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Sonic Design Studios
Residential

Home Cinema

The best sound and picture we can put in a private room. Specified from the systems we rate highest, installed by our own engineers and calibrated seat by seat.

Two tiered rows of cream leather cinema recliners framed by linear lighting in a dark private cinema, by Sonic Design Studios
Introduction

One goal: the best possible experience for the space.

Everything starts with reference-grade loudspeakers, projection and screens, chosen after hearing and seeing them side by side.

Then we make it perform. Every loudspeaker is positioned, every seat is measured and the picture is calibrated to the room, so what you experience in the demonstration is what you get at home.

A private cinema in darkness, a film on a wide screen lighting the room blue
What we design

Sound, picture, room and integration.

  1. 01

    Sound

    Immersive, three-dimensional audio with height channels, tuned so every seat hears the same film. Dialogue stays clear, bass stays even, and nothing calls attention to where it comes from.

  2. 02

    Picture

    Projection and screen chosen together for the size of the room, its light and its seating distance. Micro-perforated screens let loudspeakers sit behind the image, exactly where the sound belongs.

  3. 03

    Room

    Acoustic treatment that lets the system perform as it should. Absorption, diffusion and bass control are specified for the room and finished to your palette, with isolation coordinated alongside your contractor.

  4. 04

    Integration

    Our in-house team designs loudspeaker finishes and enclosures to sit within your scheme. One simple interface runs the room, and we work with your lighting designer so picture, sound and light behave as one.

Three levels of experience

Every room is scoped individually.

Each tier is built from systems we have heard and rate at that level.

Home cinema projects typically range from approximately £22,000 to £170,000, depending on the room, system specification and scope of work. Every cinema is designed and quoted individually.

A media room with a fabric-panelled wall, deep sofa on a raised platform and a large screen, home cinema by Sonic Design Studios
I

The Screening Room

For a dedicated media room or a space that has to work as a lounge by day. Immersive surround sound with height, a bright, sharp image on an acoustically transparent screen, and treatment that tames reflections so films sound clear and controlled at any volume. Everything can be concealed when the screen is off.

A private cinema with a wide screen showing a film, panelled walls and ceiling loudspeakers, Sonic Design Studios
II

The Private Cinema

A dedicated room designed around the screen. A larger image with the brightness to hold detail and contrast in HDR, more loudspeakers and deeper, more even bass across every seat, and a full acoustic design that makes the room itself disappear. The closest most people will come to a premiere at home.

Two rows of cream leather cinema recliners in a dark room with linear lighting, a reference cinema by Sonic Design Studios
III

The Reference Cinema

The performance of a professional screening room, scaled to a private home. A reference-class sound system with the headroom of a commercial theatre, our highest-output projection, multiple rows calibrated to match, and an acoustic design built from the shell inwards. For clients who want nothing between them and the director’s intent.

Fabric-wrapped acoustic wall panels with concealed linear lighting beside cream cinema seating
Designed into your scheme

A statement, or nothing at all.

Loudspeakers can sit behind the screen and inside fabric-wrapped walls, or stand as finished objects designed to your materials. Acoustic panels become part of the joinery and upholstery. We provide drawings and first-fix details for your architect and interior designer, so the room is resolved before the walls close.

How we work

From the brief to the first screening.

Who we work with

Private clients, architects, interior designers and developers of premium residential projects across London, Europe and the GCC.

  1. 01

    Brief

    We learn how the room will be used, who will use it and what it should feel like.

  2. 02

    Demonstration

    You hear and see the systems in a reference room before anything is specified.

  3. 03

    Design

    Room layout, sightlines, loudspeaker positions, acoustic plan and drawings for your design team.

  4. 04

    Build coordination

    We work with your contractor through first fix, isolation and finishes.

  5. 05

    Installation and calibration

    Every seat measured and tuned, picture calibrated to the room.

  6. 06

    Handover and aftercare

    A simple walkthrough, then ongoing support.

Home cinema

Frequently asked questions

How much space does a home cinema need?

A dedicated room is ideal, but a well-proportioned media room can perform beautifully. We assess dimensions, ceiling height and layout at the brief and tell you honestly what the space can deliver.

Can the cinema be a multi-use room?

Yes. The Screening Room is designed for exactly this, with the screen, loudspeakers and treatment concealed when the room is used as a lounge.

Do you soundproof the room?

We design the acoustic treatment inside the room and coordinate isolation with your contractor and our specialist acoustic partners, so the cinema does not disturb the rest of the house.

How much does a home cinema cost?

Our home cinema projects typically range from approximately £22,000 to £170,000. The final cost depends on the room, sound and picture specification, acoustic requirements and scope of installation. After an initial conversation, we provide an indicative budget before detailed design begins.

Do you work with my architect or interior designer?

Always. We supply drawings, loudspeaker positions and first-fix details at design stage and attend site through the build.

Where do you work?

London, Europe and the GCC.

Hear it before you build it.

Book a private demonstration of our cinema systems and talk through your room with us.

SONIC DESIGN STUDIOS

The Designer's Guide to Cognitive Load

Designing for Neurological Comfort
and Human Performance.

Thought leadership

Design for the
brain, not the meter

Our manifesto on designing for neurological comfort.
Why technically compliant rooms still fatigue their occupants,
and how the Cognitive Load Index informs the design response.

Introducing the Cognitive Load Index (CLI),
a framework for assessing how hard a room asks people to work,
not just what the equipment records.