All in the DIY Family
By Rachel Cericola
Dad passes on his passion, and DIY tips, for home theater construction to his son and the results are two great theater rooms.

Tom Kern was more than happy to be the guinea pig for his and his son’s foray into home theater design and installation. After all, he’d always loved movies as a kid. “Most of my childhood Saturday mornings were spent at the Palace Theater, two blocks from my home,” he recalls.

Starting with Style
Those early theater-going days would serve as Tom’s inspiration as he dedicated three years to transforming a second-floor bonus room into a replica ‘50s-style cinema.



Before diving into the build-out of the 38-by-14-foot space, Tom focused on collecting decorative pieces that would evoke the same look and feel of his childhood haunt. This turned out to be more difficult than he imagined. “I really had to persevere,” he says.

Finally, after three years of combing eBay and traveling across the country to pick up his finds, Tom had gathered his key pieces, some of which include original 1950s movie posters for The War of the Worlds, Them! and Flight to Mars. There would also be plenty of items from actual old movie theaters, such as a 1940s ticket collection box, a vintage illuminated exit sign, and real theater seats.

Building a Framework
All the while, Tom sketched, queried A/V dealers for their advice on equipment and read every book and magazine available on home theater construction. After clearing out his garage to serve as his workshop, Tom started the room redo by painting the ceiling a shade of dark blue. It took more than four coats—in addition the primer—to cover the existing white surface.

Click here for photos.

Click here for story.