Home theaters and media rooms
Boston Automations designs and installs custom home theaters and media rooms across Greater Boston, from dedicated basement theaters in the suburbs to media rooms in city condos. We plan the screen, sound, lighting, seating and control as one project. Our home theater at The Staycation Estate won Bronze for Best Home Theater Over $100,000 in the CE Pro 2026 Home of the Year Awards.
A dedicated theater is a room built for watching. It has full light control, rows of seating, a projector and large screen or a very large display, and speakers placed for the seats. It usually lives in a basement or a bonus room.
A media room is a family room that also works as a theater. A large TV or a projector screen, hidden or small-aperture speakers and motorized shades that darken the room let it do both jobs. We'll help you choose based on the rooms you have and how often you'll use it.
The picture comes from a projector and screen or a large Sony display, sized to the room and how far back you sit.
The sound comes from in-wall and in-ceiling speakers from James Loudspeaker and Sonance, placed for the seats rather than for the drawings.
The room itself needs the right seating layout, sightlines and acoustics, which we plan with your builder and designer.
Lutron lighting and shades dim the room for the movie and bring the lights back up when it ends.
One remote or app runs everything, tied into the rest of the house through Savant, Control4 or Crestron.
In Newton, Wellesley, Lexington and Hingham, most dedicated theaters go in the basement. It's often the best room for it, because it's dark and separate from the rest of the house. Ceiling height, columns and the stairs decide how big the screen can be and how many rows fit, so we look at those first.
In a Back Bay or South End condo, space is tighter and neighbors are closer. A media room with a large TV, small-aperture speakers and blackout shades often makes more sense than a dedicated room. We place speakers with the people on the other side of the wall in mind.
The home theater at The Staycation Estate won Bronze for Best Home Theater Over $100,000 in the CE Pro 2026 Home of the Year Awards, and the whole house won Gold for Best Whole-House/Smart Home Under $1M.
On the South Shore, our Queen Anne restoration at Manomet Point in Plymouth has a surround sound receiver, Sonance distributed audio and Control4 lighting control.
Our project portfolio has more finished rooms.
We build theaters and media rooms across Boston, Cambridge and Brookline, in Newton, Wellesley, Weston, Lexington, Concord, Dover and Sherborn, and on the South Shore from Hingham to Plymouth.
For the full picture, see our custom home theater services and our home audio and video services.
It depends on the room, the screen, the number of speakers and seats, and how much construction is involved. After a short consultation, our team gives you a clear proposal with everything listed.
A home theater is a dedicated room built for watching, with light control and seating laid out around the screen. A media room is a family room that also works as a theater, usually with a large TV or a hidden screen and shades that darken the room.
Yes, a basement is often the best room for a theater because it's dark and separate from the rest of the house. Ceiling height, columns and stairs affect screen size and seating, so we check those at the first visit.
A projector and screen give you the biggest picture and suit a dark, dedicated room. A large TV is brighter and works better in a media room with windows. We'll recommend one based on the room and how you'll use it.
Yes, and it usually works best as a media room. A large TV, small-aperture speakers and blackout shades give you great picture and sound without a dedicated room, and we place speakers with the neighbors in mind.
Call or text (781) 333-8003, or tell us about the room on our contact page. We'll come look at the space and follow up with a clear proposal.