Without home theaters, you have to wonder where the custom integration channel might be today. As foundational as HiFi when it came to getting the first integration companies to form, home theaters are still a defining service within the industry, with plenty of companies making the installation of these entertainment rooms their bread and butter, which is why we’re digging through the CE Pro Project Archives to look at many of the home theater system ideas the site has played host to over the years.

From, impressively lit ceilings that callback to drive-ins beneath the stars to stylish rooms that rival the very cinemas they seek to emulate, this selection of projects display an abundance of creativity that show the myriad different ways we can choose to watch the media we love.

If you’re interested in checking out any other projects from the CE Pro Project Archives, be sure to check out our articles looking at circadian lighting systems as well as outdoor theaters.

Hide-and-Seek, South Carolina, Advanced Integration Controls

Advanced Integration Controls was tasked by the homeowner with ensuring all the added technology for the theater could be incorporated into the existing architecture and design of the home, leading to some beautiful workarounds.

Uncover more about Hide-and-Seek.

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Forget Me Not, United Kingdom, Together for Cinema

After meeting with children’s hospice firm Forget Me Not nearly a decade ago, Together for Cinema eventually returned to develop this bespoke media room with help from CEDIA.

Explore Forget Me Not’s theater.

Karaoke Retreat, Utah, Erskine Group

The unique idea the client had for this project called for a multifunctional home theater system that could double as a karaoke jam center, as well as a professional videoconferencing space.

Read more on the Karaoke Retreat.

Movies on the Thames, United Kingdom, AONYX

Built to attract clients of high caliber, this apartment on the River Thames in London features an 18-seat home theater system powered by a Control4 system and featuring painted Triad in-wall and in-ceiling speakers for maximum coverage.

Check out the rest of this London luxury apartment.

Mediterranean Theater, California, Keith Yates Design

With an idea drawing inspiration from his annual trips to Italy, integrator Keith Yates decided to create a Mediterranean-styled home theater system complete with Meyer Sound speakers and Dolby Atmos compatibility.

See the beauty of the Mediterranean Theater.

Chalet Cinema, France, MultiZone

This client in the French Alps sought out MultiZone for a custom home theater system in their chalet following pandemic lockdowns, seeking a discreet and easily controlled solution for them and their family.

Read more about the Chalet Cinema.

Downtown Dental, India, Sound Sense

After recently completing construction of a four-story home/business with his dental clinic on the ground floor and residence comprising the upper three floors, the client of this home theater system had an idea of turning the uppermost floor into a retreat after the long hours of work.

See more photos from this unique home theater system.

Studio C, Texas, Sound Lab Designs

In approaching Sound Lab Design for this home theater system, the client requested that the room match the same aesthetic as the famed Studio C recording area owned by the Capitol Studios record company.

Check out more of the music-inspired décor from Studio C.

Dark Night, India, Sound Sense

Looking for a place to relax in a nice, dark, secluded space, the client for this project reached out to Sound Sense for a home theater system that could provide a deeply isolated sensation that would help him disconnect from work after hours.

Immerse yourself in Dark Night’s design.

Deep Blue, Texas, Elite AVL

Starting off as a simple entertainment room, the project quickly expanded to become a full-fledged home theater, which helped net Elite AVL (known as Elite AV back then) a 2020 CE Pro Home of the Year Award for Best Home Theater Under $25K.

Check out the award-winning story of Deep Blue.

Behind the Silver Screen, Canada, Pure Custom Integrations

Pure Custom Integrations had a clever idea with this multi-screen home theater system by hiding the media and network racks for the impressive system behind a secret panel holding two of the screens.

See the hidden screen in action on the full article.

From Video to Vista, Nevada, Innovative Home Systems

The client of this home loved the skyline of Las Vegas as much as they liked going to the movies, so Innovative Home Systems created a screen and pocket slider door combination that could provide a dark environment that then opens to reveal pristine views of the skyline.

Read more about this unique home theater system.

The Stuff Dreams are Made Of, Arizona, Alcons Audio

Having possessed a love of all things AV at a young age, Maninder Chatha worked alongside Alcons Audio to upgrade his existing home theater in order to achieve what he called a decades-long dream.

Take a behind the scenes look at this impressive theater.

The Rochester, New York, Bitstream Media

In a bid to help integrators better highlight the power of good home theater design, Bitstream Media constructed its own home theater system demo called ‘The Rochester’ that features an impressive 31-speaker, immersive audio setup.

See more about what makes The Rochester a knockout.

Movies Beneath the Mountains, New Jersey, Bravo AV

Set in the Mountain Lakes area of New Jersy, Bravo AV stepped in to help convert a disused basement area within the client’s home into a deluxe home theater that the entire family could enjoy.

Read the full article about this understated theater.

A Non-Traditional Cinema, California, Brilliant AV

In the case of this particular project, the 50-foot by 30-foot home was laid out as a singular great room and a kitchen, with the home theater residing off to the side of the great room and featuring DSP-based Sonance speakers mounted flush into the ceiling.

Find out more about what makes this theater so unique.

Europe’s First Private IMAX, United Kingdom, Cornflake

A joint effort from IMAX and London-based custom integrator Cornflake, this landmark, luxurious entertainment space comprises a 15-seat, three-tiered theater featuring an 18-foot-wide floor-to-ceiling curved screen.

Explore what went into this impressive, personal IMAX.

With a Home Theater on Top, Florida, Gary’s AV

The client of this home started off wanting only a large-screen TV and a Lutron shades system, explained Gary Stubbs of Gary’s AV. However, after explaining to the client the power of a modern smart home system the project quickly evolved to encompass this impressive home theater.

Read the full story about Gary AV’s work on this project.

Starry Night, South Carolina, Fusion Audio + Video

Since it was technically a renovation, Fusion Audio + Video spent a considerable amount of time investigating the space in order to avoid any potential interruptions while designing this immersive home theater, complete with a starry night ceiling.

Read more about Fusion Audio’s work on Starry Night.

Bridge View, Australia, Denote

The project from Sydney-based Denote, dubbed the Bridge View Cinema, offers custom features that included a Sony 4K laser projector and a Lumagen video processor that handles video switching and provides nonlinear stretch to fill the Stewart 160-inch 2.40:1 screen.

Explore the rest of Bridge View.

Mini-LED Theater, Indiana, Intelligent Living Solutions, Crimson AV

This huge 14,000-square-foot Indianapolis-area residence in home features include a lower-level entertainment space with a pool, hot tub, two bars, a gym, a bourbon room, and a state-of-the-art theater system featuring technology from Crimson AV’s LED Experts Group.

Explore the dynamic Mini-LED Theater.

Last Minute Retrofit, Maryland, Atlantic Control Technologies

This client wanted to downsize and bought a 20,000-square-foot, high-end spec home to better serve the family’s needs. Having worked with the owners on their previous residence, Atlantic Control Technologies (ACT) took on their latest home.

Find out more about what went into ACT’s last minute conversion.

Experience Center Inspiration, Tennessee, Cobb Home Innovations

This homeowner in Woodbury, Tennessee, wanted to invest as much as possible in custom touches for his home theater system — from the entrance to the “concession stand” to the lighting and the audio enclosures, to a sitting area where the UK native can sit and drink tea before enjoying a movie.

See how Cobb Home’s Experience Center inspired this home theater system.

Family Night In, Texas, Theater Advice

For this unique attic retrofit, elements such as the brick housing for the chimney, instead of being a hinderance to the project, were leveraged as unique architectural elements by the team at Theater Advice.

Read more about this unique attic conversion from Theater Advice.

Heavyweight Knockout, California, DSI

An impressive home theater system for heavyweight fighter Deontay Wilder features immersive Atmos sound, 4K laser video, and shooting star features as well as custom interior design that incorporates the boxer’s logo into the embroidery.

Read more about Deontay Wilder’s knockout home theater system.

Discreet Basement Theater, New York, Audio Breakthroughs

Audio Breakthroughs and AcousticSmart worked together to create a custom design in this client’s home theater to help minimize bleed from the cinema’s impressive sound systems into other parts of the house.

Explore the subtle touches of this discreet basement theater.

Playing with Color, Southeast U.S., Innovative Sight & Sound

Blending traditional streaming, media playback and a full-bodied selection of today’s top videogames, Innovative Sight & Sound created a customized entertainment mecca with the help of partner Cinema Tech.

Check out the playful touches this theater room brings.

Infinity Screen, California, KoKast

The unique, custom curved screen of this project came as a request from KoKast customers who were searching for “uber-immersive entertainment” without neglecting the human connection as a crucial factor in the overall experience.

Read more about the colossal infinity screen project.

Andy’s Children’s Hospice, United Kingdom, Together for Cinema

Working together with Andy’s Children’s Hospice, Together for Cinema along with plenty of vendor partners and donators created a multifunctional entertainment space for patients. “The special memories that will be created are magical and will bring comfort to families at sad times,” commented Michelle Rollinson, chief executive, St Andrew’s Hospice.

Read more about this theater for Andy’s Children’s Hospice.

Funky Acoustics, Canada, High Definition Technologies

Situated outside Calgary, Alberta, High Definition Technologies crafted this Canadian home’s media room to be the ideal place to hang out with friends and family for a commercial cinema-quality experience.

See the rest of this minimalist home theater.

Torch Lake Home, Michigan, Spire Integrated Systems

For this Northern Michigan vacation home overlooking Torch Lake, almost 45 minutes from the nearest major town, the client wanted the ultimate home theater space to enjoy their downtime. Spire Integrated Systems leaned on Meridian Audio products to provide an extra-special retreat inside the vacation getaway.

Read more about Torch Lake Home.

Under the Sea, California, RCA Integrated Systems

Though comprising just a small part of the massive home installation for this client, the home theater by RCA Integrated Systems sports a striking design with glistening decals to make it appear as though one has been transported under the sea.

Explore the rest of this unique smart home from RCA Integrated Systems.

Rainbows Children’s Hospice, United Kingdom, Decorum Technology

Decorum Technology teamed up with Together for Cinema to help donate labor and materials to support this home theater project at Rainbows Children’s Hospice, being able to complete the project in just one week and deliver a magical place for children and families to spend time with one another.

Read more about Rainbows Children’s Hospice’s theater.

Price Residence, Oklahoma, Voyager Home Systems

Having worked in the disability field all his life (in addition living with spastic paraplegia all his life) homeowner Jason Price reached out to Voyager Home Systems to create a smart home that would allow him to live safe on his own while also enjoying many of his core passions, such as movies and shows.

Explore the other accessibility focused integrations at the Price Residence.

This article is part of the CE Pro Project Archives series, where we look back on projects submitted to the publication throughout the years to highlight the different components that feature in custom installation projects. To view past highlights, follow the link to view the full catalog.

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