deliver 768 kbps, with Amazon Prime offering 448 kbps. That’s a significant difference, and it’s even more important when you consider that streaming is often presented in 5.1 format, limiting the number of surround channels that can be delivered. Blu-ray and Kaleidescape benefit from the content not having to be streamed, so more information can be relayed. 

A skilled HCA member will be able to mitigate many of these different system characteristics, but if we are going for the best performance, having more data in terms of visuals and audio is the best place to start.

Other considerations include the price of the system and access to the content. Least expensive is streaming, with playback hardware often free of charge and much of the content available for free after subscription. However, the shine has worn off recently, as much of the content now requires payment even after subscribing, and services that previously offered ad-free options have introduced ad-supported tiers or now include ad breaks more frequently.

Blu-ray discs are still a strong option, but it’s worth considering how long they will continue to be produced and how much longer manufacturers will keep making playback machines. Kaleidescape is a very strong option when it comes to quality. None of the other systems offers the same level of audio and video performance. However, the investment required is greater. It is worth noting that Kaleidescape has recently introduced more entry-level options, making access to this system more affordable.

Ultimately, our members will help you choose the right options for you, perhaps mixing two or even all three of these options to suit your family and your home. Rest assured, whatever your budget, the knowledge of an HCA member will enable you to take your home cinema experience to the next level.

 When some people think of a home cinema system, they might imagine a large-screen television with a soundbar underneath or perhaps a surround sound system they picked up at a big-box store. These products have their place and can improve your TV-watching experience, but when it comes to creating a true home cinema, it’s an entirely different world.

 The systems that members of the Home Cinema Alliance (HCA) create are not something you can pull out of a box and plug in. Our creations are carefully designed, bespoke systems tailored specifically for your space, needs, and lifestyle. It’s the difference between watching a movie at home and truly experiencing cinema in your own home.

Built Around You

No two homes — or people — are the same, so why would a one-size-fits-all system be expected to deliver a world-class result? An HCA member designs your home cinema from the ground up, tailoring every detail to you, your family and your home. This means much more than simply choosing the right projector or speakers. It’s about understanding how you want to use the space, how many people you want to seat, what kind of performance you expect, and then building a system that meets and exceeds those expectations.

 Working with an HCA expert ensures that your system is not just good but outstanding, offering a level of immersion and emotional connection that you might not believe possible until you experience it for yourself.

The Science Behind It

Professional home cinema design is as much a science as it is an art. Industry standards exist for a reason, and an HCA expert uses them as the foundation of your system. Elements like screen size, viewing angles, speaker placement and acoustic treatment are all calculated carefully based on your room’s dimensions, layout and seating positions.

For example, the ideal screen size isn’t just what fits on your wall — it’s based on specific calculations that ensure every seat in the room offers the perfect balance of immersion and comfort. Likewise, the positioning of speakers isn't random; it follows precise formulas to create an enveloping, lifelike soundstage where dialogue is crisp, effects are believable, and music stirs your emotions. Even after all the industry standards are met, HCA members utilise their extensive experience to make final adjustments and tweaks that elevate each project and make it genuinely unique yours.

If you’re a dedicated DIY enthusiast, you could attempt to build your own home cinema. However, even if you go it alone, we strongly recommend following the same professional standards and calculations the industry relies on. Achieving true excellence isn’t easy, and the smallest mistake in design or setup can undermine the entire experience. If you need help at any stage, reaching out to an HCA member for advice or assistance could make a huge difference to your results.

Why Choose a Home Cinema Alliance Expert?

When you engage an HCA expert to design and install your cinema, you are investing in something truly special — a system that doesn’t just fill a room with sound and pictures but fills it with emotion, excitement and magic. There is also the issue of aesthetics to consider. Building a home cinema that not only delivers a high-performance experience but also a beautiful one, with plush furnishings and innovative interior design, is an art our members are experts in.

In short, our members are among the best in the business, committed to using proven techniques and the latest technology to deliver systems that are life-changing. Whether you dream of a private blockbuster movie palace, a family screening room or a discreet cinema hidden within your living space, we can turn your vision into a reality that surpasses even your highest expectations.

Remember, a real home cinema is not found in a box. It is crafted, calibrated and perfected for you and you alone.

Ready to experience the difference? Find your local HCA expert today.

With nearly three decades of experience, and as we approach our 30th year later this year, we’re proud to showcase over 70 real home cinema installations in our expanding online portfolio. These are just a few of the many projects we’ve delivered, with new ones being added regularly. From the far north of the UK to the southern counties, we’ve created cinema rooms for all types of properties.

Our latest project in Preston, Lancashire, is a perfect example of what we do best. You can see it in full here, where we guide you through the journey from design to installation and final handover, complete with professional photography and a video tour. You can also catch a clip of the space in our Instagram post.

Every case study on our site provides an honest look behind the scenes. We illustrate the steps involved, the choices made, and how we transform an idea into a stunning, functional cinema room. It’s not uncommon for a client to say “I want that room” before we’ve even begun their own design process, often during an early chat with Melanie Malcolm, who assists clients in navigating our site and starting to shape their brief.

While the 70+ rooms online provide ample inspiration, they represent only a portion of the work we’ve delivered. We’ve completed hundreds of cinema rooms over the years, although many remain offline to respect our clients’ privacy.

And experience matters. After 30 years in the industry, we know what works. That’s why we use and recommend reputable, proven brands for every project. From speakers by Meridian Audio, Bowers & Wilkins, Artcoustic, and Monitor Audio to projectors from Sony, Epson, and Barco, we only install systems we trust to perform beautifully.

Most clients prefer cinema seating, and many are attracted to the magic of a star ceiling, which brings a genuine sense of atmosphere to the room. Acoustic performance is equally important, and fabric walling is often chosen not only for its acoustic properties but also for its finish and texture.

You can explore all these features and more by browsing our complete online portfolio, where each project tells a unique story and showcases the level of detail we invest in every job.

As Gifford Malcolm, Managing Director of Bespoke, puts it:
“What really makes the difference for our clients is that we handle everything in-house. No subcontractors, no confusion – just a straightforward, personal service from start to finish.”

And that’s what truly sets us apart. With no third parties involved, everything stays in our hands, from the very first conversation to the final handover. Clients know exactly who they’re dealing with and what they can expect. There are no missed details and no surprises.

We’re proud of the variety in our portfolio, not only because it reflects our house style, but also because it demonstrates our adaptability. No two rooms are the same, and that’s how we like it. Whether a client knows exactly what they want or needs us to guide them through the entire process, we make it work, just as we’ve done for nearly 30 years.

Why is this important?

You have plenty of options when it comes to styling - so it has to reflect your unique taste and style. You have to love it!

Here are some popular choices, but it’s your space, so don’t be afraid to mix and match ideas or go completely off-piste.

A good cinema designer can work with you to deliver the perfect end result.

The black hole

This is a real purist choice - no distractions, perfect colour balance and perfect contrast. For a film-watching experience, it’s probably the best choice.

However, it misses out on lots of the human elements - style, drama, showing off, and a welcoming feel - so it’s much less common. We’re really happy to help you deliver it, though!

Retro picture palace 

‘Retro’ can actually mean lots of things - dark red is the classic historical choice, but for example, 1930s art deco influence is very ‘now’ - gold and navy or gold and black are classy without looking too old-fashioned.

This recent Somerset cinema project had the design brief ‘like the Tivoli cinema, but smaller’, so we went with navy and gold, with wall lights and table lights for a classy, 1930s feel.

Futuristic

Ultra-modern with straight lines and lots of coloured LED lighting. The Cinemaworks demo room below can look very ‘futuristic’ indeed with the right pixel scene, but with muted lighting it can also look fairly classic and understated.

LED lighting in cinemas adds plenty of drama, but of course you can switch them off to be fully immersed in the action.

Classic Contemporary 

Modern, but classy and a bit more understated. Darker colours like greys are recommended.

 Themes

Favourite films, sports teams, or any special interest you might have can form the basis for your room style. Cinemas are already quite indulgent and escapist, so it’s fine to lean into it. That said, maybe don’t do anything too focused on little kids - right now, they love Pixar, but in a few years, they’ll be over it.

The room should last you a long time, so make sure your chosen theme isn’t a passing fad.

Whatever your style, we should work within these key principles:

Bad ideas

To really serve you properly, we have an obligation to push back against flawed ideas that we know won’t work.

All of us sometimes get asked for really light-coloured walls - white, beige or cream. The problem there is twofold - first, projected light can’t deliver the contrast it should - cinemas need dark walls to work well. The second problem is that the walls all light up the colour of the film, which is really distracting and the opposite of immersive.

If you have to have light-coloured walls, you really want a direct display - either a really big TV or a modern modular microLED display. We can help you with that.

Engineering First

Imagine if Chris Bangle started asking to move the engine or chassis - then instead of being a leading car stylist, he’d be out of a job. Our specialty is exactly the same - the technical elements and engineering should go hand in hand with styling.

It’s no good - but sadly common - to lay the room out first and then ‘shoehorn’ the system in. All that happens then is speakers in the wrong place, wrong sized screens, or screens too high, or clunky ergonomics.

It’s much better to work with your cinema designer from a blank sheet of paper, and then we achieve the best layout for performance, comfort, and style.

 Colour

A bit of colour in your cinema adds interest, but we wouldn’t go too bright or strong, especially on the screen wall and the first third of the room. 

When we’re doing ‘high level’ performance cinemas we recommend keeping colour out of the viewing area, to ensure the best picture accuracy.

Seating, cushions and throws can give you ‘pops’ of colour that you won’t see when watching, and it’s easy to update throws and cushions when you fancy a change and to keep the room on-trend.

And of course the LED lights can change colour on demand.

Lighting 

Lighting design is critical for a cinema project and needs just as much planning as the speakers, projector, screen and seats.

LED drivers should be as close to the LED strips as possible to prevent voltage loss, and if you’re doing coloured and pixel that should be planned out in detail.

So the big takeaways are: engage help as early as possible in the build, before the electrical first fix, to make sure the lighting is all in the right place and the right sort.

Artwork

Art is fine - film posters, memorabilia, or football images - but again we’d keep them outside the viewing area. Take care with glass fronts - instead we can screen print onto acoustic fabric, to conceal speakers or acoustic treatments. Glass can cause light reflections from the screen and also create unwanted reflections in the sound.

Whatever your favourite style, HCA members have the training and experience to give you the very best results.

Written by Owen Maddock of Cinemaworks

When planning a Home Cinema the importance of seating design is often overlooked. For many clients, the audio and video systems are the most exciting because they bring the movies into our homes, but this can leave seating as an afterthought.

To really maximise the Home Cinema experience, seating should in fact be the first element considered, to match how the room will be used and how many guests need to be accommodated. A cosy family room might need a totally different seating plan to a room used for watching sports with friends.

Seating Capacity

Getting the number of seats in the room right can be tricky and clients often want as many seats as possible. This can reduce the experience for everybody though, because every seat will be compromised if the seating doesn’t correctly fit the space.

There are many styles of seating available to match your room use and capacity requirements. When the cinema will be used for different events, a creative seating plan makes sure the room always works, a great example would be a large daybed with a bar and bar stools behind. This provides a cosy space for a Sunday afternoon movie with the family and separate space to have a drink and watch sport with friends.

Video Quality

The correct screen size should always suit the distance and viewing angle from the seats, which means it is impossible to decide the screen size until after the seating plan has been finalised.

When the room has a single row of seats it is easy to select a screen size, to suit your preference. This can be found during a demonstration by simply moving nearer or farther away from a fixed screen until it feels immersive, but comfortable.

When there are multiple rows of seating, we suggest the middle row has the screen size that you find most comfortable. In a large room, with several rows there will be a seat where everybody can find their ideal position. In a small room, multiple rows could mean the screen is uncomfortably close in the front and underwhelming from the back, so nobody has the most enjoyable experience.

Using industry standards we can guide this decision, making sure all of your guests have the same amazing experience. Aim for no seats closer than a 62 degree viewing angle or further than a 35degree angle, with the best seats in the house around 48-52 degrees, to ensure everybody has a great view.

 If the layout will place your guests outside of this range, we can look at other options to maximise capacity without ruining the experience. This could mean rotating the room 90 degrees to make wider rows or using alternative seating such as Bar stools or floor cushions / Beanbags.

Effect on Audio Quality

The way sound waves interact with the walls in the room has a large effect on the sound quality. These room interactions are easily predictable in rectangular rooms, where we know certain areas of the room will receive reduced sound quality. Most notably, at 1/3rd or 2/3rds of the depth or width of the room the bass will often suffer, becoming boomy at some frequencies and non-existent at others.

When the room is large enough, we recommended that no seat is within 1m from any wall or any speaker, especially speakers on the rear wall. If seats must be placed against the rear wall, removing the Surround Back channels will prevent them from overpowering the more important front speakers.  

The seating design will also tell us the distance from each speaker to the listener. We need 4 times as much power output from the speakers every time the distance doubles to create the same volume. Speakers which can provide a dynamic and impactful performance for seats 3m away, may be totally unsuitable for seats 6m away. If you choose the speakers before confirming the seating layout, it’s a guess at best whether they will provide the performance you expect.

If you are planing a Home Cinema, get in touch with a Home Cinema Alliance member early, to allow us to guide the most important decisions.

Totally Immersive

“The technology has improved so much in recent years that the performance is quite a bit better than the typical commercial cinema, in complete luxury and to suit your own style. You become completely immersed in what you’re watching - much more so than when you’re out in public because you feel safe, so you can relax.”

Not just for films

“You can do so much more with these rooms nowadays” adds Stuart “We’re in the era of epic box sets, from Game of Thrones to Stranger Things - they’re produced to the high standards of a blockbuster movie, but they last for hours, and you can’t even watch them in cinemas. Then there’s major sport events, and perhaps a bit of social gaming. There’s no shortage of top-notch entertainment.”

“Finally of course, with Netflix and other new services, there are plenty of films to enjoy too, and you don’t even have to faff about with discs anymore. There’s so much choice you can suit all tastes.”

A great use for ‘tricky’ rooms

Not every space can be light and airy. For example, rear extensions often leave you with a darker room at the centre. “If you’ve still got a dining room, you can leave it that way and use it twice a year, or create a fantastic cinema room you’ll use most days.”

Family and friends

Films, box sets, sport and gaming are all highly social. “It’s really easy to ignore a TV in the corner, we’ve all done it. That doesn’t happen with a high-performance setup, you have to pay attention - that gets everyone off their phones and you all have a good time together. It’s a memorable experience you’ll talk about later.”

Rainy days and Mondays

“Let’s face it, it rains in England. That can easily mess your weekend plans up, but with a fantastic cinema room you’ve always got a plan B. Or if you are quite outdoorsy you can come home again after a busy Saturday and chill out together with a film or binge on a box set.”

“We’re not saying you should watch more TV, we’re saying that when you do, make it special.”

Stolen Goods

This seems to be an increasing problem - lots of companies are entering the Home Technology market, and Home Cinema is a big part of that. However, it’s hard to get started without a portfolio - and several less scrupulous providers decide to ‘borrow’ (steal) one instead.

‘This happens to us every week’ explains Mel Malcolm of Bespoke Home Cinemas. ‘We’ve got a fabulous portfolio of installed cinemas - but it doesn’t happen overnight. Gifford has perfected his craft for over twenty years as a designer and installer of high-performance cinemas, he’s even mastered the SLR so we take all our own photos in-house. It’s a real kick in the teeth when other businesses display our work as if it’s theirs. How dare they? But every single week I have to ask someone new, please remove our images.’

‘The first time this happened to me, I was flattered’ said Owen Maddock of Cinemaworks, ‘But fundamentally a competing business hasn’t built that cinema, hasn’t taken any pictures, and they’re displaying my work on their website or social media and passing it off as if it’s theirs. That’s not funny and it’s not victimless either - my potential new clients might actually think I’m using a stock image, because they’ve seen it before, when actually I’ve put loads of hard work in to perfect the design, the installation and even the photoshoot. So these other businesses stealing our pictures could certainly cost us in new work.’

Stock images

Legally, passing off another company’s work as your own is an open-and-shut case -the borrower has no copyright over the work and they almost always remove it when notified, and although some try to argue the toss they quickly back down after taking advice.

In addition, there’s a thriving market in stock imagery- companies like Shutterstock, Adobe and Getty Images provide generic pictures of families, rooms, and nature. This can help small businesses with access to useful marketing images they couldn’t otherwise afford, but there’s a darker side.

‘Usually, this is pretty innocent’, says Stuart Burgess of Immersive Cinema Rooms ‘Say a plumbing firm has a contact centre and you see an attractive face wearing a headset ready to take your call, there’s nothing wrong with that’. But recently we’ve seen quite a few photo-realistic 3D graphics of ‘cinema rooms’, which gets tricky.

‘For the consumers out there, this causes two problems. First, there’s the lack of experience problem - the company are showing you a beautiful cinema room, you naturally assume it’s theirs, so you believe they can do the job and you accept the quote. Halfway along the project you realise, yours is the first one they’ve ever done and you’re not going to get a great result.‘

‘Secondly, some of these rooms are literally impossible. This is a popular ‘cinema room’ created entirely in the digital domain by a talented 3D artist - but they’ve chosen to make the side walls out of dark tinted glass.

‘This one is dreadful’ adds Owen. ‘If you really could build that room as a cinema, it would sound awful and look worse - you’d get loads of sound and light reflections, it would completely put you off what you’re watching. Then, you can’t even get surround speakers into a sheet of glass. Now imagine the poor end user sees that, then asks us to create it - that’s just going to cause problems, and everyone ends up disappointed.’

The Real Dealers

Do your homework! Can you see ‘before’ and ‘during’ images from real installations? Will the company provide references? Do they carry any formal credentials or industry awards? Ask about the build process and how long it will take - a qualified and seasoned installer should be able to answer any detailed questions you may have. In addition you can certainly visit our dealer section. The Premier members of the Home Cinema Alliance have been vetted for their installation abilities and can build you a real cinema - and not show you someone else’s

Homeowners are bringing the ‘Big Screen’ experience into the family home by converting empty rooms and garages into high-tech cinemas.

Creating a bespoke media room to host film nights for family and friends is becoming increasingly popular across the UK, say industry experts.

Not only do high-tech cinemas enhance the viewing experience of big film releases and major sporting events, but could also add value to the property, they say.

A trip to the cinema for the average family of four costs as much as £100, but installing your own high-end cinema could prove better value in the long run, says Nic Black, Managing Director of Pyramid, an award-winning audio-visual company in Devon.

Whether it’s converting an empty garage or making use of a bedroom after children leave home, installing the ultimate in home entertainment is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice for many, said Nic.

“It is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners across the UK to embrace the idea of home cinemas and media rooms, not only for viewing films but for enhancing sporting events and gaming experiences,” he said.

“People want to create an environment to relax and spend quality time with family and friends. As people access more and more on-demand videos and high-quality TV content, within a year I believe we will see on-demand films released very close to cinema releases.

“Homeowners are recognising the desirability for this high-end technology and are also seeing an uplift in the value of their property as a result.”

Designers, architects, businesses and property owners can now ‘try before they buy’ as Pyramid opens the most advanced technology showroom in the South West.

The showroom in Plympton, Devon, houses a two-seater, 120-inch screen, 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos home cinema with integrated lighting and a triple layer of acoustics, all built into a room the same size as the average garage.

Also on display is a range of high-end smart home technology including the best in lighting, control and audio systems such as ‘invisible speakers’, which can be built into a wall and wallpapered over the top so interior design isn’t compromised.

Nic said: “Sound is a very individual thing so we have designed this showroom so we can take people on a bit of a journey. They can sit here with their iPad, play their music, road test different speakers and make their own mind up on design and quality of sound.

“We have created the most advanced technology showroom in the South West where people can experience for themselves the latest technology and discover the best options available for the space they have.”

In 2017 Pyramid won ‘Best Home Cinema’ for its ‘technically perfect’ Dolby Atmos cinema installed at the home of self-confessed movie addict Vince Haines.

Vince, of Cambridge, said: “We decided to build our own house and I had always wanted a cinema. My wife is an architect and we started working with Nic right at the beginning of designing our home to make sure we got the acoustics right from the start. We did that before we even thought about the kitchen!

“The result is absolutely phenomenal. People are gob-smacked when they see it. It blows them away. It is better than going to the cinema. I’m an avid movie collector but even watching sporting events, it’s a whole different experience.

“Since we’ve had it, we’ve been talking to estate agents and it is interesting that swimming pools and tennis courts are not really adding value to homes anymore - people are looking for cinema media rooms nowadays.”

As well as Best Home Cinema, Pyramid was also awarded Best Lighting and Control Installation at the recent CEDIA industry awards, for its integrated system in the multi-million pound residential development Ladies Lake in Scotland. 

Written by Nic Black, Managing Director of Pyramid

For some 'Home Cinema' may mean a big TV and a Sound Bar.

We don’t think about it like that.

We believe that the experience created should be compelling, arresting, and all-encompassing, so that the world goes away and you’re in the film - or the box set, or the game. ‘Immersive’ is a great term - if a bit over-used these days.

When planning your cinema system, here are some things to consider.

Who’s it for?

Often the home cinema is something for the family, maybe this is somewhere you’d enjoy with friends too. For seating especially this gets important - how many people should be entertained in comfort, say during the holidays? Should we plan ‘occasional’ seating - still good but not the best seats in the house? Children are often happy with beanbags in the front, for sleepovers and parties.

Think about friends, extended family, kids, everyday use and special occasions. But also think about yourself - in an empty cinema, where would you sit? In the centre sure, but at the front, or towards the back? Many of us would be about two-thirds back where some cinema companies have premium seats. Yours should be the best seat in the house.

What will you be watching?

Good quality films, event TV and gaming are all important. But how important? Really that depends on you. Is ‘movie night’ more special than Saturday afternoon football or a long gaming session?

One decision to make is, should your screen be in ‘cinemascope’ letterbox, or regular 16:9? A masking screen lets you do both at the highest quality - the black border moves to suit the content you’re playing.

Cinema v Media Room

The classic distinction is that the cinema room is dark and single purpose, while a media room is mixed-use, social and probably lighter.

A lot of our favourite rooms combine both approaches. For us the ideal is really convincing cinema performance, in a room that’s fun to hang out in - that also works when there’s a bit more ambient light, for example when watching the big match with friends. Blackout blinds let us control the ambient light level. We’ll need higher brightness from the display too, so that picture quality is maintained.

It’s quite reasonable to have two displays - a flatscreen TV for casual use, and projection screen for that full cinema experience.

The Space
Is this an existing room, or does it exist on your architect’s drawing board? Even more excitingly, do we have a blank canvas? Everything is possible, but we need to know where the doors are, and the dimensions of the room, and any other possible constraints. If you’d like two or more rows of seats we’ll want to raise the upper levels so that everyone can see perfectly, in complete comfort.

For really good results, we want to treat the room itself, preventing echoes and bass resonances, and to stop sound from escaping or ambient sound getting in, all of which improves the performance of the cinema. To do that we either use tasteful acoustic panels, or have room treatments and speakers hidden behind fabric walls. That will reduce the floor area of the room itself a little, so plan for that if you can.

The Vibe
Do you prefer the Odeon or the Everyman? What sort of style would you like for the room and seating?

Home Cinema is about escapism and stories - would you like to do something over-the-top, or themed around your favourite film? We’ve seen James Bond cinemas, Batcaves, Roaring Twenties themes - anything you can imagine. Whatever age your home is, the cinema room could match that, or be a total contrast, and it’ll work brilliantly.

Products

We’re not there yet! The outline specification comes from your answers to the questions above - who’s it for, what will you be watching, is this a cinema, a  media room or a bit of both, and what’s our room size. Once we know that we can draw down the performance we need, and then at last we can go looking for equipment.

We’re always really excited to help with cinema and media room projects.

Written by Owen Maddock of CinemaWorks