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Choosing the right seats for your home theater is about as important as picking the right audio components or projector. After all, if viewers aren't comfortable, no one's going to stick around. Before making a final decision, you'll need to consider not just comfort, but available space as well. To simplify the process, here are three things that will ultimately determine the best seating arrangement for your home theater.

Type of Chair

1. Recliners

Recliners are a popular choice for many home theaters because they allow you to lean back and kick your feet up while watching your favorite flick. Most of them are made of leather and recline with the help of a motor, and they typically come with a cup holder.

One thing to keep in mind with recliners is that they are also wider than most seats, so you will be slightly more limited in how many you can fit in your theater.

2. Stadium

Stadium seats will give you a true movie-going experience as they are the same kind you'd find in modern cinemas. They usually rock and/or recline, but they don't come with a footrest. One big advantage of this style of seating over the recliners is that they take up less room. So if you need ample seating in a smaller space, this would be a better option.

3. Bar seats

Bar seating is another fun way to add class and charm, as well as another form of entertainment, to your space. You'll also find it's a quick way to make room for more guests.

The bar should go in the back row, and you'll need to use spectator chairs or bar stools so your guests can view the screen. With this type of seating, you have a lot of flexibility, but for maximum comfort, go with padded chairs that also have footrests.

4. Couches

Placing a sofa or two in your home theater may not have crossed your mind, but more and more people are going with this option. Couches have a cozy feel, and they encourage a more "intimate" viewing experience, perfect for couples. But they're also great for families, especially those with kids that have a lot of sleepovers.

You can use sectionals or just a regular sofa, and you'll get more bang for your buck when it comes to fitting as many people as possible into a small room.

5. Throw chairs

If you're on a lower budget, or you want to be super casual with the way your home theater functions and feels, you can always go with "mobile" seating. Bean bag chairs come in all shapes and sizes now, and they're not all filled with beans and pellets anymore. A lot of them have foam on the inside to comfortably conform to whatever position you might be in, whether lying or sitting. Also, many of them are big enough to easily accommodate 2-3 kids or adults. A huge bonus is that they can be moved around, making them ideal for crowds of any size.

Screen Distance

In a family room with a small television, this doesn't matter so much. But with a home theater, you want to be sure that your seats are not too close, or too far away, from the screen. For everyone's maximum viewing pleasure, the general rule of thumb is to measure the width of the screen in inches, then multiply that number by either 2 or 5 to determine how many inches away your seats should be. Use the following formula:

Width x 2 = minimum distance

Width x 5 = maximum distance

For instance, if your screen is 100 inches wide, the front row should be no closer than 200 inches away (16 feet, 8 inches). And your last row should be placed no further than 500 inches away (41 feet, 8 inches).

Be sure to measure the screen horizontally, not diagonally.

Row Spacing

Allowing your guests to easily flow from one part of the room to another, or to navigate in and out of the rows, will require you to think about how much space to leave between rows as well as the walls and the end seats.

It's recommended to put at least 20 inches between rows, but that number might go up if you have recliners. You'll want the same amount of space between the end seats and a wall. This should be enough room for your guests to come and go without tripping or stumbling over the seats.  For more assistance setting up your home theater, contact a company like A Tech Security.