Peaceful feeling – media room with a difference

Designed by Tarik & Susan El-Naggar, Healing Environments 

From the interior designers:

Modern media project

This project includes a bespoke Italian library with integrated TV and projector, comfortable Italian lounge sofas and a complete luxurious media room. 

The media room is functional, practical and enjoyable for the whole family.

The owners wanted a polished, luxurious, contemporary aesthetic for their home. 

In response, we ordered all the bespoke Italian contemporary furniture from Moderne Living in Chicago. 

The Art Nova Glam modular seating is flexible and functional – pieces can be moved around depending on the use of the space.

At Healing Environments, an architecture and interior design firm, we are dedicated to creating healthy environments that promote holistic healing and inner peace for the homeowner – mind, body, and spirit.  

With our focus on human health and wellness in the built environment, we integrate state-of-the-art materials, technology, and sustainable business practices into each project.  

As part of this, we utilise evidenced-based and biophilic design elements.  

Positioning

On descending a beautiful open staircase, the media room is located on the lower floor of the home. 

The lower floor was designed as the entertainment centre for family and guests – it consists of a media room, piano room, and theatre room; a wine cellar and guest bedroom. 

The media room is 5.2m by 7m while the piano room is 3.5m by 5.3m.

The piano room is an open area below the staircase and is used for entertaining guests. 

Our homeowners wanted this space warm and inviting for guests and it opens to the wine cellar. 

We selected furniture pieces, colours, and accessories to coordinate with the media room, since they are adjacent to each other with no door dividing the two spaces. 

Brainstorming

This project was all about team work.

My husband and I did a walk-through at the beginning of the project and brainstormed together as to what the space could look like and came up with unique, creative ideas including a large projector for 'windows' and a custom TV centre for the PlayStation, to fit our homeowner’s criteria. 

A subcontractor specified the AV equipment, however, everything was run through Healing Environments. 

Key technical aspects to consider when creating a media room environment

1. Size of room – first, you need to consider the activities for the space and start space planning. 

The more activities, the larger the space needs to be. 

In our homeowners' case, they wanted a PlayStation and virtual reality (VR) area, and a large projector screen to watch sport games on with a group of people and also to display 'windows' on it when not in use. 

The large size of their room was perfect to accommodate all of these activities.

2. Shape - a rectangular room works best in terms of acoustic values – first, determine the best location for main screens, then plan the room layout from there. 

Our homeowners' available room shape was rectangular – which was perfect. 

3. Location – it is important for the media room to be away from sleeping areas of the home, that way the sound can be loud and not bother the rest of the household. 

At the same time, you need good insulation to reduce noise pollution in the room. 

Working in our favour, our owners' media room was on the lower level, which was specifically intended for family and guests entertainment. 

4. Environment – the right acoustics need to be incorporated to create an immersive experience, such as sound absorbing fabrics, like rugs and upholstered furniture. 

In addition, you need to wire a surround sound system in the room – we included two speakers at each end of the room. 

To create a dramatic experience, the lighting aspect is also important – we incorporated warm recessed can lights on a dimmer to allow different levels of lighting for different activities. 

We also included LED lighting built into the cabinetry, task lighting, and lighted vases for ambience. 

Lastly, any exterior lighting must be blocked, so a shade or blinds are important on the window.

Different functional areas 

• PlayStation / VR Area
• Projector screen – to watch sports on with a group of people & display 'windows' on it when not in use.
• Feature bookcase wall, so the room can be used as a library – my homeowner is in a book club and hosts her meetings in the media room.
• The piano room

What each space contains from an interior design point of view

1. PlayStation/VR Area – we needed cabinetry to accommodate all the pieces for the PlayStation. 

The custom cabinet needed to house the large TV, PlayStation tower, a charging station area, and accessories. 

We needed to include plenty of outlets in the custom cabinet and a sound bar. 

A subwoofer was also included. 

Sensors were placed on the ceiling at a set distance apart. 

As the home is contemporary, we selected a 3-dimensional panelled custom cabinet with a dark oak back with grey mat lacquer doors and drawers – all the cabinetry in the room is hand made in Italy. 

2. Projector – The idea for the large projector screen was for the homeowner to display a variety of 'window'” since the room is in the lower level and had one window, but this needed to be covered to keep the glare out.

 So, the large projector screen was a way to feel like you are outside or even in a different country – the owner could display a mountain scene in Montana, Atlantic ocean in Portugal, or a beach in Hawaii.  

It’s also very relaxing and peaceful. 

The projector will be used on sports game days, so all their friends can come over to watch the game. 

We included a floating cabinet underneath the screen for storage and to set the projector on – this is made from grey mat lacquer with led lighting around perimeter. 

All the furniture in the media room is custom, made in Italy and has a clean, contemporary look to coordinate with the style of the home – it is very durable for adults and children, and is pet friendly. 

The modular chairs have movable backs so the person sitting can face different directions. 

The ottomans are convenient for two children to play PlayStation and they are light and easy to move around. 

The sectional is so comfortable and spacious, including a chaise with a movable back so someone could sit there as well. 

All the tables are made of dark oak with a grey mat lacquer and a titanium base – they come apart so they can be moved to a different area of the room for large parties. 

3. Feature bookcase wall - the homeowners wanted something very unique on this wall – a 'wow' factor, and I believe we achieved it with the custom cabinetry, hand made in Italy. 

The back of the bookcase is in dark oak, while all the shelving is grey mat lacquer with 9 titanium grilles for accent. 

We graced the shelving unit with hand blown LED glass vases, flowers, plants, and, of course, books. 

The bookcase has dimmable LED lighting for a beautiful ambiance. It also has 4 double-door cabinets for storage – perfect for the owners' book club meetings.

4. Piano room – this room is like the lobby to the lower level, the entrance area to the space. 

It was important to feel warm and inviting for family and friends, but at the same time, elegant, sophisticated, and durable! 

It is also adjacent to the theatre room, media room, and wine cellar. 

We utilised a curved sofa here, with two movable backs for versatility. 

The furniture pieces coordinate with the media room. 

To further co-ordinate with the media room, we brought in artwork that looks like flowing water and a contemporary rug with splashes of teal, aqua and cream. 

How biophilic design principles were applied

Biophilic elements affect the people utilising the space by:

• Reduction in stress and blood pressure
• Improved mental health
• Reduce fatigue
• Psychological restoration

Elements included:

Nature in the space – we included a lot of small plants and flowers as well. 

A large projector screen – the idea being to bring the outdoors into the room by presenting an outdoor space on the screen, such as a mountain scene in Montana, Atlantic ocean in Portugal, beach in Hawaii. 

A surround sound system introduces the sounds of nature – chirping of birds, the ocean water flowing, etc – to go along with what’s on the projector. 

Lighting – dimmable to various intensities that reflect light conditions in nature, such as daylight, evening. 

Colour Scheme  – we selected a muted grey, teal, and cream colour scheme through paints, fabrics, accessories to create a relaxing atmosphere. 

We also added pops of gold and fuchsia to inject some fun into the space. 

Designed by: Healing Environments

Story by: Trendsideas