Home cinema, Control4 and lighting, explained.

Can you turn a garage into a home cinema? Planning permission is usually not needed, but building regulations are. Here is what to check first.

A Paradigm review from an installer: the Canadian maker’s history and owners, what it does well, sourced pros and cons, and how it fits Control4.

An installer’s KEF speakers review: the company’s history and ownership, what Uni-Q does, honest pros and cons, and who KEF suits in a cinema room.

Is Marantz a good brand? Marantz and Anthem’s history, who owns them now, their real strengths and drawbacks, and who each suits in a home cinema.

Our Sony projector review: how Sony’s SXRD projectors grew from cinema technology, their strengths, real drawbacks and the rooms they suit best.

Our Lyngdorf review: Peter Lyngdorf’s story, what RoomPerfect and the MP-60 do well, the real drawbacks and who Lyngdorf suits in a UK home.

Who owns JVC? The story from 1927 and VHS to JVCKENWOOD and D-ILA projectors, plus honest pros and cons and who a JVC projector suits.

Is Kaleidescape worth it? Its history, what it does well, the real drawbacks for UK buyers and who it suits, from a Surrey home cinema designer.

An installer’s Future Automation review: the company’s history, what its TV and projector lifts do well, the real drawbacks and how they fit Control4.

Home cinema recliners from Moovia, Front Row and Fortress: where each maker came from, what they do well, honest drawbacks and how they work with Control4.

Where to put a subwoofer in a home cinema room: the crawl method, corners versus walls, when two subs help, and why the room matters.

How much space home cinema seating needs: row spacing, recliner clearance, riser height and when a sofa is the better choice.

How to light a home cinema: wall, step and accent layers, keeping light off the screen, and scenes that dim with the film and lift on pause.

Planning a basement cinema room? The escape routes, ventilation, damp, ceiling height and cabling to settle first, with England’s Building Regulations.

Work out your home cinema screen size from viewing distance using the SMPTE and THX angles, with distances for 85 to 135 inch screens and two-row rooms.

Home cinema acoustic treatment shapes the sound inside the room; soundproofing keeps it in. What each involves and what England’s Building Regulations say.

What the numbers in a Dolby Atmos speaker layout mean, where the overhead speakers go, and how to choose between 5.1.2, 7.1.4 and 9.2.6 for your room.

Projector vs TV for a home cinema: how light, room size, throw distance and speaker placement decide it, with real Surrey rooms we have built.

Nine cinema and media room ideas drawn from real installations across Surrey and London, from hidden projectors to basement bars, with the thinking behind each.

Design the perfect home cinema room with expert layout tips for seating, screens, and acoustics. Create an immersive movie experience in any space.

A new cinema room is coming to an East London hospice in 2025, bringing joy, laughter, and connection to children and their families during challenging times.