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It is common to spend a lot of time in the Family
Room. Typically, it's the largest room in the house.
And usually positioned as one of the first areas you
encounter when you enter the home Because it is the
most popular room for hanging out, furnishing it with
items that reflex your family's taste and style is
important. Now adays electronic products have
become equally as important, big screen tv's,
speakers, architectural lighting, and computer stations
are just some of the products homeowners are
choosing to incorporate into their family rooms these
days. In addition to being a great place to kick off
your shoes a family room can also serve as a Home
theater, Library, and a place to entertain company.

Throwing a Party
What's the occasion: a birthday bash for your best friend, or
a friendly card game for a few of your favorite co-workers? It
doesn't really matter what type of get together you're
having. Having it at your home is always a great idea. By
setting the lights a certain way and playing the right music
you can control the energy of the party. For example, when
you're in the mood for a quiet intimate affair dimming the
lights and playing jazz in the background can set the mood.
Then when you are ready to get wild and crazy with some of
your closest friends you can crank up the tunes and turn on
a group of Halogen lights to accent your favorite pieces of
art. And when your children have their monthly club
meetings, that calls for something totally different. Having
lights at their brightest and music off sets the mood for that
get together. It is important to have the proper lighting to
set the mood for each and every different task in that room.

A lighting control system can set the mood at the single press
of a button. A button labeled romantic for example could dim
all but a couple of wall sconces, while an entertainment button
could brighten every corner of the room. Most lighting control
key pads hold between 4 and 8 buttons. What you call each
scene is entirely up to you.

Watching Movies
Many homeowner simply do not have the
money or the space to dedicate a room to a
home theater. Using the family room is a
great alternative. If the area is large, you
may even be able to incorporate a large
screen T.V. into the space. Having a Home
Theater requires more than just a big T.V.
The whole environment must be conducive
to watching movies. For starters the room
must be dark, it should be equipped with at
least 5 speakers and the equipment must be
easy to operate.

Being able to darken your family room require 2 things: dimmer
switches and some type of window covering usually will work. Using
dimmer switches instead of toggle switches is an affordable way to fade
out the family room lights. However, if you'll be using your family room
for a number of activities consider upgrading to a more advanced
lighting control system. That way you can tap one button on a key pad
to turn off the lights, while the remaining buttons arrange the lights for
other activities that take place.

There are many types of T.V.'s that function beautifully in any
type of lighting. Plasma T.V.'s, rear projection T.V.'s, and LCD
T.V.'s look nearly as stunning in a bright room as they do in a
room that is dark. Keep them in mind if you plan to watch movies
and other programs with the lights on. As long as the screen is
fairly large (at least 42" long) this type of T.V. works well for when
you are ready to turn off the lights and settle in for a good movie.
Click here for Plasma T.V.'s and more.

Relaxing
If your are like most homeowners, you've chosen
comfortable furnishings for your family room. The
electronic systems you choose for your family room
should be just as soothing to the soul. Depending on
the style of your family room, you can either store the
components inside an entertainment cabinet or hide
them away in the closet.

Of course the room will need speakers if the room will
be used to entertain. It is best to install several
speakers into the wall so that the sound is balanced
throughout the entire space. For a better listening
experience, place 2 small but powerful bookshelf
speakers at ear level. The speakers could be
mounted on the surface of the wall or can be placed
on a shelf. The same speakers used to play music
can be used to watch a movie. A 5 speaker
arrangement is particularly well suited for this room.
With the press of one button your family room can
switch from a Home Theater to a Listening room.
Click here for Speakers