In 2005, movie theater attendance suffered its sharpest decline in two decades. Pundits debate the reasons but one fact is clear: The preferred cinema for many moviegoers is now under their own roof. Thanks to the increasing affordability of large screens and advanced sound systems, families everywhere are replicating the theater experience at home.

One trend is taking this phenomenon even further: movie-watching is moving out of the traditional living room and into specialized home screening rooms. These offer the excitement of a dedicated "theater"—and the ability to determine movie choices, ambience, even snacks. Welcome to the personalized experience of the new "home moviegoer."

Sound enticing? Well for the most luxurious, opulent settings, you'll need an extra 500 square feet … and a spare quarter-million dollars or so. Those can be the minimum requirements for top designers who hyper-customize home theaters for the Hollywood elite—complete with plush furniture and detailed mood lighting.

So what if you don't have that kind of space and money?

Many movie lovers who lack movie-star budgets are going the do-it-yourself route, relying on their motivation—and mechanically inclined friends—to create home theaters on their own.

The basement renovators in this group may add a large flat-panel set and complementary sound system to their DIY checklist. With patience and elbow grease, the result can be a stylish screening room built on a "family room budget." Furniture stores are even getting the drift, arranging showroom recliners in small rows as a reminder that comfy seating is a must for an in-home theater.

Some families add a theater room as part of a modest home expansion. Jim and Melissa, Bose customers from Fairfax, Virginia, did just that, working with contractors to build a cinema room within a new home addition. Then, family members pitched in to help connect an arrangement of in-wall speakers and apply finishing touches. After five months of work, it was celebration time: a viewing of Top Gun, complete with explosive surround sound.

If home remodeling isn't in the plans, there are still convenient—and imaginative—ways to create a screening-room environment. Some viewers opt for a projector-and-screen combination instead of a large TV monitor. High projector resolutions (such as WXGA-H and high-res XGA) can handle high-definition video and some screens are as wide as 92" across. Projector fans love the flexibility and portability: a large screen may cover a living room picture window during movie time and then retract out of sight after the closing credits.

Whether your visual choice is a projector or big-screen TV, in-wall speakers are just one option, of course. For surround sound that doesn't take up a lot of wall space, small speakers with powerful, accurate reproduction can do the trick.

Those who prefer easier setups and fewer connections can consider the newer two-speaker trend. Two-speaker systems—comprised of just two front speakers and a module for lower, rumbling sound and deep musical notes—deliver exciting, theater-like thrills with less equipment. Some setups employ a media center with DVD player; others connect directly to your component of choice (DVD player, audio receiver, VCR, TV).

With this feast of options and opportunities, Americans haven't really given up on the movies. They're just going to a whole new venue—their own.

In-wall speakers
Virtually Invisible® 191 speakers »

Surround sound system
Premium home theater DVD systems: Lifestyle® DVD systems »
Home theater speaker systems: Acoustimass® home entertainment speaker systems »

Additional home theater options
3·2·1™ DVD home entertainment systems »
CineMate™ digital home theater speaker system »