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How Close Your Home Theater Seating Should Be

Posted by Watson's on Feb 21, 2021 8:42:00 AM

How Close Your Home Theater Seating Should Be

Nothing beats a movie night at home – especially in full recline mode. 

More and more people are turning basement rec rooms, spare bedrooms or dens into an in-home theater. 

Whether it’s for watching a movie or enjoying the big game, home theater seats are an extra comfy way to take your viewing experience to the next level. 

Below, we’ve answered your most common questions about how to set up your home theater seating to create the optimal viewing experience. 

Shop home theater seating now at the guaranteed lowest price in the USA.

Home theater screen seating distance 

“How far should my home theater seating be from the screen?” is the No. 1 question we get about from someone shopping for seating. 

It will depend largely on the size and resolution of your screen. The size of the room, the brightness in the room and layout of your seating will make a difference, too. 

Here’s the simplest rule of thumb, though, and it doesn’t require any complex math calculations: 

Start by measuring the width of your screen (note that it’s the width, and not the diagonal). 

Take the width of your screen and double it. Your seating should be at least that far away. 

Take the width of your screen and multiple it by 5. That’s the maximum distance. 

  • 42-inch HDTV screen: At least 7 feet away 
  • 50-inch HDTV screen: At least 8.3 feet away 
  • 60-inch HDTV screen: At least 10 feet away

Home theaters with large projector screens 

If you’re using a large projector screen, you may not have enough space in the room to follow that rule of thumb. 

So here’s an alternate formula that’s slightly more complicated but might work better for you: 

Measure the screen diagonally. Divide that size by .84. 

  • 100-inch projector screen: At least 119 inches away (roughly 10 feet)
  • 120-inch projector screen: At least 124 inches away (roughly 10 feet, 4 inches) 

Other home theater measurements that matter 

When you’re planning for a new home theater space, here are a few other measurements to consider. 

Choose any room that’s at least 15 feet wide and 20 feet long. 

Plan at least 20 inches of space on either side of the chairs, so that people can easily walk in and out. 

Leave room for any furniture you plan to include in the room, like any home theater equipment, a popcorn stand, a table for snacks or a home bar. 


Ready to create life’s comfiest moments in front of the screen? Shop home theater seating now at the guaranteed lowest price in the USA.


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