Modern Traditional Media Room Reveal

Hello Friends,

It’s finally here!

The Basement Media Room reveal is finally here, along with rooms from 200-plus bloggers participating in the Fall One Room Challenge.

Modern Traditional Media Room Reveal

When we left the basement during the Spring 2019 ORC reveal, the landing and bonus room were refinished and revealed.

Now, behind that big clock is a 33-feet long and 15-feet wide media room that is screaming to show-off its new digs.

Ready to have a look?

Basement Media Room (Dining/Office End)

Let’s start by standing in front of the buffet and look left.

Here’s the horrifying before photo.

And after a new ceiling, walls and floor, the wall unit known as Humpty, in all of its broken-down glory, was moved into place.

Humpty is a combination of a Hooker wall unit, scrap pieces of furniture, lots of electronics and a boatload of wiring that was “put together again” and painted terra cotta. That’s right, it’s a terra cotta Humpty.

And the tutorial to paint, glaze and wax the unit is linked at the bottom of this post.

After Humpty, a vintage Drexel dining set was refinished to use as a multi-functional dining/desk/game table.

And of course, the complete sanding and staining tutorial is linked at the bottom of this post. You are looking at a one-step stain and seal process. 

Then, when all of the hard stuff is done, throw in a few accessories…..

…….and you have a dining/office/game space that houses the back end of the surround sound system, all of the media electronics and tons of office junk.

It’s a multi-functional room made in heaven.

Now, before we face front, here’s a view from about mid-point in the room. 

Basement Media Room (TV End)

Now, standing at the same mid-point in the room, turn to face the opposite end.

And like magic, we go from this…

….to this….

….to this…..

….to this!

The Backstory

For months and months, I made plans to have a giant truck load of West Elm furniture delivered to this space. And just when I was about to pull the trigger on the order, the guys went all mutiny on me. They teamed up and pressed that they wanted full-on theater seating with a super-duper surround sound…..NOT a family room.

The Compromise

And so, we had to find a compromise. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen theater room seating, but it’s like bucket seats in rows. This would make the room for TV viewing only with absolutely no hope for use during a social event.

Huuuum. No and no.

I may have secretly shed some tears and suffered an epic level of hurt, but it was soooo important to let it go. 

The compromise ended up including a slim-line La-Z-Boy sectional with a full-on surround system.

And it’s working out pretty good, if you can overlook a few awkward design elements….which I had to close my eyes and do.

Here’s a view while standing in front of the wall unit, about 30 feet back.

How to Hide Theater Seats In Plain Sight

Now, notice two things.

First, there are five speakers at the front of this room. Can you see them?

And second, check out the part of sectional that directly faces the TV. There are two seats, exactly 15 feet from the big screen. Yes, based on the size of the TV screen, they have to be 15 feet back.

So they sit 15 feet back, in between the mid-room speakers and in front of the hidden subwoofer. 

Each of the guys has an electric recliner and there is a special mid-section between the two seats. The mid has two LED lit glass holders, charging ports and plenty of space to house mobile device cables and headsets.  Close the blackout drapes and it looks like a full-on theater room to me. AmIrite?

At the rear of the room, two speakers rest on top of the wall unit and all of the TV electronics are hidden in the right tower. The tech guy (my number one son) hung the wiring for all ten speakers and suspended the two mid-speakers up in the rafters before the dry wall crew closed up the ceiling. Then all of the wires meet and drop down behind the right tower. They connect to the sound receiver and other electrical stuff through the back of the tower. 

We realize that the midspeakers should be on the walls (left and right) at ear level, but this just wasn’t possible. So the system was made as functional as we could make it given this and a few other structural constraints. And it works great for general viewing (the news, ballgames), but when the guys watch a special movie, they wear high-powered, wireless headsets.

Yes, they do.

Can you believe it?

In the end, I’ll bet the farm that I’m the only ORC blogger who has used a projector TV as a chandelier and inserted the word “subwoofer” in her text. 

LOL.

But it is what it is.

This mancave/theater/family room really does work for us. 

So I’m all kinds of kudos for finding a workable compromise.

To wind up this little tour, just look past the clock on the coffee table towards the opening at the TV end of the room.

Look familiar?

This opening drops you right back in front of the infamous black door (bathroom makeover Fall 2018).

Then round the corner and…. hello…..we’re right back where we started.

And there ya have it. The long awaited basement media room is finally finished.

Oh Hallelu. 🙂

All of the DIYs and renovation info posts for the basement makeover are linked to this post.

To save the links for later, please PIN the image below.

In case you missed previous Fall 2019 ORC Posts

Week 1 – Media Room Makeover Plan

Week 2 – How to Buy and Install a Staircase Runner

Week 3 – How to Paint a Mini Wall Mural

Week 4 – How to Color Correct Furniture Without Repainting

Week 5 – How to Create Stacked Frames Art

Week 6 – You are Here

Spring 2019 ORC Reveal

Modern Traditional Basement Bonus Room Reveal

Fall 2018 ORC Reveal

Modern Traditional Bathroom Makeover

Sponsor

Many thanks to Fusion Mineral Paint (www.fusionmineralpaint.com) for supplying product for all of the furniture makeovers. 

Buffet Makeover Using a Paint and Stain Combo

How to Seal Raw Wood or Unfinished Furniture in One-Step

Wall Unit Makeover Using Paint, Glaze and Wax

Dining Set Makeover Using a One-Step Stain and Seal

How to Create Stacked Frames Art

How to Color Correct Furniture Without Repainting

End Table Makeover in Natural Finishing Oil

Resources

If you see something you like, please contact me. I’m happy to supply links.

Our Hosts

And as always, we extend a special thanks to our gracious hosts, Linda at Calling It Home , One Room Challenge and Better Homes and Gardens. And invite you to enjoy over 200 more room renovations,  click One Room Challenge. #oneroomchallenge #ORC #betterhomesandgardens #bhgorc

#homeimprovement #homedecor #fusionmineralpaint #mediaroom #mediaroommakeover #oneroomchallenge #orc #bhgorc