THE
BLACK
VELVET
JOURNEY
JoeRod
So here we are again with yet another idea on how to improve the home theater experience. You could have an amazing projector with ear popping sound that can sometimes be felt with cool bass shakers (Review here) and there is still at least one more thing you can do! I already painted the area around my screen with flat black. Then I went another step further and painted my entire ceiling. Still as dark as the area around my screen looked there was noticeable light reflection. Yes, it was much better than before but not the black hole look I was aiming for. Until now. I began my stopping by a Joanne Fabrics. The lady there was nice and helped me pic out the black velvet I was looking for. I brought a flashlight in so I could test it. Luckily she didn't call the police when I asked if I could step into a closet in the back. The type I picked was a "stretch" type which ended up working out perfectly. She suggested a high performance Spray Adhesive (pic below) from 3M. And after making my purchase I was on my way to another Joanne's down the road for more material. The cute girl there that helped me out offered me 50% off coupons which really made a huge difference in price! She even credited my other receipt from the first store.
The stretch black velvet made it easier to pull (stretch) to the edges of my walls and ceiling area around my screen. I stapled it using an electric stapler at the top of the walls then pulled the material towards the edges where I sprayed the adhesive. After applying pressure for just about 20 seconds or so it magically would stay put. And with no creases! The ceiling was a little bit more tricky but after stapling one side I just pulled it tight and stapled the other side. Towards the front is where I used the adhesive to make it stick. It really looks like a second skin. As you can see in the pic to the right (top and bottom) it is very black. Notice the area below my screen which was still painted flat black. Huge difference! At that point in the project I couldn't wait to see what it would look like finished...
So with the ceiling and walls done it was time to work on the floor. I went to Kmart and for very cheap picked up Best Step fitness pads. Sears hardware also has them but for twice as much. Before I go any further I want to point out that SOWK from AVS Forum passed along this great idea.
So after putting them together I then turned it over and used Gorilla Tape to help hold them securely. Make sure you vacuum your area before you do the next step. A clean area makes it that much easier...
First I spread out the black velvet on the floor. Then I simply laid the Best Steps over it. I then pulled the black velvet tight and used the Gorilla Tape to secure it. Then after turning it over I put it in place. Simple.
UPDATE: Since this Review I have discovered the 3M Spray Adhesive works much better (pic above)...
Pics do not do my Black Velvet Journey project justice. Watching a movie sure does. If you have a dedicated theater this is well worth the effort. Adding this little extra makes a lot of difference. Especially when watching those scary movies!!! Thanks for reading and as always feel free to ask any questions...
And make a Concession Stand Counter(below)
So I was in the market for a concession stand counter and was shocked to see most online stores selling them for $3000.00 plus! I really just wanted something for the butter dispenser to sit on. I figured it would be nice to put my candy rack inside it and kill two birds with one stone. So checking out Amazon I found an awesome AV stand at a terrific price. I also found a warm white light which was dimmable too. I found cheap mirrors on ebay and Velcro at Walmart. Oh and the candy rack came from Amazon as well. Just make sure you get one that will fit your AV Stand's dimensions. Putting the stand together was pretty easy. I just left out the shelves and put the mirrors in place. I cut a small slit inside at the top for the light's cord. The Velcro was used to hold the light and mirrors in place. The results are in the pics below. I was not sure what to expect but we are all very happy with the results. It truly does look like a professional concession stand counter for a tenth of the price! The butter dispenser is a Gold Medal model 2496. I am ecstatic to say I am able to use Odell's Original Anhydrous Butterfat topping (the best stuff) like they do in the "real" movie theaters. It is easy having a bag in a box in the dispenser. And being able to push the red button for the butter topping makes me feel like I am not at home! Feel free to ask me any questions...
Tap here to go back to:
JOERODHOMETHEATER.COM
Thanks for reading another DIY idea. I will add more from time to time. Feel free to email me with comments, ideas and of course questions. Take care and happy movie watching...
As you can see I liked the AV Stand so much I got another one for my popcorn machine. It makes for a neater look and definitely goes well with the GM BIB butter dispenser.
Links for Concession Stand items at bottom of page.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HKHLNUW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Concession Stand items provided in links below...
Warm White Light:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BWTS22/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
AV Stand which when in stock can be purchased for 199 under the Sylvan Ridge model:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261521292277?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Mirrors from eBay. I purchased 8 total:
http://www.candyconceptsinc.com/5-Tier-Merchandise-Counter-Rack_p_572.html
Candy Rack (I actually purchased mine a few years ago from another site but I finally found the exact same one:
