In Part 1 and Part 2 of the series of how to build a media room, we provided ideas for planning, constructing, and decorating a home theater.  As a follow-up, here are a few pictures of our finished product.

Here is the entrance.  We chose double doors because we wanted more of a grand entrance than a single door provides. The doors are painted with a semi-gloss finish on the outside, but a flat finish (to minimize glare) on the inside.

The wall of the media room are decorated with movie posters.  Sconces (operated by a remotely controlled dimmer) provide soft lighting, while recessed lights provide optional additional lighting.  The popcorn machine was a nice addition.  I recommend premeasured ingredient packs for convenience.

This is a 103 inch fixed screen.  The center channel and two front speakers are flush mounted directly below the screen.  To the right is a built-in equipment rack and to the left are built-in shelves for media.

The rear four chairs are elevated on a 12 inch raised platform. There are two steps on the left.

Good luck!

Jon

Painting the Room

The ideal paint for a media room is a dark color in a flat finish.  Why?  Because it does not reflect as much light.  So I recommend that you target one or more dark colors (in a flat finish, of course) that fit nicely with the décor of your room.  For example, if you have black, blues and grays as your primary colors, then you may want to go with a charcoal gray or midnight blue wall color.  It is very important that you also paint the ceiling dark and flat.  If you have baseboards, crown molding, or chair rail, you can also paint the molding in a flat color.

In my media room, I have red carpet and dark brown chairs.  The walls are painted in a chocolate brown with a slight red tint.  The ceiling is done in a similar, but slightly lighter color.  The molding is done in a lighter (flat) accent color.  I also painted the inside of the entrance doors using the wall color.

Furnishing the Room

You should furnish the room however you like, but I do have a couple of tips.

1) Use the right seating based on the attributes of the room

• Don’t overcrowd the room
• Arrange the seating such that no view is obstructed
• Consider the ideal viewing distance based on your screen size

2)  Make it comfortable

• Does the seating recline?
• Do you have cup holders or side tables for drinks?
• Are the seats comfortable enough for a two hour movie?

3)  Think of the little things

• Pillows and throws
• DVD storage
• A clock
• Snacks

Finishing Touches

Wall Art

You can get pretty creative with home theater wall art.  Here are a few ideas:

• Stencil film-themed art
• Hang old film reels or clapper boards
• Framed photos of classic theaters

I chose to hang framed movie posters.  Now, I could write an entire article about movie posters- but here are a couple of thoughts.  You can get 24” x 36” standard poster sized reproductions from most online art stores such as art.com and posters.com.  The benefit of these is that they fit into a standard 24” x 36” frame.  This is a common size, so there will be many frame style to choose from and you can find lots of pre-framed art in the same size.  Instead of the 24” x 36” reproductions, you can purchase 27” x 40” original movie posters.  I believe that the best place to find these is on eBay.  Oddly enough, they originals seem to be less expensive than the reproductions- especially if you purchase more than one from the same vendor at the same time to save on shipping costs.  Most are in mint or excellent condition.  The downside is that are is a limited selection of 27” x 40” frames.  I purchased the black vinyl frame style.  The framed posters will introduce some glare into the room, but the anti-glare plastic in the product above will help.

Equipment

The actual theater equipment is outside the scope of this article.  However, there are many comprehensive home theater sites on the Web, such as:

• www.avrev.com
• www.hometheatermag.com
• www.soundandvisionmag.com

I will make one general recommendation pertaining to you equipment purchase.  Start with a budget and choose a complete system that fits within that budget.  Take a look at www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/system-buying-guides/.  This site gives recommendations for complete systems based on price points.

Good luck!
Jon

For many people, having a spare key for emergency situations is a must. Whatever the reason- as a backup in the event you lose you primary key, so that your children don't need to keep a key with them, or for emergency entrance by others, the important things to consider are location, disguise, and protection.

Location

The first thing to consider is WHERE you want to keep the spare key.  Some of the more common ideas I've heard or read are:

• Under a doormat- Please don't do this, even if it is just for five minutes.  It is probably the first place that comes to mind when someone thinks of hiding a key and the first place that a burglar will look.  Choose a place that isn't obvious to potential thieves.

• In the dog house (where the pitbull hangs out)

• In a flower pot

• Inside the zipper of patio furniture cushions (my patio furniture cushions do not have zippers)

• Somewhere hidden in your landscaping (inside a plastic bag buried in the mulch, taped to the base of a bush, etc.)

• Nailed to a tree

The bottom line is that you want to choose a place that will be difficult for others to find.  This hiding place should not be highly visible to others.  The last thing you want is reach into your secret bush and have a dozen people watching you.  For areas near a metal structure,  a magnetic key case can provide storage and some protection from the elements.  This particular one is made of plastic, so it won't rust like the ones you can find at the local hardware store.

Disguise

Disguising the location of the key decreases the chances that a burglar will find it.  Most disguises involve buring the key in something or taping the key behind or underneath something.  Examples of burying include hiding the key in the soil in a flower pot and under mulch in flower beds.  Examples of taping include securing the key under the barbeque grill, inside the gutter downspout, and behind/underneath a part of a deck.  In addition to the methods above, there are a couple of "hiding places" that can be purchased online.

• Pretend Rock

• Pretend Sprinkler Head - This particular product also includes a window sticker that reads, "WARNING: THIS PROPERTY PROTECTED BY SDC SECURITY SYSTEMS".  A visual deterrent is one of the most valuable aspects of a security system.  In fact, the largest traffic source to this article on wireless security systems is from Google searches for ADT yard signs.

Personally, I think the pretend rock is old news.  However, if you have lots of rocks on your property, then a fake rock may be a great choice.  The sprinkler head is a great idea, but only if you have an in-ground sprinkler system.  If not, it may look odd to have only one sprinkler head for your entire lawn.

Protection

Finally, consider restricing access to the key with some sort of a combination lock, either in a lockbox, in the garage, or both.

Lockbox   

• Wall mounted key storage box   

• Wall mounted push-button combination key storage box   

• Doorknob hung key storage box

In the Garage    

• Wireless keypad garage door opener (Make sure that your purchase a model that is compatible with your garage door opener)

An alternative to a garage can be a tool shed that is secured by a combination padlock.

In the Garage in a Lockbox    

Now you have got two layers of protection, the keypad combination to open the garage door and the lockbox.

One additional way that you can protect your spare key is to keep it at a trusted neighbor's house.  This the the best choice for many people.  Your spare key is locked inside someone else's home (hopefully not labeled with your address).  If you ever need the key, a cell phone call is all you need to access the spare- provided your nieghbor is at home.  The downside is that you must find a neighbor that you trust and who will usually be home during the times that you may need to drop by and pick up the spare key.

Conclusion

My choice would be to keep the spare key in the garage in a lockbox.  However, I would take the extra step of mounting the lockbox in a non-obvious location.  If your garage contains lots of clutter, use that as concealment.  Now you have multiple safeguards in place- a combination keypad for garage entry and a hidden box with combination access in the garage.  If you also have a home security system that must be disarmed upon entry, you can feel pretty good about keeping a spare key around.

Jon

There are two primary benefits to a media room- better acoustics and better viewing conditions.  These conditions are present because of things like: an absence of windows (or good room darkening blinds), low ceilings, dark ceiling/wall paint, dark carpet and furnishings, proper viewing distance and angles, etc.

Identify (or Build) a Room

The first thing you will need to do is to identify a room.  If you only have one option, then your job is done. However, maybe you have more than one unused room or can swap the furnishings of one room with another.  Or maybe you have an unfinished basement you are currently designing a floor plan.  If you are using existing equipment, try to go with a room size that matches your screen size.  Here is a viewing distance calculator.  If you are working with a clean slate, you can design to your personal preference.  I would prefer a fairly large room because it allows flexibility with screen size and furnishings.  You can always fill extra space with side tables, a popcorn machine, a DVD rack, etc.  I ended up with a room that is 20 feet long and 16 feet wide with a 7 1/2 foot ceiling height (due to duct work).  The room is in a buried basement and has no windows.  I chose windowless french doors for the entry (that swing out instead of in so that the screen is not obstructed as people enter and exit the room).

Address Pre-wiring, Lighting, Flooring, and Sound Insulation

After you've selected the room,  take care of anything that requires cutting drywall.  Pre-wire for speakers.  Pull adequate electrical wiring.  Try to have a dedicated circuit for your surge protector.  Is there sufficient lighting?  If not, add sconces and/or recessed lights.  And remember, any lighting that is controlled by a switch can be remotely controlled.  See my article on remotely controlled dimmers for additional details.  These dimmers integrate beautifully with universal remotes such as the Harmony One.  If you plan to use a ceiling-mounted projector (as I did), you will need to run the necessary cabling (HDMI and power) from the projector to the equipment rack. For power, you can add an outlet on the ceiling next to the projector mount or run the power alongside the HDMI cable.  I chose the latter because I wanted the projector to run through my surge protector.

Depending on your circumstances, you may want sound insulation.  You can either blow insulation into the wall or attach acoustic panels to the face of the wall.  Along those lines, hardwood flooring may not be the best option for good acoustics.  If you do have hard flooring, use are rugs to absorb some of the sound.

One final item- I had a 12 inch raised platform built in the back of my media room.  It is 6 feet deep and creates a nice stadium seating effect for the rear row of chairs.  Or course, this needs to be built prior to installing and flooring.

In Part 2 of this article, I'll cover paint, furnishing, and finishing the media room.

Jon

This post is a continuation of a series outlining my most useful tools.  A few years ago, I wanted to construct a built-in bench, but didn’t want to rely on a circular saw for straight cuts.  I picked up an inexpensive Ryobi BTS10S Table Saw from Home Depot for $99.  It included a stand.   I don’t think that the model I own is still in production, but Amazon sells a similar model made by Black & Decker- model BDTS200.  These saws are fairly compact as far as table saws are concerned, and light enough for a single person to move around (the Black & Decker model includes a stand with wheels for additional mobility).

A table saw is best at ripping pieces of wood.  To rip wood is to make a cut down the length of the piece of wood (as opposed to crosscutting, which is what a mitre saw would do).  As an example, I ripped pieces of mahogany trim to make a modular wine rack fit flush with the walls as part of my wine closet project.  For my built-in bench, I use the table saw to cut sections of ¾” oak plywood.  All in all, I have been very happy with my purchase and it has been well worth the money that I paid for it.

Now remember, this is an entry level table saw.  High end cabinet saws can cost thousands of Dollars.  A $150 saw will have a smaller table, a smaller blade, less power, and a less accurate fence (the guide that positions the piece of wood parallel to the blade).  However, I believe that it is more than sufficient for DIY home improvement person that only uses that saw occasionally.

As with any power tool, safety is very important.  Follow the instructions provided with the equipment and wear safety glasses and hearing protection.

Jon

I purchased a Bostitch combination pack from Lowe's that included a 6 gallon air compressor, a 16 gauge finish nailer, and an 18 gauge brad nailer.  You can purchase a similar kit from Amazon here (this kit also includes a finish stapler).  The cost will be under $300 for a new kit and under $200 for a refurbished kit.

The nailers are primarily used for woodworking applications such as the installation of crown molding (or any other type of molding), built-in shelving, cabinets, etc.  I also used the nailer to assemble my wine rack. The two main benefits of using a nailer are speed and accuracy.  Also, I think it would be very difficult to install crown molding by yourself without a nailer.  With a nailer, you hold the molding in place with one hand and fire the nail gun with the other hand.  If you were using a hammer, you would need one hand to hold the molding, a second hand to hold the nail in place, and a third hand to hammer.  The nailer is very easy to operate.  I have been very hapy with the Bostitch equipment.  Nails are relatively inexpensive, costing $5-$10 for a pack of 1000 (depending on the size).

The downside to the compressor- it is heavy and very loud.

-Jon

I would characterize the difficulty of this project as medium.  The painting of the stripes is no more difficult than painting an entire wall.  However, the taping is more difficult.

Tools needed:

A Level (preferably 24" or longer)

A Pencil

2" Wide Painter's Tape

A roller that is slightly wider than the stripes

1) Determine the width of the stripes.  This is probably mostly personal preference, but perhaps the scale of the room should be a factor.  I chose 10" as a uniform stripe width, the same as in the previous article.

2) Completely paint the wall with the base color.  If you intend to paint the ceiling (as I did), paint it first.

3) Once the paint is dry, begin measuring from the least conspicuous corner in the room.  It is unlikely that your last stripe will measure exactly 10" (or whatever size you use), so make sure that strip ends up in the least noticeable corner of the room.  If you are only striping one accent wall, measure the wall and center the stripes (the outside of each end stripe should be equidistant from its corresponding corner).

4) Using a level, measure and tape the stripes.  I used 2" tape (I'll tell you why in a minute).  Remember to tape the outside of the contrasting stripe.  So if you went with 10" stripes and 2" tape, the exposed wall will alternate between 10" for the semi-gloss stripe and 6" for the flat stripe.  This is the step most likely to cause problems, so I recommend that you eyeball the stripes one more time after you've finished taping.  I put small pieces of tape inside of the stripes that should not be painted as a visual reminder.

5) Tape off the top and bottom of wall(s).

6) Paint the contrasting stripes (you may need two coats).  Remember that I said to use 2" tape along the sides of the stripes?  Here's why- with a 10" stripe, you can use a 12" roller and get full coverage on the stripe.  The 2" tape gives you 14" to work with.  The benefit of this is that there is nor risk of roller lines.  On the other hand, a standard 9" roller will be 1" short.

7) I like to remove the tape shortly (around 5 minutes) after I paint.  If you are working with a partner, just get a 2-3 stripe head start and have you partner remove the tape right behind you.

• Decorating Your Kids' Bedroom: My bedroom at home has looked the same since the time I was 10 year old. Get the family together and update the look of your kids' bedroom. Sit down with your kids and talk about what they want their bedroom to look at. You can talk about colors, wall decorations, bedroom furniture , etc.

Paint The Room: First, the family needs to come up with a paint color. Once you have a new color established, you can design the whole room around that one element. For younger children, it's OK to go with a crazier color, but if your child is a little older, it might be smart to go with something a little more muted. When shopping for paint, make sure that you choose a non toxic, low-VOC or zero-VOC paint to reduce the amount of toxins released in your kids’ bedroom. These paints come in a variety of colors and are safe to use.

Decorate The Wall: Wall Murals- A great thing to do in your kids room is to create a mural or some kind of bulletin board. Keep in mind that a painted mural is more of a permanent fixture in your room, so keep it tasteful and age-neutral. Maybe a forest or ocean-scene would be appropriate. Bulletin Boards- A less-permanent option for wall decorations is a bulletin board or using contact paper and making some kind of a collage. A bulletin board you can decorate with your kids' artwork, magazine photos, stickers, pins and buttons - whatever you want! Maybe use this as an excuse to take some new family photos and put these on here! Contact Paper Collage- Contact paper is another easy way to decorate your wall. Simply gather a bunch of photos, artwork and magazine clippings together, laying them out, like a collage. Now put a clear piece of contact paper over it. The contact paper is sticky on one side so you can just stick it to your wall. The best part is, you can rip it down and start over whenever you get tired of it. Keep in mind when using original photos, that it's practically impossible to remove them from the back of the contact paper so make sure you have duplicates.

Build a Toy Chest: If you consider yourself a craftsman, why not build a toy chest for your kids’ bedroom? Even if you already have a toy chest, who couldn't use the extra storage space? While a basic toy chest is pretty easy to build from scratch if you have the necessary tools and supplies, you can find some easy-to-assemble toy chests online or in stores that have very simple, step-by-step instructions. Since you'll probably only need basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, electric drill) for most assemble-ready furniture sets, use this as the perfect opportunity to teach your kids' how to use them. Once you have your toy chest built, you and your kids can stain or paint it to match the rest of your bedroom furniture, or do something more creative and fun with it.

I'll continue to update this introductory article to provide links to each article.  As always, I welcome any suggestions or comments.

-Jon

When I make a trip to my local hardware store, I usually do not see many women perusing the power tools section. However, it seems that many women ARE taking on home improvement projects- perhaps some out of necessity and others out of interest and desire. After all, there is a sense of accomplishment that is felt at the conclusion of a project. In many cases, there is also a cost savings. These are things that can be appreciated by both men and women.

It didn't take much research to discover that there are online communities that are dedicated to women in home improvement. These are usually facilitated by women for women and contain articles and videos covering the spectrum of DIY topics sprinkled with encouragement.

Here are a few sites that I uncovered during my research:

BeJane.com: This site's tag line is "The Women's Home Improvement Community for Do-It-Yourself Projects, How To's, Tips, and More". The articles that I read were well written, thorough, and included pictures. The forums don't seem to get much traffic. In a press release, BeJane.com stated a few interesting statistics:

- Single women own nearly 1 in 4 homes in the United States

- Women influence 91% of all home purchasing decisions

- Women initiate 80% of all home improvement projects

- The women's home improvement market is $70 billion+ and growing

- There are more than 55 million female homeowners between the ages of 18 and 54

I don't have any information on how the statistics were derived.

Today's Modern Woman: It's not the prettiest site and the information doesn't seem to be organized very well, but there is quite a bit of information here. Also, they do have a search capability.

The Women's Toolshed: This is one example of a female DIY blog. The author achieved a level of mastery in a male dominated industry. The articles primarily focus on carpentry.

If you are looking for tools for women, here are two links to get you started:

barbara k!: sells tools geared towards women

Tomboy Tools: also sells tools geared towards women. They even have pink tools! You can also become a distributor (think Tupperware parties, but with tools).

Jon