A garden cinema with your favourite seat waiting

Put the screen and seats on the plan first

Begin with the screen you want to use and the seating position recommended for your equipment. Allow for the full depth of the furniture, including recliners when they are open, and a clear route in and out.

If you prefer a projector, use the manufacturer's placement requirements to plan the room. Throw distance, mounting position and the screen size need to work together. Check the finished internal dimensions before ordering equipment.

Think about where someone will walk when they leave the room during a film. A door that opens away from the main viewing area may make the layout easier to use.

Decide how you will manage daylight

A room for daytime sport may welcome a garden view. A projector setup may need much tighter light control. Tell us which matters most before choosing the doors and windows.

Plan where blinds or other light-control fittings would go, and confirm who will supply them. Keep a clear screen wall and consider reflections from windows opposite a television.

The right amount of glazing depends on the viewing setup. Choose it around the picture you want to watch.

Plan the cables while the walls are still a drawing

Make a list of the equipment and its intended position. Include the display, source devices and sound system, as well as where each needs power or a signal connection.

Discuss cable routes and mounting support before the building specification is agreed. A wall-mounted screen or ceiling-mounted projector may need provision in a particular place. Confirm the requirements with your equipment installer rather than assuming every surface is suitable.

The internal electrical package is included on Garden Rooms and Signature. Confirm the specified package and any specialist audio-visual cabling in your quotation. Connection of the garden room to the main property electrical supply is not included unless expressly stated within the quotation. This work can be quoted separately if required, subject to a site survey and the requirements of our electrical contractor.

Be clear about the sound you want

There are two separate questions: how the room sounds inside and how much sound travels outside it. Tell us about your intended speakers, listening levels and how close the room will be to neighbouring homes.

Acoustic panelling is optional on Garden Rooms and Signature. It does not, on its own, establish that a cinema is soundproof. Agree any sound-isolation requirement before committing to the building or sound system.

Make a long film comfortable

Plan for the time you will spend in the room, the number of seats and the equipment running inside it. Heating and air conditioning are available as options on Garden Rooms and Signature; discuss fresh air and temperature control as part of the brief.

If you stream films, plan the connection to the house too. Check the service and connection your equipment needs rather than assuming the Wi-Fi signal indoors will reach the garden.