Idea Book |
Private Cinema Seating
Higher-end seating for entertainment spaces is almost infinitely customizable, offering options well beyond the typical overstuffed recliner
by Dennis Burger
July 31, 2022
Think of your typical home cinema seating solution and you’re probably conjuring something like a bog-standard black recliner with beefy armrests and built-in cupholders, maybe joined arm-to-arm with others of its kind to form a row. To be fair, that is the standard, but it doesn’t have to be. All good seating solutions should have a few things in common: They should be comfortable, but not too comfortable. You should be able to sit through the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring without squirming but you should also be able to enjoy a film without falling asleep. Good seating should also fit the design of your private cinema, whether that be an homage to the classic studio movie houses or a sleeker modern design. Thankfully, there’s near infinite variation in the available seating that meets those criteria, and although the selection here is far from comprehensive, it should give you a good taste of what’s possible.
Salamander Designs Matteo
If your heart is set on a home theater recliner that looks like a home theater recliner—just more sculpted, more refined, leaner, less boxy—the Matteo is a great choice, whether you need single seats, a curved row of four with arms between each seat, a straight row of six with arms between every other seat, or any number of other combinations. One thing that sets Salamander apart from many home cinema furniture makers is if none of its numerous fabric or leather finishes fits your environment, you can provide your own custom upholstery material and have a truly one-of-a-kind seat.
Elite HTS Cuddle Couch
It certainly isn’t the right seating solution for every home cinema or media room, but if “stream and chill” is the vibe you’re going for or if supreme comfort is your first priority, this highly customizable option from Elite HTS certainly fits the bill. Both the upper and lower sections of the Cuddle Couch can be specified in your choice of 26 colors across two material types—extremely soft Cine Suede and, our preference, super durable, buttery, and breathable synthetic Silk Leather—giving you plenty of options for making it your own.
Cineak Gramercy
Designed to be something of a study in contrasts in and of itself, the Gramercy manages to be simultaneously cushy and contemporary, casual and elegant. It also isn’t obvious at first glance that this highly customizable model is a recliner, but it is. Headrests and leg support appear out of nowhere at the push of a button—or without any button pressing if you have a Kaleidescape system, which can be programmed to adjust the seating automatically as soon as a film starts. Numerous addons such as side tables, inlay trays, and per-seat lighting make the personalization options near infinite.
Valencia Tuscany Ultimate Luxury Edition
Its name may be a bit on-the-nose, but this upscale version of Valencia’s popular Tuscany recliner certainly earns all the superlatives thanks to its upgraded materials—specifically the best-quality semi-aniline Italian Nappa leather—and advanced technology, such as motorized control of the head rest. Inspired by the interior aesthetic of a Rolls Royce, the Tuscany Ultimate boasts perforated French diamond stitching, customizable lighting accents, and concealed arm rest console storage lined with Parisian velour and fitted with a soft-open strut mechanism.
Dennis Burger is an avid Star Wars scholar, Tolkien fanatic, and Corvette enthusiast who somehow also manages to find time for technological passions including high-end audio, home automation, and video gaming. He lives in the armpit of Alabama with his wife Bethany and their four-legged child Bruno, a 75-pound American Staffordshire Terrier who thinks he’s a Pomeranian.
Idea Book |
Private Cinema Seating
Higher-end seating for entertainment spaces is almost infinitely customizable, offering options well beyond the typical overstuffed recliner
by Dennis Burger
July 31, 2022
Think of your typical home cinema seating solution and you’re probably conjuring something like a bog-standard black recliner with beefy armrests and built-in cupholders, maybe joined arm-to-arm with others of its kind to form a row. To be fair, that is the standard, but it doesn’t have to be. All good seating solutions should have a few things in common: They should be comfortable, but not too comfortable. You should be able to sit through the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring without squirming but you should also be able to enjoy a film without falling asleep. Good seating should also fit the design of your private cinema, whether that be an homage to the classic studio movie houses or a sleeker modern design. Thankfully, there’s near infinite variation in the available seating that meets those criteria, and although the selection here is far from comprehensive, it should give you a good taste of what’s possible.
Fortress Odéon
Designed by Sheba Kwan—co-founder of the award-winning interior design and consulting firm Red Theory—the Odéon is available in single-recliner configurations, long attached rows, and even chaise longue–style sofas. But across all variations, one thing remains consistent—those delightful floating arms, which give this otherwise sturdy design something of a light and delicate quality. Like all Fortress recliners, this one also offers two levels of recline—a “viewing position” that merely raises the foot rest and a “full recline” that only requires five extra inches of clearance behind the seat.
AcousticSmart Aria
Part of AcousticSmart’s lifestyle European collection, it really only takes two words to capture the essence of the Aria: “soft comfort.” But that barely scratches the surface. Aria’s cushions are available in custom widths from 23 to 30 inches, and all seats feature dual motorized recline operation and a zero-clearance design that means you can put them right up against a wall or bar counter if need be. The head and foot rests also work completely independently, if you’d like to recline without blocking the sound from the speakers in the back of your room.
Cinematech Estrella
One of the most popular designs from a company that has been building home cinema seating since before most people had heard of home cinemas, the Estrella motorized sectional is a wonderful example of just how customizable this category can be. Say you want a full-blown recliner experience but your partner wants a chaise longue with a motorized headrest—that’s something you can have built. Unlike many home cinema seating solutions, the Estrella also works well without armrests between every seat, although you can still have them if you want them.
Acoustic Innovations Humphrey
For the Madmen-obsessed executive who has everything except the perfect private cinema recliner, the Humphrey is a mashup made in old-school boardroom heaven. At a glance, it evokes martinis, single-breasted continental suits, and skinny ties, and it’s almost surprising Acoustic Innovations doesn’t offer it with an optional ashtray. There are the expected tray tables and cupholders, though, in addition to in-arm USB chargers, heat and massage functionality, D-Box motion controls, and tactile transducers that make the bass in your home cinema felt as much as heard.
Dennis Burger is an avid Star Wars scholar, Tolkien fanatic, and Corvette enthusiast who somehow also manages to find time for technological passions including high-end audio, home automation, and video gaming. He lives in the armpit of Alabama with his wife Bethany and their four-legged child Bruno, a 75-pound American Staffordshire Terrier who thinks he’s a Pomeranian.
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