Ready for the Oscars? 7 Ways to Set Up a Home Theater Style Family Room

Gearing up for a night at the Oscars in the comfort of your own home? Or do you just love movie nights? Family room designs with a home theater style make for some serious TV watching!

Here's how to make it happen...

1. Choose a flat screen, high-definition TV in proportion to your room. Simply measure, in inches, the distance from your sofa or living room furniture arrangement to the TV. Divide by 2 to find the maximum-sized TV screen for your room; divide by 3 to find the minimum-sized TV.

2. Add additional speakers behind your seating furniture placement for the ultimate surround-sound theater experience!

3. Face all seats so they have a good view of the TV. Authentic home theater rooms resemble real theaters… all attention on the TV than the view of each other.

4. Darken the room. Paint the walls in a deeper tone and keep daylight out with light-blocking blinds or shades. Use a dimmer switch or 3-way bulbs for lighting fixtures. For real home theater-style ambiance, add floor lights – a rope light around the baseboard or just a few floor spotlights that light just the walkway.

5. Choose the most comfortable chairs or sofas you can find. Furniture tip: individual reclining seats with a high back feel most theater-like and put us into instant relax mode.

6. Keep blankets nearby. Dark rooms feel cool; they also make us want to snuggle into our chairs and escape reality. For scary movies, they're a must.

7. Add a popcorn maker. Nothing identifies move-centric family room designs like the aroma of popping kernels. Free-standing, theater-style popcorn makers are popular today - so they're easier to find and afford!

Happy TV watching!