For a while there, home theaters were touch and go. Once a staple of 1990s and 2000s-built custom homes, anybody who was anybody had a dedicated home theater room with a few step-down rows of theater-style seating and a few kitschy movie posters on the windowless walls.
Soon, the trend in home theaters evolved. Instead of trying to mimic an actual movie theater at home, builders and designers adopted more of a family room feel, opting to make these spaces into multipurpose media rooms with comfortable sofa seating and beautiful decor. No requisite popcorn machine here.
Now in the pandemic era when movie theaters are closed and home entertainment is our only option, those multipurpose media rooms and old home theaters are getting more use than ever before.
For this week’s Suburb Sunday, here are three great media and home theater rooms that you’ll be happy to binge-watch Westworld and play a family round of MarioKart.
Media Room with a View
Address: 4516 Redwood Court, Irving
5 bedrooms, 5 baths
5,412 square feet
$995,000
We found a perfect example of today’s evolved media room in this custom-built Mediterranean home in the guard-gated golf course community of Windsor Ridge, adjacent to the Four Seasons Resort. This beautiful, light-filled media room has built-in shelves for video game consoles and game storage, plush carpet to help dampen the sound, and a large elongated patio in case you need to step out and air your frustration at losing for the fifth time in a row at MarioKart. What gives? You used to be so good in college.
Jason Bates of Dave Perry-Miller has listed 4516 Redwood Court for $995,000. Check out the virtual tour here.
Media Room with Storage
Address: 1264 Deer Lake Drive, Frisco
5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths
4,924 square feet
$699,000
You probably have a misfit land of electronics, cables, and components that need a home. This second-floor media room is great because it comes with a gigantic storage closet that runs the length of the room. Plenty of wide-open space for comfortable sofa seating and wall sconces to keep the space uncluttered. The media room is well-located upstairs with three bedrooms and a fantastic workspace that honestly I would claim as my home office/craft room/happy place and let the kids have the rest of the house.
Media Room with Possibilities
Address: 3315 Meadow Wood Drive, Richardson
4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths
3,819 square feet
$520,000
Maybe I’m just a sucker for cathedral ceilings, but this media room offers great possibilities. Some home theaters feel a bit boxed in with low ceilings, but here the tall ceiling offers some architectural interest as a multipurpose room. The window, of course, can be covered with wraparound room blackout curtains if you really want, but today’s media rooms don’t have to be dark like theaters anymore. Plus, listing agent Wendy Herran points out that the cozy, tucked away media room could make a great fifth bedroom.
